Deterioration of modern game cases/inserts?

[Warmsignal]

So I'm looking for some feedback from any of you who also collect for modern consoles like Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, Wii U, etc.

 

I've been collecting in the modern scene since about 2009 and lately I have began to notice physical deterioration in some of the games cases for games I've bought in that time period. Many of these games were new when I bought them, or used but in great condition. The main thing that I notice is that the artwork inserts of some games have begun to develop a ripple or wave underneath the plastic sleeve. It looks really bad. The only thing I can figure is that the plastic sleeves seem to be opening up or becoming too loose and allowing air to reach the insert. But that's just a theory I'm tossing around.

 

I store all of my dvd/blueray style case games in the same fashion, on a shelf and upright. I sometimes wonder maybe if the upright position is causing the sleeves to eventually loose intergrity and sag, leading to air or humidity reaching the insert? Of course my games are stored in a climate controlled space, my room! So I don't see how moisture could really play a role in this, but I'm not ruling it out. This happens with both 360, and PS3 games.

 

One other thing I notice mostly with 360 games, is that sometimes the plastic case alone will begin to sag down in the center. I speculated that it's possible this might have happened to some of them when I had them stacked vertically for a short period of time. If that wasn't the cause, then I don't know why they would do that other than terrible build quality. Which, everyone probably knows is the case, as they're not nearly as sturdy or heavy as PS2 / XBOX era cases.

 

 

Anyway, if you have any clue what the heck is going on (especially with insert issue), please fill me in. I'd like to stop any further deterioration if possible.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Warmsignal

[+save2600]

Where is this stuff kept in your house? My guess is you may have a humidity problem and if so, that's easily solved by a dehumidifier and/or some better air flow.

[Necron99]

is your room always hot or cold? I would say a humidity problem but possibly the plastic is shrinking or expanding due to extreme conditions (possibly getting rays from the sun all day?)

 

my ps2//ps3/xbox games are all stored vertically, have been for many years and I've never seen this kind of thing besides a few games I picked up that has minor water damage.

[Warmsignal]

In the summer, my room some times gets between 75 and 78 at the very hotest of days, but I usually run my air conditioner to bring temps down to about 70 (I don't have central air). At this time of year, it stays about 72 in my room. It's most prominent in my PS3 games, which are not near the window at all. However, humidity is unbelievable around here in the summer. We run a dehumidifier downstairs and usually have to empty it several times a day. Maybe the same humidity is upstairs? Time for two dehumidifiers?

Edited September 20, 2013 by Warmsignal

[DaytonaUSA]

Sounds like you figured it out. None of my games have this issue. We have a dry house.

[+save2600]

Time for two dehumidifiers?

 

Yes. Especially since you do not have central air. Unless you have a really old home with no ducting, no reason not to have central air in a climate that begs for it. In an older home, several box fans placed in the windows and/or ceiling fans work wonders.

[Warmsignal]

I think it's worth noting again, that I find this to be mostly an issue with PS3 (blue-ray) cases. It has occured in a few of the more recent release 360 titles, but has become a nightmare among many of my PS3 ones. Wii, DS, PSP, PS2, XBOX, GameCube, etc, none of these cases seem to be at all effected by whatever these blue ray-cases are crapping out against. A pattern I notice is that every blue ray-case begins with an ever so slight droop in the top front of the sleeve where it begins to no longer be flush with the front. This doesn't seem to happen to the bottom, or the back sides of the sleeve at all. Just the front top, where the PS3 banner is.

 

One other slight possibility could be that I'm stacking them to tightly together and creating pressure on the sleeve until it's compromised. But I'm still thinking the humidity issue is more likely the root cause.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Warmsignal

[iswitt]

In the summer, my room some times gets between 75 and 78 at the very hotest of days, but I usually run my air conditioner to bring temps down to about 70 (I don't have central air). At this time of year, it stays about 72 in my room. It's most prominent in my PS3 games, which are not near the window at all. However, humidity is unbelievable around here in the summer. We run a dehumidifier downstairs and usually have to empty it several times a day. Maybe the same humidity is upstairs? Time for two dehumidifiers?

 

I'm thinking you have the potential for a far more serious issue than game cases. I had a similar humidity issue in an apartment I lived in two years ago and had two dehumidifiers running all day and had to empty them a couple times a day. The humidity measurements were around 90% all the time and I eventually determined we had a mold issue, which is why my wife was having health issues. You should do a thorough search of all the tough-to-reach places in your home and make sure this isn't an issue. If it is, game cases will be the last thing on your mind.

[Warmsignal]

 

I'm thinking you have the potential for a far more serious issue than game cases. I had a similar humidity issue in an apartment I lived in two years ago and had two dehumidifiers running all day and had to empty them a couple times a day. The humidity measurements were around 90% all the time and I eventually determined we had a mold issue, which is why my wife was having health issues. You should do a thorough search of all the tough-to-reach places in your home and make sure this isn't an issue. If it is, game cases will be the last thing on your mind.

 

I think what our real issue is, is lack of drainage on the property. After a rain storm, an inch of water will just sit in the crawl space. I guess it evaporates and comes into the house? Not sure, I'm not an expert on this stuff. But it really sucks when your home is at 90% humidity all the time when you don't have the dehumidifier running. Mostly just in the summer months though. Plus humidity levels outside are always sky high here in the summer.

Edited September 20, 2013 by Warmsignal

[Video]

I've noticed this deterioration a lot myself. I mean, DVD cases are DVD cases, or so I thought, but the last few years of Xbox 360 games, almost all of my cases have cracks, some are quiet badly damaged. I mean, I could see if it was a third party game that was owned by somebody that didn't give a crap about it, but I baby all my stuff. I love to keep stuff in just as near mint condition as possible, so it just gets on my nerves when a brand new game I get has splits all around the edge.

 

Those double disc games are even worse. I got Halo 4, like all my friends. You know not one of us had an intact case once we got home? Mine was in the best condition, but one of the hinges to the inner disc tray was broken, never been open, yet that was broken. Most of my friends had that and something else broken.

 

I'm serious, what pieces of shit these cases are. Can't comment on wiiu or PS3 as I don't own one.

 

If I could find a supply for the light translucent green cases, I'd probably buy "non recycle" cases if I could, but I've not been able to find one, and I don't really want to use black cases, as it's equally annoying when the spines don't match (somehow the "greatest hits (or whatever the xbox games are called)) seem to be much better cases, just to bad they're gray.

[+-^CrossBow^-]

I have over 80 ps3 games and they all sit side by side vertically on a shelf with some laying on top horizontally. I've never seen any deterioration or issues with my game cases. However, I also have all of the game discs themselves in alpha order in one of those large 100 cd cases.This way the games are easier to get to without having to disturb the cases on the shelf. I do this with all of my games.

 

In other words, can you post some pics of what you are describing? Again, my cases are only opened and closed a few times before the disc is then stored elsewhere.