Classic games are getting expensive

[omegadot]

Someone will have to explain to me why I should want things because they cost more.

[CatPix]

Because :

Bottom of the barrel is emulation. A HD running on modern hardware ranks right up there with one of those all in one Jakks Pacific joysticks. Good for the non serious casual gamer and once bored or a new version comes along, toss it in the trash and move on.

the master said it. If you don't have a slab of plastic, you're not a real gamer.

You can beat the world record on Xevious, if it was on MAME, you're a lame casual gamer that know nothing about real games.

[Turbo-Torch]

Because :

the master said it. If you don't have a slab of plastic, you're not a real gamer.

You can beat the world record on Xevious, if it was on MAME, you're a lame casual gamer that know nothing about real games.

 

If it was on MAME it doesn't count. Also, I hope that my opinions are getting you worked up to the point of losing sleep.

Now babble on.

[82-T/A]

Classic games are getting expensive because most people who grew up in middle class families in the 80s and 90s are now in the prime of their own careers, making decent salaries and are able to afford it, which of course drives up demand.

 

But as a few people on here have said (the Tron guy in the tight pants), we will all die at some point... and these collections aren't going to be worth squat. Some nostalgia continues to hold value, and maybe some video game stuff will. But I don't know if in 20 years, the Jaguar games will still hold the same value they do now... I'm thinking it'll be less (with inflation, respectively). But that's just an educated guess.

[amiman99]

Digital library IS a collection, but NOT a VALUABLE collection. Digital files can be duplicated in matter of seconds thus lowering the value to almost nothing.

Physical items can be duplicated, but it takes much more time to do it, so for example bootleg carts do sell but for lower price then the originals. Most collectors want the originals, that is why the prices are higher.

So, the prices of physical items will be always higher then the digital ones.

 

Right now people are selling PS4s with now discontinued PT Demo for outrageous prices, but it will come down if the demo gets released again or the PS4 gets hacked and the game gets installed in it. I personally would not pay $1000s for just that demo.

[Keatah]

If it was on MAME it doesn't count.

 

Why?

[Gamemoose]

 

Why?

If referring to beating the world record, emulation is not "fair". What version of MAME was used? What hardware was used? Type of controller? There are so many variables that could make beating the score easier through emulation that it should NOT count. If you play the actual arcade game, the only real variable would be the dip switch settings.

 

If may have been touched on but when using the word "collection" there is a universal assumption that you have something tangible sitting on say a shelf or walls or in a box. When someone comes up to you and says "I have a video game collection", what honestly pops into your mind? I'll bet a majority of us will think of a "room of doom" or at least stacks of actual games. Upon seeing a flash cart or an Ouya with ROMs on it one's perception is dashed. Not that having access to an entire console's library isn't cool but it doesn't "feel" like a collection.

 

Or how about this: "I collect arcade games." What comes to mind? I'd think big cabinets in rows in a basement. Last thing I'd think of would be a MAME cab or just a PC with an X-Arcade attached. But word usage wise it would be correct-the ROMs are indeed a collection but the inferred context is different.

 

The same idea would apply to other things like art. "I collect art." You'd think paintings or sculptures all over the person's house and not an iPad with a bunch of photos of Picasso's or Rembrandt's.

 

So it's more about perception than anything and most everyone is going to think more along the lines of one having physical goods opposed to virtual files and software. Both are fun but are not the same.

 

Hope that made sense.

[Keatah]

Well.. then.. Instead of saying, "Come over and see my videogame collection." Say, "Hey check out this cool little magic box that can play all the old consoles, computers, and hundreds of arcade games."

 

What about using M.A.M.E. for people that are maimed? Surely autofire for carpal tunnel sufferers is a good thing. Or extra large and bright monitors for the vision impaired. Maybe loud headphones for the near-deaf. Or comfortable seating for the 200kg fat ass..

 

Maybe it's best that "collection" isn't normally associated with videogames. Leave "collection" to be associated with objets d'art, fine antiques, things the well heeled indulge in.

 

Because, to most sophisticated women for example, videogames are immature and sign you can't handle responsibility. They evoke images of a 35yr old "manchild". Or even a hoarder. I had to fight this for a really long time. Same deal with comic books, anime action figures..you get the idea.

 

In the meantime I'm going to go enjoy my collection of Astrocade roms in MESS!

Edited June 14, 2015 by Keatah

[CatPix]

If referring to beating the world record, emulation is not "fair". What version of MAME was used? What hardware was used? Type of controller? There are so many variables that could make beating the score easier through emulation that it should NOT count.

 

Hope that made sense.

It does. However, the point I was making was more being called "a non serious casual gamer".

Emulation is someime the only way to access to machines and games that are rare, released in limited quantities or hard to obtain (try to get a Bally Astrocade in Europe).

Plus, even is the game is somehow cheated on MAME (which shouldn't be) anyone able to hit high scores on games like Xevious, Tetris, Gradius, etc... can not be called a "non serious casual gamer". Or so I think.

I can agree that you cannot validate a high score made under MAME, but do you think that when this gamer will get on a real arcade machine, he'll fail miserably?

[Tjohoo!]

Do you think that the high prices of CIB games like NES or SNES will continue to get even more expensive and for how long?

I'm just curious because I like to collect games and of course play them as well. But if retro games have the price they have today

it will take more than a lifetime for me to get all the good games from the past..If it will be even more expensive in the near future.

[Austin]

The "people will eventually die and the collections will one day be worth nothing" aspect is an interesting one. That is, if only for the fact that a lot of current-day collectors are younger folks that didn't actually grow up with the systems that they are collecting for (NES, SNES, etc). How much of it is truly driven by nostalgia, versus a genuine appreciation of the medium? I'm not about to predict what the future will be like, but if I'm alive in 20 years I will be looking forward to seeing the then-current status of the market.

[CatPix]

There sill probably still be people interested in. I didn't grew up with the Atari 2600 and I enjoy a good load of the games made for it. Heck I enjoy some Channel F and Radofin games!

 

Tho, one can look at the antique car situation. Prices surely does act on it, but the people driving the older cars are, from what I see, old people. I don't think I ever saw a car made before the 30's in the hands of someone less than 50 years old.

It's likely that thanks to all the virtual consoles and stuff, younger people will grow interested in the 8/16 bits era still. But pre-NES consoles? I kinda doubt it; first they are getting rare; they are aging. Apparently in the US, newer televisions doesn't accept analog RF signals anymore. In Europe, even late 90's CRT TV would be barely able to get a clear signal from a console.

Video gaming being mostly based on "system and ROM" (that is, it doesn't require special hardware;; exception being things like the light guns, Virtual Boy...) older systems may life still through emulation however, and due to the semi-legal status of it, it's hard to guess how many people are really playing retro games.

[high voltage]

I hope interest for VCS will be falling. Just now a cib Boing sold for $150 on ebay US, that's cheap, so here's hoping.

[Turbo-Torch]

Systems from Pong to NES will never become worthless. Same goes for early home computers. They are right up there with the invention of the telephone, radio, car, TV etc. People pay ungodly amounts of money for items that no one alive today had any experience with.

And even though cars follow the economy, they continue to rise every year. There is no shortage of pre 1950s cars going through Barret Jackson fetching well over $1 million...and these are not 100+ year old people buying a car they vaguely remember from when they were a child.

[CatPix]

Those are special cars tho, or people wich are collectors and not user. Most of them.

 

In real life you can find antique cars for much less and still.

 

Looking quick, I see you can acquire a Peugeot 201 for something between 8000€ (complete but to be fixed) to 11 000 (running and clean).

It's a sum, but nothing too expensive. Yet, younger collectors prefer to buy a Citroën 2CV, that today cost around... 8000 to 11 000€ ( I shit you not, even for the late 80's models).

Or prefer to buy a Renault 5 Turbo II. Or many 80's cars. Rarely cars from the 60 and earlier.

 

Tho I didn't said they'll become worthless. Or point me to where I said it.

They are going to become obscure (try asking most gamers on AtariAge is they ever heard of the Interton VC 4000 or the Radofin APVS) and scarce. They will be more expensive probably, much like the Odyssey is going more expensive. but not because more peopel want it, but because there will be less of them available.

[GameGirl420]

I definitely noticed the rise in prices with NES stuff over the last few years in particular,it's crazy. Even on Craigslist I would see ads of people trying to sell a single NES consolle with like only 1 game for like 100 bucks or something. On eBay, 100 bucks for only a 20 - 40 NES game lot? no thanks lol. I've got over 100 NES carts and I don't think I paid that much for them 10 years ago. Although I've seen some good deals on factory sealed NES lately,but not much. $1000 for a sealed copy of Zelda!?

 

Atari 2600 prices are decent lately imo unless you are trying to get something that is "boxed".

 

 

I also blame the AVGN for making alot of those prices go up. Why is it everytime he posts a video about something and all of a sudden the prices go up??? I'll have to mention that to Kevin Finn the Glitch Gremlin next time lol.

[Austin]

I also blame the AVGN for making alot of those prices go up. Why is it everytime he posts a video about something and all of a sudden the prices go up??? I'll have to mention that to Kevin Finn the Glitch Gremlin next time lol.

 

I tend to take this train of thought a step further. I feel the popularization of retro gaming videos on YouTube in general has had a large effect on the price of classic games.

[Cobra Kai]

 

I tend to take this train of thought a step further. I feel the popularization of retro gaming videos on YouTube in general has had a large effect on the price of classic games.

Also, another factor has got to be the chinese clone systems like the Super Retro Trio, stuff like that which encourages people to go out and reacquire those old games.

So, video games are expensive in some cases, thats fine, the market is healthy. People are willing to spend their money on expensive old games, either as collection pieces and/or to play as well. Others are content to acquire all their games the free and easy way, but still complain about the price of them while not spending one dollar, whatever.

[The Usotsuki]

Trying to reacquire and improve my old game collection on a fixed income is proving difficult.

 

Oh well, there's the fun of the hunt still, when I get the chance.

[Skippy B. Coyote]

What I've noticed, both online and in my local area, is that over the last 5 years or so NES, SNES, and GameCube prices have been going up and up and up. The systems I mainly collect for (Atari 2600, Sega Genesis, and Game Boy/Game Boy Color) have remained relatively the same, but man have the popular games for older Nintendo consoles ever gotten expensive.

 

It always strikes me as a little funny when I'm searching for a Genesis game and see copies of the same game ported to the SNES going for twice the price of the Genesis version. Back when they were current gen the SNES and Genesis had relatively similar market shares in North America, so I'm at a bit of a loss when it comes to trying to understand why SNES games go for so much more than the Genesis versions of the same game these days. Not that I'm complaining mind you, I have no qualms about being able to find most of the Genesis carts I want to add to my collection with good condition labels for $5 to $10. There are still a few like Castlevania: Bloodlines, Contra: Hard Corps, and some of the more popular shmups that go for $30 to $40, but most Genesis games haven't changed much in price over the last half a decade or so.

 

Speaking of shmups, I think just about every horizontal or vertical scrolling 16/32 bit spaceship shooter worth playing has skyrocketed in price over the last half a decade or so. Has anyone else noticed that? And what do you think is behind the big shmup boom?

[imstarryeyed]

It seems to becoming more like... emulate if you are poor.. buy if you can afford it. People come into my store all of the time and complain that the most desirable games are too expensive; even though we have tons of them for cents or a few dollars. The fact is that they are not too expensive, it's just that they can not afford them. A game is too expensive when you cannot sell it and you need to lower the price. The fact is that these people want these great classics but only want to pay a few bucks. Let's face the facts however classic video game stores like mine can only stay in business and pay my employees and rent off off those classics the non collectors want. It's the marios, donkey Kongs, contra and others that makes sure the power bill gets paid. It's unfortunate but I honestly believe none of us store owners are rich, or well off. I would venture you customers make more per hour and don't have to work 7 days a week and ask your employees to volunteer extra time just to stay open.

 

Internet videos and people in their late 20s with better paying jobs now who woke up one day a realized their youth is slipping by seem to be a big reason for spikes. Crummy games on new systems that are pretty to look at but can be finished in 3 hours, play into it as well. People sick of buying the same 1st person shooter or RTS or mmorpg play into this as well. People angry with angry birds, or the countless clones of bejeweled or any other cell phone game...same thing. Lots of things made us where we are, and most likely countless more as well.

 

Emulation is great, but if you have a local small classic store and like it, do support it as I hope they are doing everything they can to stay open.

 

Of course these are just my opinions and respect everyone might differ from mine

[Keatah]

It seems to becoming more like... emulate if you are poor.. buy if you can afford it.

 

Not so sure on that. A sizable collection makes for a lot of clutter. You need separate areas with their own monitors for each system. Then there is the rat's nest of controllers and cables. Keeping all this stuff in order and organized and playable at the same time is time consuming.

 

We're pretty set and have chosen emulation for those and other reasons. Especially the added features like pause, overclocking/underclocking, savestates, and the often unmentioned feature of dip switch settings in MAME. Maintenance, reliability, repeatability, portability, and much more. I have many rants on the value and superiority of emulation over real hardware.

 

 

People come into my store all of the time and complain that the most desirable games are too expensive; even though we have tons of them for cents or a few dollars. The fact is that they are not too expensive, it's just that they can not afford them.

 

How can a $5 or $10 cartridge be too expensive? They're pretty durable and the masked-roms have a projected life of 200 years. That's a hell of a deal. Getting a physical Game Program that can be with you the rest of your life. And not some DLC shit.

 

 

Let's face the facts however classic video game stores like mine can only stay in business and pay my employees and rent off off those classics the non collectors want. It's the marios, donkey Kongs, contra and others that makes sure the power bill gets paid. It's unfortunate but I honestly believe none of us store owners are rich, or well off. I would venture you customers make more per hour and don't have to work 7 days a week and ask your employees to volunteer extra time just to stay open.

 

Maybe you should run your business online? I've long ago given up on supporting mom-n-pop shops. Prices are too high, and I've been experiencing substandard service the past 4 or 5 years anyway.

 

For refusal of a $10 exchange on an item I no longer visit that store. They lost a sale, my next purchase was a $1,700 aerial photography platform set. I got it on Amazon, confident that if there was a problem I could get a no-questions hassle-free exchange.

 

 

Internet videos and people in their late 20s with better paying jobs now who woke up one day a realized their youth is slipping by seem to be a big reason for spikes. Crummy games on new systems that are pretty to look at but can be finished in 3 hours, play into it as well. People sick of buying the same 1st person shooter or RTS or mmorpg play into this as well. People angry with angry birds, or the countless clones of bejeweled or any other cell phone game...same thing. Lots of things made us where we are, and most likely countless more as well.

 

I can think of a hundred different ways to re-enjoy youth than videogames. But of course videogames are a big part of it, like you say.

 

I have zero interest in modern gaming, the hassles of DRM and DLC.. I also use my phone to conduct business and talk on. Not play games on. For that I have my emulation chillout room. Also many times I like to play alone and without the interruptions of ads or pauses and delays in online accesses. I'm just not impressed. The classics win every time.

 

 

Emulation is great, but if you have a local small classic store and like it, do support it as I hope they are doing everything they can to stay open.

Of course these are just my opinions and respect everyone might differ from mine

 

Hopefully your store is different, the two in our area are next of kin to a junk dealer.

[imstarryeyed]

Keatah I have to agree with you about some stores feeling like junk dealers. It's sad for as much hand testing and restoration we do (no rats nest cables in the store). Year warranty, item tested again in front of you before you leave, open 7 days a week. I often visit other stores that just don't do the extra and ,in my opinion, necessary steps to make an excellent product.

 

I can certainly see how many people can and will continue to be quite disenfranchised by that.

[+GoldenWheels]

 

Internet videos and people in their late 20s with better paying jobs now who woke up one day a realized their youth is slipping by seem to be a big reason for spikes. Crummy games on new systems that are pretty to look at but can be finished in 3 hours, play into it as well. People sick of buying the same 1st person shooter or RTS or mmorpg play into this as well. People angry with angry birds, or the countless clones of bejeweled or any other cell phone game...same thing. Lots of things made us where we are, and most likely countless more as well.

 

 

This is interesting to me...I appreciate older games as though they may be harder (often in very cheap, poorly designed ways) they are, to me, MUCH LESS of a timesink than a modern game. I can pick up and play a game of Earth Defense Force (last night) or Joust (night before), play, have fun, and be done. That's a far cry, to me, from remembering where I left off in massive games like Elder Scrolls or GTA5 after a week of not playing. Missions, objectives, rewards, bonuses, unlockables, mission ratings, on and on and on. Sometimes I just have no time for that noise. There's more massive, top quality AAA titles than I will EVER have time for.

Edited June 19, 2015 by GoldenWheels

[CatPix]

How can a $5 or $10 cartridge be too expensive?

Good luck finding anything else other than NES Tennis for those prices. Or PS2 games.

 

The only old games stuff I saw recently in used stuff shops around me :

 

loose Zelda NES cart : 40€

loose NES with one controller : 120€

loose Atari 2600 with two controllers : 70€

loose random Game Boy games : 7 to 10€ for the less know ones, up to 40€ for a Zelda or Mario cart.

etc etc etc...