Have we hit the classic gaming peak?

[Rik]

Hi,I just recently read an article in COLECONATION,of how we have approached the PEAK of the CLASSIC VIDEO GAMING REVIVAL,and pretty much it said" will the next generation have as much interest as "we do",and take the torch,and keep CLASSIC GAMING alive?only time can tell for sure,any thoughts?

[Gregory DG]

Seems kind of odd they'd think that considering all the Retro gaming you can get from the X360 and the Wii...

[The Eidolon]

Well, as time passes, the more games will fall into the "classic" category, so in a sense,

the hobby will be continually expanding. What the relative interest level will be between

new and older games I can't say. The book market might be not be a bad analogy

to look at for when video games become more "mature." There will be a big market

for mass-appeal new releases, and a smaller but longer-lasting market for classics.

[Lemmi]

i think the CLASSIC VIDEO GAMING REVIVAL ends with the CD format

[MegaManFan]

I think I both agree and disagree with Lemmi. On the one hand cart games are true "retro" as far as I'm concerned, and I still get much more of a thrill out of buying Coleco or N64 games than I do Saturn or Dreamcast games. On the other hand, it doesn't mean I don't collect for either of the latter, since I have working consoles for both and both are systems that have been retired for years now. So while cart systems may be the "peak" I think disc systems can still be considered "retro" as they continue to age and fall into disuse among the mainstream.

[MCHufnagel]

As long as gamers grow old, there will be a market for classic gaming. 20 years from now someone will want to show their kids what gaming was like back in the "good old days" of the PS2.

[Duke 4ever]

I myself consider Plastation 1/3DO/Saturn games part of classic gaming. After that, I think its all modern. So anywhere from the beginning to the end of PS1 is classic gaming imo.

[Ghost Soldier]

As cd systems age they'll still be sought after like catridge based systems. That being said my sega cd gets more play than my ps2 and x-box. I consider it a retro system (sega cd). I don't think retro or classic gaming ends at catridges. I think the whole classic/retro can be applied to just about every system and format that is no longer active (homebrew aside). So my tiger handheld game is just as retro as my saturn or N64. Just my 2 cents on the matter. 8-)

[ColecoNation]

The article in ColecoNation wasn't questioning the lifespan of "classic gaming" in general. It was wondering if interest in the pre-NES systems (Atari, Intellivsion, ColecoVision) will continue once those of us who grew up with them eventually get older, become disinterested, and/or unfortunately die. The question posed was will our kids continue to be interested in this era of gaming or does it die with us?

 

+ Nathan

[christianscott27]

Based on the clarification CN just posted I would tend to agree. A lot of the old line RGVC collectors have vanished or unloaded their stuff. The guys who played atari as kids are now parents themselves and that tends to kill off a lot of hobbyists, they lack the time, space, attention to carry on a big hobby. Add to that the fact that classic games have all but dried up in the wild so there are less places for some one to stumble into atari collecting. A lot of people got on the revival bandwagon the way I did, we were at a thrift/yard sale/flea and just happened across a 2600 that we picked up like a lost friend and never looked back. That kinda connection doesnt happen much anymore.

[Christophero Sly]

As the generation that grew up playing these systems, I think our experiences are unique. I imagine people will always be interested in the first generation of home video games, but future generations won't share our sense of nostalgia for this era and will probably regard the early systems simply as historical curiosities.

Edited October 19, 2006 by Christophero Sly

[Albert]

Based on the clarification CN just posted I would tend to agree. A lot of the old line RGVC collectors have vanished or unloaded their stuff. The guys who played atari as kids are now parents themselves and that tends to kill off a lot of hobbyists, they lack the time, space, attention to carry on a big hobby. Add to that the fact that classic games have all but dried up in the wild so there are less places for some one to stumble into atari collecting. A lot of people got on the revival bandwagon the way I did, we were at a thrift/yard sale/flea and just happened across a 2600 that we picked up like a lost friend and never looked back. That kinda connection doesnt happen much anymore.

Yeah, I have to agree with you here. I got into collecting because I was working with someone who programmed some games for the 2600 "back in the day". Well, that's not why I got into collecting, but it inspired me to search for a 2600 and some games in the wild. I was able to easily find one at a flea market (this was in Boston at the time, about 10 years ago). These days if I set out to find a 2600 in the wild, I know I'd have a much more difficult time. Of course, I was hunting for one, so these days I could just go to eBay and pick one up. However, without these systems in the wild, you don't have people stumbling upon them, buying one for nostalgia reasons, and then getting interested in the hobby.

 

As those of us who grew up with thesse old systems age, you're not going to see as many people actively involved in collecting the vintage (2600 ,5200, ColecoVision) stuff. Instead, you'll see a shift towards newer game systems--the ones people grew up with (I already see this a fair bit witih the NES). There will always be people interested in the 2600, but mostly from a historical standpoint, not because they had one as a kid.

 

..Al

[Atarifever]

Well, some of those systems are already losing their appeal to younger gamers as time goes on I think.

 

I've seen Sega Saturn X on the forums (I think he's 17 now) saying that anything pre-crash is nearly unplayable now. On planet Gamecube's "Radio Free Nintendo" broadcast awhile back the guy said that people would need to be informed about what NES games were worth buying for the VC, as for example "Joust isn't worth $5, you'll play it for 5 minutes and then be bored". Also, my fiancee, who is only 2 years younger than me, doesn't even remember the 2600 and doesn't like the games because "they're too hard"(to be truthful, I barely remember the 2600, as I was 2 when the crash happened, and had my brother not handed his down to me while stores were still stocking lots of 2600 games, I wouldn't have any personal memories of it at all, and I'm 25).

 

I think it's hard to sell people on those games if they didn't grow up with them. Look at reviews of Yoshi Touch and Go. It's constantly bashed basically for being a score based game. It would have been more at home (touch screen aside) on the VCS or Colecovision than on a modern system. If you can't even get people really enjoying playing for score in anything but a bejeweled or tetris clone, then it's hard to get them interested in doing that on a system where you're character is a single colored stickman who shoots the same enemies over and over while a soundtrack of "bleep-blop" plays in the background.

 

Don't get me wrong, it's hard these days to get me to play anything but that type of game, but people who grew up with GTA won't care much for Dodge-em.

[Cybergoth]

...

 

So when do we get the "august" issue of Coleconation?

[ninjarabbit]

I don't think the cd generation will be as fondly remembered because A) good luck finding a working CD based system 5, 10, or even 20 years from now because I think 10 years from now there will be more working 2600s than PS1s and B) good luck finding CD games in the wild in the future that aren't scratched up to the point of being unplayable .

[Ghost Soldier]

I don't think the cd generation will be as fondly remembered because A) good luck finding a working CD based system 5, 10, or even 20 years from now because I think 10 years from now there will be more working 2600s than PS1s and B) good luck finding CD games in the wild in the future that aren't scratched up to the point of being unplayable .

Passed down or bought from one collector to another the systems and games will survive. All my sega cd games are mint. Both of my sega cd's model 1 and 2 are like new condition. Those games and systems are going on 15+years old now. The collectors will retain the gems and when it comes time to part they'll be passed on like anything else. I doubt your going to go to a thrift and find a mint cd game 20 years from now. So I agree with you on one point. The games will probably fetch a pretty penny being scratch free as well as the remaining working systems. I watched a Turbo Duo go on ebay last week for 350+ Not too shabby for a old cd system.

[Duke 4ever]

It also depends on the age range of the person. For instance, I'm 18 and I consider early cd systems to be classic gaming to me since I was growing up at the time when they were big.

 

It dosen't mean I dont appericiate games that were made before I was born, its just that different generations cherish certain systems stronger than others because they grew up with them.

[MCHufnagel]

I don't think the cd generation will be as fondly remembered because A) good luck finding a working CD based system 5, 10, or even 20 years from now because I think 10 years from now there will be more working 2600s than PS1s and B) good luck finding CD games in the wild in the future that aren't scratched up to the point of being unplayable .

You can already play most CD-based systems up to the PS1 with emulators on your PC. And people are at work creating PS2 emulators. As long as there are PC's with some sort of cd drive, these games will be playable.

 

As far as scratched cd's, I still have plenty of 20 - 25 year old music cd's in great condition and even older music cassettes and floppy disc games that are fine.

[ubersaurus]

The only pre-NES system I owned as a kid was the 2600, and that hasn't stopped me from going forth to buy its old competitors to play them

[birdie3]

Very interesting question. I think we have. The fact remains that early home video game consoles (Atari, Coleco, Intellivision etc..) are what will always be deservingly known as "classic". Everything else after this is only an improvement on the concepts and technologies. I doubt the next generation will be interested in the classic era.

[Lemmi]

when do you think we will see hand held controllers that you just plug into the TV programed with 20 or so Saturn/PS1/DC games?

thats what i was thinking of by the term revival, not just collecting for them

collecting for various systems people grew up playing will always be considered classic by those people

[Video]

I think collecting will end with our generation. The fact is, with the decaying hardware and software, and the ability to gather any games you MIGHT be intersted in on a emulator, the actual stuff will slowly slide away. Even more so with the CD stuff. Yeah, the Sega CD worked great and you can still find a few, but those were built like tanks. I take great care of my stuff, and both my segaCD's still work fine, and one was a dumpster find. But would you like to know how many PSX's I've gone though just in the years befor the PS2 came out? Some CD systems are built well, but facts are facts, and they ARE still built out of moving parts. And that of course means, they will break.

 

Yeah, cart ports get dirty, and chips burn out, but that will last far longer than moving parts, and for this reason, I can say with all honesty, that in 20 years, there will be more people collecting Atari's and Nintendo's and whatever, than will be collecting SegaCD's and PSX's. There won't be more people than there are now, just more in relation to each other.

 

But truthfully, I do think we're about at the peak of the classic gameing era, already you see collectors letting go of their collections for one reason or other. And the fact is, the games are available in other, more compact and convienant forms now. I personally will always perfer the original hardware, but in all honesty, I don't see it being a reasonable goal for my entire life to keep working systems and games when I can stick all of the 8 and 16 bit games on one disc now, to heck with storage means in the future.

[chuckwalla]

Lots of great responses in this thread!

 

I'm concerned that classic gaming will end with our generation (meaning those of us in our 30's - give or take) in terms of collecting and playing and relishing the classic systems. When I say 'relishing' I mean loving to play those games and also from a nostalgic point of view (nostalgia deserves a thread unto itself). That's one reason why I try to support the classics dealers and help keep them in business (i.e. Best Electronics, B&C, Video 61, E-Coleco, etc.). Whenever you need a small part, a big part, advice on repairs, or repairs they're for us 100%. Also, I take the best care of ALL my systems, peripherals, and games; we might be surprised at how difficult it will be to even find a NEW CX-40 joystick in the not to distant future.

 

Even though i'm not a fan of CD-based systems (I still debate whether to get a Sega CD once in for all since the Genesis is one of my favorite systems), CD's, especially Mint and Complete CD games for the early CD-based systems will be worth decent $$ in years from now because, as been said on this thread, finding popular scratch-free games will be very difficult to find anywhere. {One great thing about cartridges, just a little TLC will keep them working for decades; can't say that about CD's}

 

It will be interesting to see what the next game media technology will be and how that generation of players will view classic cartridge-based game systems (we probably know the answer to that already, and unfortunately).

 

I definately agree that we're at the peak of the classic gaming era.

[Rik]

The article in ColecoNation wasn't questioning the lifespan of "classic gaming" in general. It was wondering if interest in the pre-NES systems (Atari, Intellivsion, ColecoVision) will continue once those of us who grew up with them eventually get older, become disinterested, and/or unfortunately die. The question posed was will our kids continue to be interested in this era of gaming or does it die with us?

 

+ Nathan

Yes,sorry,thats what I meant to say.

Edited October 19, 2006 by Rik

[Rik]

Yes,its all pretty relative,2600's intv's cv's are classic gaming to "US",but to this generation and the next,xbox,wii,playstation,etc, will be considered THEIR classic gaming systems,and newer even more advanced systems coming out will be inevitable,hope i worded this right!this is like thinking about family lineage!!!,

Edited October 20, 2006 by Rik