Random Gaming Thoughts

[o.pwuaioc]

Does anyone else think the retro grading system is the dumbest thing in the world? For those of you who dont know what I'm talking about, you can send your retro game to a company, they grade it on its condition and then they seal it up in an airtight case with a letter grade, never to be played again. This process can increase the value of some retro games by a decent amount.

To me, the general concept is fine. It's similar to what comics and trading cards and whatever else has had for a long time. Preserving the condition makes sense if the point is collecting a pristine copy - the folks that paid millions for Action Comics #1 did so for the item itself, not as reading material.

Even the process itself, go look at Wata's order form - if you paid for next-day service and all the options, the whole process would cost a little over $200. Significantly less if you're not in a huge rush, or don't need them to tear down, test, photograph the PCB, etc. If you're a collector spending hundreds on a new/sealed copy of something, when you could go buy it for $5 loose, then spending an extra, say, $100 to have it verified and preserved isn't really terrible.

I think where things get really, really dumb is people turning around to try and sell graded copies for outlandish amounts. It's likely just an extension of sellers over-valuing things on eBay/etc anyway - IE, since it was mentioned, there's a $35 CiB copy of Top Gun NES listed on eBay atm. There's also one listed for $900. The graded copies I see are $1500 and $3500...for a game that's typically sub-$10 loose.

So, I'd say it's really less the practice of grading games, and more just the hype/speculation around collectible items. Video games in this case. I'm not sure who (if anyone) actually buys graded games at those prices - or vastly overpriced new/sealed copies for that matter.

Sealed collectibles have always been ridiculous. Also, Action Comics #1 had cultural significance that NES Top Gun will never have. The collectible mentality is just perverse, and the sooner the bubble bursts and these greedy morons lose their money, the better.

[RCBH928]

Well, we have seen people pay insane amounts in stuff like a comic book so why not videogames?
The problem is that a game can be graded by anyone(like a comic book) and hence the services is not needed(stupid). If it was a complicated issue that needs an expert advice say like on a classic car or an art piece from 500 years ago, it would make sense.

If these games ever reach the absurd amount of money people are looking for, its going to be in their grandsons lifetime while they lie in their grave. Maybe in 2120 a rich tech. nerd is wilingl to buy that sealed copy of the ancient and iconic Super Mario NES cartridge from 140 years ago.

I'm not sure who (if anyone) actually buys graded games at those prices - or vastly overpriced new/sealed copies for that matter.

ahem...They are probably looking for the ignorant who thinks he just got himself a great deal on a rarity. I met such a fate, I once got Perfect Dark for 64(IIRC) for something around $60 new. I thought this was a good deal because the system is retro and the package is new, I was surprised when I saw it listed used for $5 or so on ebay. Didn't know it was so worthless.

There is also the false image where someone goes looking for an item and he finds most sellers (ex.. ebay) are pricing it around $200 range so he believes this is the real price, so he picks it up. Unknown to him this can be purchased for $10 from Goodwill. This can happen to any market for the ignorant like in gold, cars, real estate..etc etc

collectible mentality is just perverse, and the sooner the bubble bursts and these greedy morons lose their money, the better.

I think the bubble will burst mainly because in videogames the items are not rare, surprisingly mega old games can still be found for cheap prices(I don't know how they survived for so long). They can be remanufactured, ported, copied, emulated... unlike a piece of art, this is going to kill its worth. But when it comes to collecting consoles or accessories... its a different story. I bet things like a working 3DO or Nintendo Virtual Boy will fetch a good price in the future.

Another factor to consider, rare items are rare because people never cared to keep them around so in the future whatever was left of them fetched a high price. Somehow people in the 80s and 90s paid attention to this, so everyone kept a collection around, ultimately killing its rarity that was going to give it that extra high price.

[pook99]

I think where things get really, really dumb is people turning around to try and sell graded copies for outlandish amounts. It's likely just an extension of sellers over-valuing things on eBay/etc anyway - IE, since it was mentioned, there's a $35 CiB copy of Top Gun NES listed on eBay atm. There's also one listed for $900. The graded copies I see are $1500 and $3500...for a game that's typically sub-$10 loose.

So, I'd say it's really less the practice of grading games, and more just the hype/speculation around collectible items. Video games in this case. I'm not sure who (if anyone) actually buys graded games at those prices - or vastly overpriced new/sealed copies for that matter.

This is definitely true. There is an annoying group of sellers who way over value their stuff and just completely ignore market value when pricing out their games.

I am sure there is some moron with way too much money that will buy at least some of these, I don't remember the exact amount, but there was a graded, sealed Mega Man 1 that sold for thousands of dollars and some idiot bought it.



@RCBH: paying $60 for a game is at least in the ballpark of what games cost, I think all of us have had gotten ripped at some point or another on something we thought was more valuable than it was, its just the nature of the game so dont feel bad about it. Also, you were probably buying it to play it, which automatically makes the deal more credible than having it sit on a shelf in a sealed case

@opwuaioc: I also want the game bubble to burst, I love collecting games, but some of the prices on stuff is just stupid and I really wonder who the hell is buying them. Panzer dragoon saga is a great game and very rare, but it is valued at 1000, I just think that is ludicrous and one even sold in my area for that, so there are people buying them, I just can't wrap my mind around that.

[MrPopo]

The value of money is relative.

[pook99]

The value of money is relative.

This is definitely true, I guess if you are wealthy dropping a grand on a game like panzer dragoon saga or little samson is no different than me dropping 20 bucks on dino crisis 3 (which I just did today). It is one of those things that just frustrate me on a variety of levels, thank goodness emulation exists and is in such a great place.

[BoneSnapDeez]

Pack it in folks. Video games have officially peaked.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232 ... _And_Dabs/

[prfsnl_gmr]

Pack it in folks. Video games have officially peaked.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232 ... _And_Dabs/

It’s only downhill from here, folks...

[Ack]

Pack it in folks. Video games have officially peaked.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232 ... _And_Dabs/

It’s only downhill from here, folks...

Pfft, no achievements.

0/10, worst game evar.

[pook99]

Pack it in folks. Video games have officially peaked.
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1232 ... _And_Dabs/

Thanks for posting this, I am going to add it to my summer challenge, sure it may not be a classic now but I feel confident that in 10 years it will be as highly regarded as zelda/mario/resident evil

[BoneSnapDeez]

Just don't forget the DLC:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1251 ... Cucumbers/