Is it getting harder to be a retro gamer?

[AppleQueso]

The rising cost of this hobby is really effing annoying, for sure. I blame the resellers, flippers, speculators, and everything else for turning retro gaming from a hobby into a business model.

[o.pwuaioc]

So they do some research, and find out there's z market for it, and from then on; it's only about money. I cannot count how many times I've seen people thumbing through PS1 games or SNES carts while checking prices on their phones. Pfft! I openly tell them how weak their game is, and move on. Irritates the shit out of me.

What's wrong with making sure the price is right?

Sure its nothing major, but every flood, fire and earthquake has a chance of making the overall amount of a few consoles smaller.

Reminds me of this sad story:

http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/ ... ian-floods

[flex wood]

I couldn't even read that story in the link opie. I saw the pictures and closed it immediately because it's been raining here all day and all my collection is in my basement. I had to run down and check to see if my stuff was ok. It was fine but still that scared me.

[Menegrothx]

http://www.gamerevolution.com/features/ ... ian-floods

Having a huge collection of pretty much anything can be really ristricting, and it becomes an unhealthy obsession really easily once you get into the whole thing. And you start to wonder whether you just want to play the games or collect games and not play them

[Pichu]

I hate to be that guy, but as gaming is my only hobby, everyday I grow angrier that gaming, especially retro, gets more popular. Once the people who only want money and aren't actually enthusiasts showed up, it's begun to ruin it for me. I barely buy any of the good stuff anymore, whether it's online or in person, because of rising prices. I just rely on hopefully finding hidden gems that no one knows about.

[BoringSupreez]

So they do some research, and find out there's z market for it, and from then on; it's only about money. I cannot count how many times I've seen people thumbing through PS1 games or SNES carts while checking prices on their phones.

That would be me, except it's usually PC games. I regret nothing.

[Tempest]

I cannot count how many times I've seen people thumbing through PS1 games or SNES carts while checking prices on their phones.

I know you are referring to people who only buy games to make a profit on, and I think poorly of those people too, but not everyone who checks prices in pawn shops does it out of greed. Personally, unless it's a game I know I really want or one I've heard a lot about, if I take a chance on a game I don't know much about I like to know if I can at least get back the money I put down on a game if, once I try it, I don't like it.


As for the topic, no, being a retro gamer is easier than ever because of the vast amount of options available for obtaining and/or playing retro games these days. I remember the days when I had to drive from suburb to suburb searching for pawn shops to keep my retro-gaming self satisfied, and they were usually overpriced or lacked the games I was chasing, which made obtaining gems very difficult. Now we have eBay, and a dozen other sites offering us the ability to locate these games very easily. Sure, it takes a lot of the fun out of the hunt, but to be honest, few pawn shops stock good retro games and I'd rather be able to find a game I WANT to play as opposed to something I have to take a chance on it. Saying that, though, there is a certain thrill out of taking a chance on a game and finding it to be brilliant. Sadly, I can't recall the last time this happened to me.

[mas]

I feel it's getting harder to find a good deal. Back when ps2 and xbox and gamecube was out you can find anything older really cheap. But then ebay caught on and people use ebay prices and videogamepricecharts and it's all over for us retro gamer's to find a great deal at your local store.
It's also a good thing in a way because like yesterday I found frogger,pong tecmo super bowl and nfl blitz for 1.99 at a thrift store. I appreciate those games now than if i see these games all the time for around the same price.
For me personally in my area besides my favorite game store who sells everything you can think of and they use videogamepricecharts to sell their prices but gives good credit or cash if you have a rare title, I see less and less 8-16 bit and very rare do I ever see saturn and dreamcast anymore at flea markets and thrift stores. More dreamcast than saturn but ps1,ps2,xbox gc i see all the time and yeah I can find a deal now and then but people even at flea markets sell and see what its worth now. Don't you just wish you can find people who just sell their stuff just to get rid of it like it used to be?
I just think ebay and gamestop has ruined the video game market but also kind of helped it because you can find anything but you have to pay for it and gamestop has ruined the buisness by being a monopoly and killing everything in site. I really wish they would franchise a few retro stores and sell everything from atari to last gen and thats it. That would be nice.

[Pichu]

I really wish they would franchise a few retro stores and sell everything from atari to last gen and thats it. That would be nice.

I like Gamestop's selection for current gen used titles, but I don't want their business practices anywhere near retro games. Even if carts are significantly different from CD's.

[AppleQueso]

I really wish they would franchise a few retro stores and sell everything from atari to last gen and thats it. That would be nice.

There is Play N Trade. They sell retro stuff, though they seem to focus on current stuff. I suppose it's pretty similar to what Babbages/EB Games/Gamestop were before they got rid of everything old.