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[nush]

Youtube collectors complain that retro collecting is too expensive now, while sitting in front of a wall of retro games. Then complain they can't afford to buy every special collectors edition and also about Limited Run Games business model that exists just to exploit their completionist OCD.

Lack of self awareness with these guys is amazing when they are part of the problem themselves. "Kids today won't be able to experience games as we did" argument falls down if you expect a kid to go out and find a CRT, original hardware with cables and the game media anyway.

Is it even worth collecting just for the bragging rights now rather than just emulate the games anyway?

 

[baphomet]

Retro game collecting is larger than it's ever been and only continues getting bigger.

 

[Cattlyst]

Dudes hoarding stuff for a background on a YouTube video complaining about the mess they contributed to. The irony is incredible.

 

[Marcus Aurelius]

Collecting was fun 10 years ago but now... just lol.

And tbh, emulating is great these days, there is no need to collect these old games if you want to play them. (unless you're an autist who wants complete and perfect emulation, that crowd will never be satisfied anyway)

 

[Enjay]

A lot of the problems gaming has these days is a result of them exploiting the obsessive compulsive crowd.

 

[nush]

Collecting was fun 10 years ago but now... just lol.

Collecting just before Ebay existed and added a dollar value to everything was the golden age.

 

[Zero7]

I never got the point of paying $100+ just to put a game on your shelf and never touch it. I sound a bit of a hypocrite as I've paid big money for game's in the past, but only games I've really wanted to play I had my fun with them

 

[Tangerine]

The most surprising thing to me is the guy on the right is straight and has a girlfriend!

 

[kurisu_1974]

Is it even worth collecting just for the bragging rights now rather than just emulate the games anyway?

For me it is. I collect MSX and X68000 games and I get a lot of enjoyment out of the collecting part itself. I only brag to myself tho, I don't know anyone else who cares.

 

[niveaformen]

apart from the irony, do they really care about future generations? Roms are almost identical. I think they're just annoyed that they themselves have to pay more. Plus they need something to talk about.

 

[German Hops]

The most surprising thing to me is the guy on the right is straight and has a girlfriend!

Did you want his number or something?

 

[cireza]

if you expect a kid to go out and find a CRT, original hardware with cables and the game media anyway

This is actually very easy. Kids have no interest in this, that's the reason they won't do it.

Prices have become stupid and the very act of collecting always was. Buy games to play them, not put them on display. If they are too expensive, give up on buying them.

You can build a retro collection of cheap, fantastic games, find a working CRT and a working console. Old consoles, they just work or they are super easy to fix if they have problems.
All of this can be done for very cheap really. You simply forget about the more expensive games, and get an Everdrive. That's all there is to it.

My NES is 30 years old, I fixed its issue super easily 10 years ago, works like a charm. I don't even have to push the cart down anymore, the contacts are just that good.

 

[nush]

You can build a retro collection of cheap, fantastic games

Here's what people miss, the best games are the easiest to find. If you stick to common affordable games the reason that they are not hard to find is that they sold so well, simply because they were good.

 

[Porcile]

Have to admit I used to buy games purely to play but recently I ended up buying afew limited run releases and kept them sealed. However, I bought the digital version to play.

 

[Javthusiast]

I used to love buying physical games, but for over 5 years now I thankfully made myself realize that all this shit does is collecting dust, same with my blu ray collection.

All those movies are either on a streaming service or will be again one day and I can wait, plus there is too much new shit to watch.

And I barely replay games outside of a selective few that I really love.

So I am thankfully freed from collecting physical goods in general. xD

 

[HerjansEagleFeeder]

I recently found out a couple of Switch games (yes I know, not retro) I wanted to buy later to play them are now sold out everywhere and go for ridiculous prices on eBay. And no, I'm not satisfied with digital copies. Kinda pissed me off a bit.

 

[TheDreadLord]

A lot of these retro collectors are complaining because nowadays it is much harder for them to take advantage of people and buy valuable items for almost nothing.

 

[evanft]

Video game collecting is so cringe.

 

[Mattyp]

I’ve been buying hundreds of games a time for a decade now, this allowed me to mass a great collection of games to play for free or with a profit pick the titles I don’t have out then resell the rest as a bulk lot again plenty of controllers etc for free to.

I would typically target the previous generation as a new one arrives, or even one past that you would always get insane discounts you’re talking about a few dollars per physical title.

This has sadly become near extinct practice, and I honestly blame people like this and YouTube. Trying to put much higher values on things then I think they’re worth or ever worth that’s driven prices up across the board and made people take to selling everything singularly.

5 years ago boxed Pokémon titles (first, 2nd gen 3rd gen) anything in the original cardboard boxes would usually run you around $50 pretty much what they cost new never dropping.

Clean boxed titles now will easily run you $500+ each, $800+ for the rarer ones and near $1,000 for mint examples.

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

I can see maybe holding on to game collections you’ve had since childhood. I have a pretty decent collection of GameCube games that I don’t need, but it’s nice to have to look back on. I don’t see the point in paying $100+ dollars after the fact to get an older game just to add it to a collection. You’re better off just emulating it if you actually want to play it.

 

[strange headache]

Filling shelves upon shelves with stuff to collect dust only to possess it, is the pinnacle of reckless consumerism.
Keeping a few things because of their emotional value is fine, but having your life obsessively consumed by walls of plastic cartridges only to brag about it on YouTube is just unhealthy and sad.

At least some of these guys do it out of passion, even worse are those who do it for profit.

 

[NeoIkaruGAF]

Not going to watch the video, but like collecting anything, you better be there at the very beginning of the gold rush, or preferably start before someone decides to make it cool and raise the prices for everyone.

With flash cartridges and FPGA (and emulation, of course) there’s very little reason to collect, at least if you want to actually play the games. Most old games are much safer than a lot of stuff that came out digital only in the last decade and a half. If you need the actual product on your shelf, well, be prepared to fork out the moolah.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

Retro game collecting is larger than it's ever been and only continues getting bigger.

That's why no ine does it anymore!

 

[nush]

you better be there at the very beginning of the gold rush, or preferably start before someone decides to make it cool and raise the prices for everyone.

It's a cycle and those of us that have been gaming for a long long time know when to buy the dip. Load up on 360, PS3, 3DS, Wii and Wii U now.

 

[CatsGamesWhatever]

The hobby has changed in the last 10 years but it's only normal. If you still want to play retro games it's more affordable than ever but more importantly fun.
The only problem I see with video game collecting atm is WATA grading sealed games and speculators manipulating the market for them.
The sealed/graded game market is in a bubble and it's looking likely that when it pops it will also bring down MTG, Pokemon, Sports Games, Comics, Toys etc. (or vice versa for that matter...)

 

[Neo_GAF]

i would like to buy a few games, but they have become too expensive. i dont buy any game over 200€.
earthbound, ff3 and some other games have become just too expensive.

i still wait for good emulation of ps2/dc, but openemu on mac still does not support that.
does the xbox one x do anything good?

 

[SantaC]

I thought this video was about collecthatons in games

 

[Team Andromeda]

Happy Console Gamer sucks

 

[fart town usa]

Man, I can't believe that members of GAF are knocking Johnny Millennium and RobMan...

Happy Console Gamer is one of the best on YouTube.

 

[Rubik8]

The most surprising thing to me is the guy on the right is straight and has a girlfriend!

A wife and a infant daughter. How he still gets away with wasting so much money, I’d love to know.

 

[Tangerine]

Did you want his number or something?

Why? Do you have it? How sweet of you

 

[Cravis]

Collecting used to be fun 15 years ago prior to smart phones. It was always the thrill of the hunt. Getting up on Saturday morning and going to yard sales, flea markets. I’d find awesome games that I wanted to replay for affordable prices.

Now with smart phones everyone wants top dollar. Flea market resellers see “oh game A is listed on eBay for X dollars, I can sell it for that much.”

Like others have said, if you’re wanting to play these games in this day and age then emulation or a ROM cartridge is the way to go. I can assure you the game publisher is not getting a dime from the over priced cartridge Joe Bob at the swap meet is trying to charge.

And yes YouTubers are to blame. You could actually chart a games value and see the spike in price once Metal Jesus Rocks highlighted it on one of his “hidden gems” videos.

 

[stuminus3]

Johnny Millenium isn't a "retro collector", that wall of games in the background is literally 35 years old - he doesn't collect old games, he bought them when he was a kid and has always held on to them. The lion's share of content on his channel is of newer games, granted through the lens of someone in their 40s.

The video isn't just about retro collecting either, they talk about things like limited prints and what collector's editions are now. You guys are awfully salty at nothing.

 

[Bakkus]

Man, I can't believe that members of GAF are knocking Johnny Millennium and RobMan...

Happy Console Gamer is one of the best on YouTube.

He used to be one of the best, now he's little more than a shill. Also, 'ALL CAPS TITLES' on videos is the absolute worst.

 

[Optimus Lime]

The life and complaints of the perpetual manchild truly are difficult to comprehend for anyone who didn't fail to launch.

 

[ArtemisClydeFrog]

It's so expensive! Please like, subscribe, watch our ads and donate money to us on Patreon.

 

[ReBurn]

My hoarding vice is old hardware. I don't have a ton of games but I do have much of my old hardware in plastic boxes. I should sell it because I'll never play with it again.

 

[kingwingin]

Dear lord his shelves are disgusting. That's hoarding, not collecting

 

[TheMay30thMan]

They can just sell all that shit behind them if they want more money for new shit.

 

[DryvBy]

Just throwing this out that abandonware is a thing because you still can't get good old products. Try and find Jet Moto on PC anywhere...

 

[fart town usa]

He used to be one of the best, now he's little more than a shill. Also, 'ALL CAPS TITLES' on videos is the absolute worst.

You called down the thunder, well now you've got it.

 

[sn0man]

I never got the point of paying $100+ just to put a game on your shelf and never touch it. I sound a bit of a hypocrite as I've paid big money for game's in the past, but only games I've really wanted to play I had my fun with them

I just kinda set a top 30–75ish games for a system that are either a.) exclusive and/or b.) provide a wonderful local multiplayer experience on a tv.

I’m 100% with you in that I do not get the “I must have this to display it” for games that suck or are boring or have superior pc ports.

collecting can be fun and casual and super Mario world for SNES or Aladdin for Genesis are still plentiful and cheap. It’s out there if you want it.

 

[radewagon]

Ever. Drive.

 

[Blond]

Retro game collecting is larger than it's ever been and only continues getting bigger.

My friend’s store I do a beer money gig saved his gaming store from the retro boom. The amount of money I see people spend on older machines and titles is ridiculous.

 

[Miyazaki’s Slave]

Depends on what you collect. Japan is experiencing an Arcade extinction currently due to covid.

Picking up candycabs and viewluix cabs for close to nothing (relatively speaking) right now.

I paid $56 for a skyward sword amiibo today, NGL I felt gross afterward.

 

[Bar81]

Basically, companies figured out that OCD gamers are whales and if they put a bunch of junk in a package along with a game, they won't be able to help themselves and will probably buy multiple copies to keep one sealed. It's those same OCD gamers that VGA and WATA prey on.

The only way to win is not to play.

 

[baphomet]

My friend’s store I do a beer money gig saved his gaming store from the retro boom. The amount of money I see people spend on older machines and titles is ridiculous.

yup, a good friend of mine just made $27k from selling off some of his collection. I just installed an ode in his Dreamcast, ps1, and Saturn and he'll be just fine without those discs.

 

[Rentahamster]

It always sucked?

 

[Portugeezer]

Well more people want to collect old games, but the quantity of available copies (let alone those people are selling) remains the same... Yeah no shit, a perfect quality sealed copy of a beloved game will rake in the cash.

I do however think more people collect for money now as opposed to the love of gaming, in the hopes that the value will increase exponentially. Just a hunch.

 

[nush]

Basically, companies figured out that OCD gamers are whales and if they put a bunch of junk in a package along with a game, they won't be able to help themselves and will probably buy multiple copies to keep one sealed. It's those same OCD gamers that VGA and WATA prey on.

The only way to win is not to play.

If you took the game out of those special editions and charged the difference just for the extras you'd see how much of a ripp off they are and these people would not buy them. I've seen the BOM for one of these special editions and the markup is insane for some cheap branded stuff. There's more margin in the junk than there is in the actual game.