VGA - Video-game grading.

[soera]

I dont hate it. I just havent used them yet. Whoever made them the authority, for whatever reason, I dont know ... but they are respected by the people who do use them. What I cant understand is why people can pay $85 to have a game graded and then think that the turn around in price for that $85 is thousands. Its not the VGA I dislike, its the fuckers that use them and think that they can charge 100 times the value of the game cause of it.

[turf]

This is one that this world doesn't need.  Games are getting overpriced as it is.  We don't need a bunch of jackholes giving people a reason to inflate prices even more.  I guess if people are willing to pay, pay on.  I won't spend my money on it though.

[disgaeniac]

I dont hate it. I just havent used them yet. Whoever made them the authority, for whatever reason, I dont know ... but they are respected by the people who do use them. What I cant understand is why people can pay $85 to have a game graded and then think that the turn around in price for that $85 is thousands. Its not the VGA I dislike, its the fuckers that use them and think that they can charge 100 times the value of the game cause of it.

You're right!

Which brings us to...who the fuck are these people *paying* these grossly inflated "graded" prices?!

[kingrat101]

I agree that it is pretty shitty in general, but on the opposite side because of that you get some people, not a lot, but some people that seem to be scared they wont sell a game because it's not in some kind of graded condition. I mean they sell them cheaper, and Im not complaining, but for example I just bought a complete copy of King of Fighters '98 for the AES online and the person had it cheaper because the manual didnt have the original plastic baggie with it.

[zing]

It looks like some people are confused about how the market works. Sellers can't just "charge 100 times the value" of a game. They can ask for that much, but it takes two people for a transaction to complete. If someone lists a game for sale at $25,000 and then someone else comes along and buys it at that price, you cannot argue that it was not worth that price for the two people involved.

If multiple sellers are listing, and selling, a particular game at a particular price, then the game is worth that price to those people, period. Just because you may not feel that game sealed in an acrylic case, verified to be a legit factory seal to the best knowledge of people familiar with such things, is worth a premium, there are many people who do.

The true issue with VGA, and grading in general, is that you place the value of your graded item literally in control of the people doing the grading. It is entirely possible that two games in identical condition may receive different grades. VGA in particular has the silver/gold distinction. A grade of 85+ earns a "gold", which commands a significant premium over a game that is "silver". A game right on the border of gold/silver could lose $1000 in value if the reviewer "feels" it is not gold.

Which brings us to...who the fuck are these people *paying* these grossly inflated "graded" prices?!

The same can be said for every level of collecting.

People who collect sealed, but not VGA: "who are these people paying inflated prices for VGA?"
People who collect CIB, but not sealed: "why pay so much for shrink wrap?"
People who collect cart with instructions: "who the hell pays for cardboard?"
People who collect cart-only: "Why pay extra for the manual?"

…and so on.

[htimreimer]

@zing all i need to know about a game is if is in bad,good or mint condition and a good image and all grading is doing turning some what casual collecting market in to market with insane people who take video game collecting way to serious

[soera]

I use the word charge cause most of the VGA games I see for sale, there isnt a best offer option. If they were asking those prices, then they would allow the offers.

I guess I cant figure out where they come up with the prices they select to begin with. $25,000 for a sealed video game is absurd regardless of the game/situation. While I can see the arguement of the art perspective (a lot of people called the NWC gold that was graded art and I agree to a point) it still shouldnt command that type of value. The market's prices as a whole is seriously inflated and everything involved seems to be that way.