Do You Collect to Play, or Do You Collect to Collect?

[burningdoom]

There are two types of game collectors I've found (well, three if you count resellers); either you buy games with full intention to play them (even if they sit on the shelf longer than expected); or there are those collectors that are more driven by completing a set or getting that one rare 70s console that no one has heard of.

Which category do you fall into?

[burningdoom]

I'm definitely a collect to play guy. I have full intention on playing all of my games in my collection, unless they're extras that came in a lot or something (those ones become trading-fodder). I will admit there's far more games in my collection un-played then I'd like there to be, though (outside of initially testing them).

That's not to say I don't feel proud of my collection, or I don't like to complete a set. But playing is my primary concern.

[soera]

I have a tendency to do both. When it comes to NES, I collected to collect. When it came to my SMS set, I got them to both play and collect. My other systems I only collect the games I have an interest in playing at some point in time.

As far as consoles themselves, I am envious of guys like theflea who have the most obscure consoles but I dont have the time/money/patience to find and buy them all. Other than a weird 70's pong clone, every system I own is one I enjoy either now or as a child.

[kamikazekeeg]

I'm both.  I don't collect everything, just the things I'm interested in and once I get the chance to set everything up properly and have the working systems I want, I'll be more inclined to play the older stuff like with my slowly growing N64 and NES collection.  I want to play the old games, but right now it's just about grabbing what I can find cheap for my collection or buying the few things I want to have in my collection.

[turf]

I think there are very few people that call themselves collectors that fit neatly into either category.

Myself, I collect a bunch of NES stuff I'll never play. I'll probably never fire up Win Lose or Draw again. I'm more selective with some systems than others.  With the NES, N64, and more recently the Wii, I'll buy any old turd. With the PS2 I only get stuff I want to play and can't get anywhere else.

[Bwigdahl]

I tend to collect things that I want to play, Although there are a few games here and there that I got just for the novelty of having them in my collection (such as Doom on SNES... Absolutely horrible port that plays like crap but I just love that red cart sitting on my shelf!). And then there are some games that I got randomly that seemed interesting but ended up sucking real bad, but I still want them in my collection. I don't like losing games, even ones that suck.

[pacpix]

I used to just buy everything regardless of title, but now I only buy games I plan on playing.  Although I will pick up any crappy Atari 2600 game I find just for fun.

[foxhack]

I used to be collect to collect until I met the... ugly side of such behavior at a forum about a month ago.

Since then I moderate my game purchases. I don't buy games unless they're really dumb looking or I can use them as trade / sale stuff.

[instantreplay]

I used to be collect to collect until I met the... ugly side of such behavior at a forum about a month ago.

Since then I moderate my game purchases. I don't buy games unless they're really dumb looking or I can use them as trade / sale stuff.

I kind of want to know what the dark side of the behavior is....


Also, I collect to play.

[foxhack]

I used to be collect to collect until I met the... ugly side of such behavior at a forum about a month ago.

Since then I moderate my game purchases. I don't buy games unless they're really dumb looking or I can use them as trade / sale stuff.

I kind of want to know what the dark side of the behavior is....


Also, I collect to play.

Buying game bundles on Steam just to pad your game count. Disregarding the quality of games, calling them bundle fodder... I got sick of that and left the place where I encountered that behavior.

[bikingjahuty]

I definitely collect to play. I never really saw the point of collecting every game for a specific console, including all the crap, shovelware, Maddens, and BS that no one except a completionist collector would want. I only collect games that I someday plan on playing, even if that ends up being 40-years from now. With that said, I will buy a game I have no interest in if it is a good deal and if I can use it as trade bait. Other than that, I only want games that I will play someday, even if my collection is way smaller then someone going for a whole system set.

[MJMaranan]

I definitely collect to play.  Waste of money to just collect for the sake of completion, in my opinion.  Unless the collection is being used for reselling, I can then understand that venture.  Also, the games I buy are either ones I enjoyed when I was younger or researched and believed I would enjoy the purchase.  I have an ever-growing backlog of games that I have not had the time to even work on.

As for buying video game lots, some of them are for trading, though.

[blodwast]

I collect to play even though I don't take the time to play. I'm only buying games I wish to play in the future. I have no idea when this "future" will be, so I've got a lot of games waiting to be played. The only games I got that I don't really care about playing or not, I got them in lots or for really cheap.

[Bwigdahl]

I definitely collect to play. I never really saw the point of collecting every game for a specific console, including all the crap, shovelware, Maddens, and BS that no one except a completionist collector would want. I only collect games that I someday plan on playing, even if that ends up being 40-years from now. With that said, I will buy a game I have no interest in if it is a good deal and if I can use it as trade bait. Other than that, I only want games that I will play someday, even if my collection is way smaller then someone going for a whole system set.

Hey, I PROUDLY own every almost Madden since 2002 (except 2005 and 2009). And I still play most of them... or at least pop them in to laugh at the rosters.

[bikingjahuty]

I definitely collect to play. I never really saw the point of collecting every game for a specific console, including all the crap, shovelware, Maddens, and BS that no one except a completionist collector would want. I only collect games that I someday plan on playing, even if that ends up being 40-years from now. With that said, I will buy a game I have no interest in if it is a good deal and if I can use it as trade bait. Other than that, I only want games that I will play someday, even if my collection is way smaller then someone going for a whole system set.

Hey, I PROUDLY own every almost Madden since 2002 (except 2005 and 2009). And I still play most of them... or at least pop them in to laugh at the rosters.

My Bad :p

I personally don't see the point of collecting every Madden installment, as well as the other EA sports franchises that get an annual release, but that is just me.