Serious game collection?

[blinkcopter]

At what point do you think someone has a serious game collection when it comes to a single system?

Lets say someone has a super nintendo and collects games and memorabilia. At what point is a collection serious...100, 200, 300 or 400+ games and a couple action figures?

[dashv]

I don't think the number (or even perceived quality) of the collection matters as much as the passion of the collector.

Someone with a NES and 5 games they love could be a way more passionate collector than someone that has every console and every game but isn't really attached to them.

My collection is pretty modest compared to others on here (I'll break 800 items by the end of today).

I'm attached to most of it. Less than 5% is what I would consider to be "filler" for the sake of hitting a number

These are games I have played or will play.

[Warmsignal]

At what point do you think someone has a serious game collection when it comes to a single system?

Lets say someone has a super nintendo and collects games and memorabilia. At what point is a collection serious...100, 200, 300 or 400+ games and a couple action figures?

I'd say maybe 30+ CIB games, with all the extra papers and promos included, everything in good condition. I'd consider that a serious collection. Because it's much harder, there's a lot more money involved, and lot more time spent and a lot of attention to detail. This is all speaking on the collecting aspect purely, and is not a judgement of what games, or how many games. Just how "serious" the person is about collecting/cataloging games.

Personally, I mixed standards, lazy habits, little focus, and I'm very selective. So I don't really consider my games to be a proper or serious collection. It's just my library of games, I guess. Stuff that I like, and stuff that I don't like is excluded.

[dashv]

At what point do you think someone has a serious game collection when it comes to a single system?

Lets say someone has a super nintendo and collects games and memorabilia. At what point is a collection serious...100, 200, 300 or 400+ games and a couple action figures?

I'd say maybe 30+ CIB games, with all the extra papers and promos included, everything in good condition. I'd consider that a serious collection. Because it's much harder, there's a lot more money involved, and lot more time spent and a lot of attention to detail. This is all speaking on the collecting aspect purely, and is not a judgement of what games, or how many games. Just how "serious" the person is about collecting/cataloging games.

Personally, I mixed standards, lazy habits, little focus, and I'm very selective. So I don't really consider my games to be a proper or serious collection. It's just my library of games, I guess. Stuff that I like, and stuff that I don't like is excluded.

Heh. I'd call you serious by that definition. Perhaps it's subjective.

[Warmsignal]

At what point do you think someone has a serious game collection when it comes to a single system?

Lets say someone has a super nintendo and collects games and memorabilia. At what point is a collection serious...100, 200, 300 or 400+ games and a couple action figures?

I'd say maybe 30+ CIB games, with all the extra papers and promos included, everything in good condition. I'd consider that a serious collection. Because it's much harder, there's a lot more money involved, and lot more time spent and a lot of attention to detail. This is all speaking on the collecting aspect purely, and is not a judgement of what games, or how many games. Just how "serious" the person is about collecting/cataloging games.

Personally, I mixed standards, lazy habits, little focus, and I'm very selective. So I don't really consider my games to be a proper or serious collection. It's just my library of games, I guess. Stuff that I like, and stuff that I don't like is excluded.

Heh. I'd call you serious by that definition. Perhaps it's subjective.

I guess I should've stated that a serious collector would have only those complete and good condition items. Because yeah, I've probably accumulated that much myself. 

[hexen]

As far as I'm concerned, if you like to buy physical copies instead of digital, with the intent of keeping them rather than selling them when you're done with them, you're a collector. A 'serious' collector is maybe someone who just goes out of their way a little to buy things, or perhaps consider it their primary hobby. People who go all out on needing everything to by CIB, perfect condition or even sealed are what I might call 'Hardcore', and in today's price bubble either 'rich' or 'insane'.

[dashv]

Now days I like to get things complete. But if it's older than 3 generations back I prefer to get them unsealed.

This will probably sound dumb. But knowing I intend to play it and knowing the value will be more sealed. I'd rather get a copy I know I'm not going to devalue by much.

[turf]

I'd say a serious collector is someone that takes this seriously. It's someone who devotes a lot of time and energy to their collection.
I don't think it's defined by what they collect. You can still be a serious collector and go after loose carts.

[theflea]

when your collection takes over an entire room is a good way to tell your a serious collector lol

It don't matter if you collect loose or Complete.
If you have love and passion in your hobby and love not only the games, but the art, the history and the hunt for adding new games to your collection. Then in my books your a serious collector.

Every collector is different. Some only collect one brand. Like only Nintendo or Sega. Others only want to collect what they think they want to play. Some are anal retentive and must have all their games brand new in the box sometimes sealed. While others just want a copy of the game to play and it could be loose and look like crap.

To me a serious collector just has to have a love of what they collect, they don't care if it is worth $1 or $1000, to a serous collector its not about what is valuable its about what they love. If anyone here is collecting video games as a investment your in it for the wrong reasons. Most collectors I know are about the hunt for deals and not paying stupid prices, its part of the fun trying to get deals. I love garage sales not just for the deals but because I never know what I'll find and bring home. Its part of the fun.

Everyone on this forum is a serious collector of some kind, you wouldn't be cataloging your collection and wanting to talk to others who enjoy your passion if you weren't. While there's different levels of collector's, we are all serious in our love for old and new games. 

[desocietas]

Well said, the flea!

[dashv]

I agree. Well said flea!

[atrumlupus]

I have to admit for me, video game collecting is a lot about the hunt. Finding stuff at resale shops and yard sales. As far as a serious collector? I'm not sure. Thats kind subjective but I think the flea got it best. I know for me it's more about finding stuff in the wild and games I'll actually play.
Expect for the Dreamcast. I'm really starting to gear up to find all 240 some odd US Dreamcast games as well as the US acessories.

I also have to admit I like retro collecting a lot because I don't like the way modern gaming is going with DLC, Always online for single player, and less focus on single player gaming. And there are now enough "retro" games and game system there is enough retro stuff for me to play from now until I die of old age.

[sin2beta]

I like this question. Although, I agree with everyone, I will try to take it further. (skip to next paragraph if you don't want the backstory of how I'm interpreting the question) The question is similar to what is a 5k running time that is considered good. Ultimately, the answer is what every your best time is. However, someone doing a 50 minute 5k would not usually be lumped into the category of most 5k runners. They may be serious but just early on (or injured in some way). However, people are generally looking for the at what time am I starting to be competitive with other serious collectors.

System specific, I'd say probably a percentage. After all, 30 atari lynx games seems more impressive and serious than 30 xbox PS2 games. Possible answers are below
1) You have trouble finding games you don't own (breaks down in extreme cases such as PS2 and Vertex in opposite sides)
2) ~10% of the region's library
3) 50 games

[rayne315]

to me a serious collector (in anything, video games, stamps, coins, etc) is anyone, reguardless of collection size, that both consciously admits to being a collector and actively seeks to increase/improve their collection whether by buying more or improving what they already have.

[wartoy]

I couldn't have phrased it any better Flea.