Long Box PS1 games and reprints

[Warmsignal]

This is something that occurred to me. I know there are a few PS1 games that were only ever sold in long box form. But, it intrigues me that so many of them were re-printed in jewel case form. Quite a few of them were not successful games to the point of gaining Platinum Hits status either.

So how far back did they go to reprint games into jewel cases? Some of them had to be out for a while, and why did they bother doing it? The games were already out, the initial sales were over, the jewel cases weren't going to boost further sales. So did they feel somehow obligated to reprint all of those games? Who paid for the reprint? The individual publishers, or Sony?

Another weird thing is why were there three long box versions? They couldn't decide which to go with? Personally I like the plastic one with the ridges on the spine. But it's strange, some games were made with all three versions of the long box. That's another mystery in itself.

Any former Sony employees here know why they made all of these weird packaging a re-printing choices?

[aliensstudios]

I'd say they were reprinted just to match the jewel case format, kind of like when the PlayStation 3 logo changed and the game reprints got the new logo on the box or another theory is if the initial run sold out, they would probably reprint it and use the small cd jewel case design as to save some money, if the initial run didn't sell, it wouldn't get reprinted. I think they stopped shipping in long boxes because itt was more expensive and they wanted to differentiate themselves from Sega and the Sega Saturn games.

You also have to remember how DVD media was printed at the time; a lot of the original DVD's came in a cardboard/snap-shut plastic cases like some of the PlayStation games were. Soon after they went to the standard plastic case they still use today. Consumers look for familiarity in products, so if a case looked more familiar they might be more apt to put it on a shelf with their DVD's and VHS tapes.

This topic has also always puzzled me, but Id like to start collecting some of the long box versions.

[bikingjahuty]

I'm guessing they did it to conform to the jewel case format.


I will say I am surprised to find out some games received jewel case releases, some of which are very, very hard to find. There is a jewel case version of D that is ridiculously hard to find, as well as In the Hunt.

[turom]

I wasn't aware of this and googled some pics, I've never seen PS1 boxes like this! Is this a US only thing? They look like PAL Saturn cases.

[Warmsignal]

I'm guessing they did it to conform to the jewel case format.


I will say I am surprised to find out some games received jewel case releases, some of which are very, very hard to find. There is a jewel case version of D that is ridiculously hard to find, as well as In the Hunt.

I'm surprised how much D is going for, in any form. It was one of the first Saturn games I bought, and I thought it was awful.

[bikingjahuty]

I'm guessing they did it to conform to the jewel case format.


I will say I am surprised to find out some games received jewel case releases, some of which are very, very hard to find. There is a jewel case version of D that is ridiculously hard to find, as well as In the Hunt.

I'm surprised how much D is going for, in any form. It was one of the first Saturn games I bought, and I thought it was awful.

I feel like anything survival horror has really seen a huge spike in price over the past couple of years. I remember when Haunting Ground was a $30 game not that long ago. now it's like $100. And yes, a lot of awful survival horror games are becoming way too expensive. Probably one of the best examples is Ju On and Kuon.

[Warmsignal]

I'm guessing they did it to conform to the jewel case format.


I will say I am surprised to find out some games received jewel case releases, some of which are very, very hard to find. There is a jewel case version of D that is ridiculously hard to find, as well as In the Hunt.

I'm surprised how much D is going for, in any form. It was one of the first Saturn games I bought, and I thought it was awful.

I feel like anything survival horror has really seen a huge spike in price over the past couple of years. I remember when Haunting Ground was a $30 game not that long ago. now it's like $100. And yes, a lot of awful survival horror games are becoming way too expensive. Probably one of the best examples is Ju On and Kuon.

So true. The genre is becoming way more collectible nowadays, aside from Resident Evil or Silent Hill. Some of them are decent games, but I don't understand the hysteria over owning them.