2021: where are you as a collector and/or gamer right now?

[Cartagia]

For me personally collecting is something I pretty much only do passively now. I still go to places where deals on retro games can be found, but I'm honestly there just as much to find movies I'm after, comics/manga that interest me, or scifi books. Adding anything to my retro game collection is a very rare occurrence these days and can probably count the amount of additions to that on both hands during the past year.

This is exactly where I'm at.  I don't go out actively looking for games, but if I find myself somewhere with titles at a decent price I'll pick them up.  I don't pick up a lot of new games, and if I do it is once they are on a massive discount.

I am still playing a ton of games, though.

[dharmajones93]

What a great post/question!

I jump in and out of the forum. Mostly just been scrolling reddit, but not really enjoying it. I think, like all things, when I don't feel well I stop doing the things I like. I recognize everyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if anyone remembered me as I only comment so sporadically.

I've still been collecting, but taking the time to get things that are usually out of budget or rarely found in the wild. Ebay has been my friend. While I'm able to grab games I've wanted to play for a long time, I  frankly don't enjoy it as much as that feeling you get when you see a cart under the glass at the shop you've been hunting for a long time. I loved dropping into the local store near where I work just to see what was new and take home a few goodies, but with working from home that's just not been possible.

Getting back out to the game stores now that I'm vaccinated is a pretty exciting prospect I'm looking forward to.

I'm sticking to a budget of "ebay" games and new releases. I've personally made the decision that after this generation I will no longer be buying new releases physically. With stuff like Xbox series your really just buying a case to go on a shelf. Half the time I don't even use the disc because the game is on Gamepass. So, my plan in the next year or so to transition to only buying vintage games for my physical collection. It's exciting to go to the game store and grab new releases, but ultimately pointless (in my opinion, and for me in my situation).

I'm trying to buy tech that makes the best use of the hardware I have as well, i.e. grabbed a MegaEverdrive Pro instead of a Sega CD and loads of expensive games. I learned that lesson after trying to maintain a Turbo CD and collection for several years.

To the OP I've been really interested in the ODE's as well. My PS1 doesn't read discs well anymore (FMVs are all jittery) and my Gamecube is iffy (the games usually run well on my Wii but might freeze on my Gamecube). I'm waiting for someone to release something that can rip vintage discs like Xbox, PS2, Wii, etc without needing a modded console. That would really push me over the edge so I could start using ODE's with rips of my actual backed-up collection. The Retro-Arch disc project is something I'm paying pretty close attention to!

[oldgamerz]

What a great post/question!

I jump in and out of the forum. Mostly just been scrolling reddit, but not really enjoying it. I think, like all things, when I don't feel well I stop doing the things I like. I recognize everyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if anyone remembered me as I only comment so sporadically.

I've still been collecting, but taking the time to get things that are usually out of budget or rarely found in the wild. Ebay has been my friend. While I'm able to grab games I've wanted to play for a long time, I  frankly don't enjoy it as much as that feeling you get when you see a cart under the glass at the shop you've been hunting for a long time. I loved dropping into the local store near where I work just to see what was new and take home a few goodies, but with working from home that's just not been possible.

Getting back out to the game stores now that I'm vaccinated is a pretty exciting prospect I'm looking forward to.

I'm sticking to a budget of "ebay" games and new releases. I've personally made the decision that after this generation I will no longer be buying new releases physically. With stuff like Xbox series your really just buying a case to go on a shelf. Half the time I don't even use the disc because the game is on Gamepass. So, my plan in the next year or so to transition to only buying vintage games for my physical collection. It's exciting to go to the game store and grab new releases, but ultimately pointless (in my opinion, and for me in my situation).

I'm trying to buy tech that makes the best use of the hardware I have as well, i.e. grabbed a MegaEverdrive Pro instead of a Sega CD and loads of expensive games. I learned that lesson after trying to maintain a Turbo CD and collection for several years.

To the OP I've been really interested in the ODE's as well. My PS1 doesn't read discs well anymore (FMVs are all jittery) and my Gamecube is iffy (the games usually run well on my Wii but might freeze on my Gamecube). I'm waiting for someone to release something that can rip vintage discs like Xbox, PS2, Wii, etc without needing a modded console. That would really push me over the edge so I could start using ODE's with rips of my actual backed-up collection. The Retro-Arch disc project is something I'm paying pretty close attention to!

I read your post fully and I enjoyed reading it. I'd highly recommend buying a "ANY KIND" refurbished or new PlayStation 3 console before they get really high cost

if you need help finding out how to create internal memory cards please make a post and let some of us know.

[dharmajones93]

I read your post fully and I enjoyed reading it. I'd highly recommend buying a "ANY KIND" refurbished or new PlayStation 3 console before they get really high cost

if you need help finding out how to create internal memory cards please make a post and let some of us know.

I have a friend that has a phat PS3 in a box in his closet. I've been trying to get him to let it go for years! I know nothing about PS3's so I may have to take you up on that offer!

[baileykun]

For me a big killer is that right now is that import options for Japanese games are abysmal due to restrictions on shipping. They're a huge chunk of my whishlist. I got a SFC and a Japanese 3ds with no games to play. So I'm just working through my minna no nihongo books for now.

I also just moved and everything is in boxes. Had to settle for a bit of a fixer upper cause my city is plagued with Californian refugees buying normal houses over list. Not getting to the games any time soon. All I have out is my switch.

The last issue is finding a way to make my retro consoles look good on my tv. It's hard to justify the price of a framemeister.

[sworddude]

What a great post/question!

I jump in and out of the forum. Mostly just been scrolling reddit, but not really enjoying it. I think, like all things, when I don't feel well I stop doing the things I like. I recognize everyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if anyone remembered me as I only comment so sporadically.

I've still been collecting, but taking the time to get things that are usually out of budget or rarely found in the wild. Ebay has been my friend. While I'm able to grab games I've wanted to play for a long time, I  frankly don't enjoy it as much as that feeling you get when you see a cart under the glass at the shop you've been hunting for a long time. I loved dropping into the local store near where I work just to see what was new and take home a few goodies, but with working from home that's just not been possible.

Getting back out to the game stores now that I'm vaccinated is a pretty exciting prospect I'm looking forward to.

I'm sticking to a budget of "ebay" games and new releases. I've personally made the decision that after this generation I will no longer be buying new releases physically. With stuff like Xbox series your really just buying a case to go on a shelf. Half the time I don't even use the disc because the game is on Gamepass. So, my plan in the next year or so to transition to only buying vintage games for my physical collection. It's exciting to go to the game store and grab new releases, but ultimately pointless (in my opinion, and for me in my situation).

I'm trying to buy tech that makes the best use of the hardware I have as well, i.e. grabbed a MegaEverdrive Pro instead of a Sega CD and loads of expensive games. I learned that lesson after trying to maintain a Turbo CD and collection for several years.

To the OP I've been really interested in the ODE's as well. My PS1 doesn't read discs well anymore (FMVs are all jittery) and my Gamecube is iffy (the games usually run well on my Wii but might freeze on my Gamecube). I'm waiting for someone to release something that can rip vintage discs like Xbox, PS2, Wii, etc without needing a modded console. That would really push me over the edge so I could start using ODE's with rips of my actual backed-up collection. The Retro-Arch disc project is something I'm paying pretty close attention to!

I read your post fully and I enjoyed reading it. I'd highly recommend buying a "ANY KIND" refurbished or new PlayStation 3 console before they get really high cost

if you need help finding out how to create internal memory cards please make a post and let some of us know.

ps3 consoles are way less reliable than ps1 and ps2 consoles especially the ones that also play ps2 games.

Ps3 option especially the ones with ps2 backwards compatibility can get pricy really quick especially since they don't last to long.

The cheaper versions are however decent if you just want to play ps1 games.

[oldgamerz]

What a great post/question!

I jump in and out of the forum. Mostly just been scrolling reddit, but not really enjoying it. I think, like all things, when I don't feel well I stop doing the things I like. I recognize everyone on here, but I wouldn't be surprised if anyone remembered me as I only comment so sporadically.

I've still been collecting, but taking the time to get things that are usually out of budget or rarely found in the wild. Ebay has been my friend. While I'm able to grab games I've wanted to play for a long time, I  frankly don't enjoy it as much as that feeling you get when you see a cart under the glass at the shop you've been hunting for a long time. I loved dropping into the local store near where I work just to see what was new and take home a few goodies, but with working from home that's just not been possible.

Getting back out to the game stores now that I'm vaccinated is a pretty exciting prospect I'm looking forward to.

I'm sticking to a budget of "ebay" games and new releases. I've personally made the decision that after this generation I will no longer be buying new releases physically. With stuff like Xbox series your really just buying a case to go on a shelf. Half the time I don't even use the disc because the game is on Gamepass. So, my plan in the next year or so to transition to only buying vintage games for my physical collection. It's exciting to go to the game store and grab new releases, but ultimately pointless (in my opinion, and for me in my situation).

I'm trying to buy tech that makes the best use of the hardware I have as well, i.e. grabbed a MegaEverdrive Pro instead of a Sega CD and loads of expensive games. I learned that lesson after trying to maintain a Turbo CD and collection for several years.

To the OP I've been really interested in the ODE's as well. My PS1 doesn't read discs well anymore (FMVs are all jittery) and my Gamecube is iffy (the games usually run well on my Wii but might freeze on my Gamecube). I'm waiting for someone to release something that can rip vintage discs like Xbox, PS2, Wii, etc without needing a modded console. That would really push me over the edge so I could start using ODE's with rips of my actual backed-up collection. The Retro-Arch disc project is something I'm paying pretty close attention to!

I read your post fully and I enjoyed reading it. I'd highly recommend buying a "ANY KIND" refurbished or new PlayStation 3 console before they get really high cost

if you need help finding out how to create internal memory cards please make a post and let some of us know.

ps3 consoles are way less reliable than ps1 and ps2 consoles especially the ones that also play ps2 games.

Ps3 option especially the ones with ps2 backwards compatibility can get pricy really quick especially since they don't last to long.

The cheaper versions are however decent if you just want to play ps1 games.

Buy a Slim model PS3

OR

buy Super Slim Model PS3

buy I'd recommend a regular Slim Model more because of the exposed moving parts that the Super Slims have

AND also I'd recommend running all the games in AV-out in which should be the exact same cord you can use with the PS1 and all PS2 models as well as the PlayStation 3

[dharmajones93]

ps3 consoles are way less reliable than ps1 and ps2 consoles especially the ones that also play ps2 games.

Ps3 option especially the ones with ps2 backwards compatibility can get pricy really quick especially since they don't last to long.

The cheaper versions are however decent if you just want to play ps1 games.

I've heard there are issues with the phat PS3s. The one I'm looking at has been a single user who barely used it. I don't really collect for Playstation, usually only exclusives like  SotN, Shadow of the Colossus, FFVII, etc. So even I wouldn't use it much. For multiplats I usually go with the Xbox (OG/360 - mostly because of the back compat on XSX) or GCN from that era. Heck, I even went with the N64 version of Resident Evil 2! Which was a great version all things considered.

[kashell]

I've definitely cut back on going out and about searching my favorite stores for games. It used to be somewhat of a routine to check out my favorite stores every other weekend or so. Nowadays, prices are so high that I may as well save my gas and look online for a game I'm interested in. Of course, online prices are high.

The good news is that I feel like I'm playing even more games nowadays. There have been times I felt like I was in a slump but the right game takes me right out of it.

[covfefe2020]

drop your PSN tags so I can friend you on ps3

[turf]

Collecting is slim these days. High prices and not finding anything has slowed my collecting to a crawl. It used to be fun to go out and find some games, but now days I end up just wasting time.

I’m playing a ton more new stuff these days. I don’t get very many hours in, but I’m still having a good time.

[pzeke]

I have never liked the concept of buying stuff you won't like just for collection purposes, but that's just my personal thought.

[bunnybear]

My habits haven’t changed due to external factors like the endless pandemic.... I’m fortunate enough to be in a career that is unaffected and am also self employed, so my spending habits don’t need to change. As it is, the thing is not to get caught up in FOMO and start buying for a platform that has suddenly caught fire. Luckily, most of my PS3 and DS titles were purchased before the recent surges. PS1 and GameCube, though.... yeah.... that’s going to hurt. But once a game gets expensive, there’s little point in “buying high”, so I just look elsewhere on my want list to find games that are still on the cheap. The costly ones will be unlikely to rise much further, in relative terms, so it just make sense to get cheap games whose potential for surges haven’t been tapped yet, and then get the costlier ones at a later date when I’m ready to make that financial commitment.

Of course, I only ever buy games I want to play, so I don’t worry myself about collecting for collecting’s sake, and never have.

[kazumn]

My collecting habits haven't really changed all that much still mostly buying japanese region games, however i shifted more towards ps2/xbox and xbox 360 these days.
Now that i finally got my hands on a complete list of japanese 360 releases, i'm even more motivated to collect for the system as i'm not overly far off towards the full set. I don't know off anyone who has done it before yet so i may be the first one lol. (yeah i'm sure somebody in japan most likely done it ).

As for more older stuff i'm still chasing the same certain few games for the last 10 years. Only they have doubled in prices and i'm not sure wheter i want to pay 1000$+ for one game anymore.

I try to put 20-25 hours into gaming but with weather turning better i'll mostlikely end up going hiking whenever i can.

Only thing i noticed over the past couple of years is that i'm getting less and less interested in current gen gaming, the old me would freak out that i coulden't get a ps5 or xbox series x at launch, now i'm like eh i just don't care. I'll just pick one up whenever i feel like it and when they are avaible in stores.

[droaa]

My habits continue to slow down compared to last year. While I still like to shop at my local game store, it isnt to the magnitude of what it once was which im okay with. I have for the most part what I want with a few here and there that I still would like to have. That said I have made great efforts to play what I currently have because at the end of the day what's the point of having all of these games if I dont even get to play them.