What rules govern your collecting?

[courtlyhades296]

1. If I buy digital, it must be DRM-Free.

2. Mini consoles count as physical media

3. Greatest Hits and such are acceptable

4. Repros are only for titles never released in the US or ROM Hacks

[telekill]

Interesting thread and idea.

1. I buy what I know will be liked.
 - Existing IPs
 - Specific genres

2. Playstation is the main system for me.
 - Buy physical copies of games given the option.

3. Switch is the main system for the family.
 - Every Switch game owned must be kid appropriate.

4. Retro Stragglers...
 - There is an end for my personal collections way before most games for the systems are purchased.
 - PS1 collection has maybe two more games to add.
 - Game Gear collection has maybe two more games to add plus an Everdrive cart.

[byron]

1. Buy every copy of Tommy Lasorda Baseball I see, no matter what. Eventually I will have them all and I will destroy all of them except one, making it one of the rarest games in the world.

2. No using shoes as storage for games or accessories. Never ends well.

3. When going to a swap meet, always wear my headdress made of Funco Land dust sleeves. This establishes dominance and gives me an edge in haggling.

4. The Wonderswan has to stay in the backyard. It knows what it did.

5. Theft is justifiable

[turf]

1. If I buy digital, it must be DRM-Free.

2. Mini consoles count as physical media

3. Greatest Hits and such are acceptable

4. Repros are only for titles never released in the US or ROM Hacks

Those are solid go-bys
The digital thing isn’t so bad. I’ve gotten more comfortable with it in recent years. Hell, Steam last longer than each console generation.

[Cartagia]

Honestly, my rule is simple, if it's a game I want, and the price is reasonable, I'll buy it.

Has it given me maybe a few too many?  Yeah.  But I also don't really have an issue unloading things at a later date, either.