Game value and rarity!

[patrickmeansly]

we all know that some games are rare and expensive and some are not rare and still expensive.  examples:  earthbound snes, flintstones nes, etc.  Over the next 20 to 30 years, do you guys expect that value of retro games to stay the same, go way up, or go down?  Maybe some games that are 200 dollars maybe in the thousands???  I'm just curious of your thoughts.  Thanks for your time.

[htimreimer]

that a hard question to answer because video game collecting is still in its infancy and because of it infancy, prices go up and down every day and nothing gets established

[insektmute]

I think it's too broad of a question. There are some games that will always be cheap, some that will fluctuate, and some that will always sell for obscene amounts. Original print run, platform, version differences, all this stuff can have an impact, even if a re-release is subjectively "better" than the original.

I think the only area where we'll see a more strict dividing line is with hardware breaking down over time, and limiting the number of reliable units around, but we're a long way off from that.

[ffxik]

With any collectors markets there will be an ebb and flow in prices,  As of right now people are finally getting sick of the sky high prices.  We may see some ebb happening in the near future.  I don't know if games will get as high as you are speculating, but it's something to keep an eye on.

[sin2beta]

I will take the opposite opinion and say that prices will stabilize as time goes on. Fluctuation, although always present, will become virtually unnoticeable. John "Gamester81" does a series of fantastic interviews with the Joe, owner of atari2600.com. In fact, the latest episode talked specifically about pricing. He mentions that most of the old games have stabilized in prices. He just started carrying NES stuff and those prices fluctuate a lot more right now.

Now even the atari 2600 has some rare games that sell for very little. But it also has games that sell for insane amounts. But the prices are fairly constant.

For current stuff, I imagine the only games that will sell for ridiculous amounts are rare AND good games. Panzer Dragoon Saga and Snatcher come to mind. Panzer Dragoon Saga will become much more expensive is my guess due to only being on the saturn. Also, it seems that finding it on virtual console or XBLA will be slim due to various things like "losing the source code".

Here is the Joe interview

[sin2beta]

some are not rare and still expensive.  examples:  earthbound snes, flintstones nes, etc

Flintstones has two releases. One is common and cheap. One is very rare (blockbuster rental exclusive) and very expensive. At least this is my understanding. It's just dinosaur peak that is expensive. Is there another one? Or am I confused? I'm not a Nintendo collector... so...

[soera]

Yeah its dino peak thats expensive. Im not too sure its a BB rental only game as it was advertised in Nintendo power quite a bit ... but it was a weirdly timed release (really late in the systems life a full 3 years after the SNES was live in US (August of 94 for the game vs August of 91 for the SNES).

The price of games will forever fluctuate. The one thing that is consistent in game collecting is that the variables will continue to change whether it be people selling out, people getting in, people finding multiple copies of something, copies of other stuff getting into a permanent collection, etc.

[patrickmeansly]

I think it's too broad of a question. There are some games that will always be cheap, some that will fluctuate, and some that will always sell for obscene amounts. Original print run, platform, version differences, all this stuff can have an impact, even if a re-release is subjectively "better" than the original.

I think the only area where we'll see a more strict dividing line is with hardware breaking down over time, and limiting the number of reliable units around, but we're a long way off from that.

When you say hardware breaking down, are you referring to the actual retro consoles eventually not working and not being able to be replaced???

[patrickmeansly]

I will take the opposite opinion and say that prices will stabilize as time goes on. Fluctuation, although always present, will become virtually unnoticeable. John "Gamester81" does a series of fantastic interviews with the Joe, owner of atari2600.com. In fact, the latest episode talked specifically about pricing. He mentions that most of the old games have stabilized in prices. He just started carrying NES stuff and those prices fluctuate a lot more right now.

Now even the atari 2600 has some rare games that sell for very little. But it also has games that sell for insane amounts. But the prices are fairly constant.

For current stuff, I imagine the only games that will sell for ridiculous amounts are rare AND good games. Panzer Dragoon Saga and Snatcher come to mind. Panzer Dragoon Saga will become much more expensive is my guess due to only being on the saturn. Also, it seems that finding it on virtual console or XBLA will be slim due to various things like "losing the source code".

Here is the Joe interview

Excellent video!!  Appreciate the link!  Very educational.  Per Panzer Dragoon Saga, I'm saving up for that one now lol.  I know I gotta save about 500

[kingrat101]

I think prices for these games that are in demand will stay about the same. With all games eventually becoming digital, I think the prices will go down slightly however there will always be a market out there that want the original retail release. A perfect example is Radiant Silvergun, I remember looking for it before it was released on PSN and Xbox live and it was at least in the $250 range, however now with those releases it hovers around the 180 range. Still expensive but not ridiculous

[sin2beta]

Yeah its dino peak thats expensive. Im not too sure its a BB rental only game as it was advertised in Nintendo power quite a bit ... but it was a weirdly timed release (really late in the systems life a full 3 years after the SNES was live in US (August of 94 for the game vs August of 91 for the SNES).

The price of games will forever fluctuate. The one thing that is consistent in game collecting is that the variables will continue to change whether it be people selling out, people getting in, people finding multiple copies of something, copies of other stuff getting into a permanent collection, etc.

It was blockbuster only. That much I am sure of.

Anyone see the game chasers episode where they find adventures at dinosaur peak at Game X Change for $5 (The Dino and Hoppy price)?

[soera]

http://www.nintendoage.com/forum/messageview.cfm?catid=5&threadid=101330

As far as those videos go, I think alot of them are staged. Im sure its possible to find that ... but the chances are pretty insanely slim and there are loads of videos buy people with ridiculous scores. So many of them that it makes their stories a lot less believable.

[sin2beta]

So, according to that thread, some think it is BB exclusive some think it is a rumor to increase the rarity idea? It would be interesting as a few people suggested and try to find some adverts showing it other places. I think that would be the way to go as being in NP makes sense just because it is licensed. That's what the magazine does. But that's an interesting topic.

As for game chasers, it is possible it is staged. The only thing is that almost everything they find is not that spectacular at all. Of everything I've seen Flintstones is the only amazing find. Everything else is more along the lines of Faxanadu for $2. I'm inclined to believe it's legit. Especially since most of those places are basically in our backyard and are portrayed very accurately for when I visit the locations. One of the reasons I like the show is if I see some place interesting, I can visit it on a road trip!

[insektmute]

When you say hardware breaking down, are you referring to the actual retro consoles eventually not working and not being able to be replaced???

More or less. This is more an issue with CD-based systems than cartridges, but eventually, supplies of laser assemblies will dwindle. Most electronics use variations of really only a fairly small number of models from a few different companies, and in the case of Philips, they ceased manufacturing that stuff entirely - it's already an issue in some cases with old CD players. So even if a particular system shipped tons and tons of units, repair parts are often being plucked at for use with dozens of other devices, too.

[sin2beta]

Yeah, CD systems will reach a point where they just don't work anymore. Lasers burn out after so many hours of use. Even the CDs themselves will stop working. Really old laserdiscs (notoriously the discovision run) suffer from disc rot. CDs are a data encoded label put on a plastic disc. The adhesive on this either starts to go away or reacts with the data label. Either way they'll stop working. Honestly, though, this is a LONG time from now. We are starting to see laser rot on SOME discs from the late 70s. Since then the technology has gotten better as well.

My solution. Buy a house with a doomsday bunker and fill it with sega saturn and dreamcast lasers.