Will PS2's standard games become expensive in 20 years like the NES?

[burningdoom]

I really need to get Gradius III & IV and Gradius V before they get there! I love me some shoot-em ups, and Gradius is one of the best series! I have the NES, SNES, and GBA ones.

Musha's better. 

Great game, but you can't really call it a series, there's only 1.

Not true its on sega master system powerstrike 1,2 lol.

Never knew there was a connection between the two. Definitely going to have to check out the Power Strikes, now.

[dreama1]

I really need to get Gradius III & IV and Gradius V before they get there! I love me some shoot-em ups, and Gradius is one of the best series! I have the NES, SNES, and GBA ones.

Musha's better. 

Great game, but you can't really call it a series, there's only 1.

Not true its on sega master system powerstrike 1,2 lol.

Never knew there was a connection between the two. Definitely going to have to check out the Power Strikes, now.

Powerstrike 2 only came out in europe it's very rare but really impressive graphically, and music wise. Check it out looks 16 bit truly does what nintendon't. 

[betelgeuse]

I think the value will go up. Most people don't take care of their stuff so there should be less of the games around in excellent condition. I've got plenty of CD's and DVD's going on close to 20 years now. They all play perfect.
Besides, PS2 games work right outta the package. These current games need updates, DLC transfers and none of the online playability will survive. I don't think this generation of games will be all that collectible, but the old school stuff should continue to be hunted.

[Warmsignal]

I think the value will go up. Most people don't take care of their stuff so there should be less of the games around in excellent condition. I've got plenty of CD's and DVD's going on close to 20 years now. They all play perfect.
Besides, PS2 games work right outta the package. These current games need updates, DLC transfers and none of the online playability will survive. I don't think this generation of games will be all that collectible, but the old school stuff should continue to be hunted.

Wouldn't you just need a machine that already has said updates? Seems like that would be a really easy DIY if necessary. There's no reason why that data will escape into oblivion just because the games are old. Besides, not a single update to any 360 game has required Internet connection for me, the "update" came on the disc. Only this latest gen has ever "required" Internet to update just so that it can play games after setup.

[abe]

I think the value will go up. Most people don't take care of their stuff so there should be less of the games around in excellent condition. I've got plenty of CD's and DVD's going on close to 20 years now. They all play perfect.
Besides, PS2 games work right outta the package. These current games need updates, DLC transfers and none of the online playability will survive. I don't think this generation of games will be all that collectible, but the old school stuff should continue to be hunted.

Wouldn't you just need a machine that already has said updates? Seems like that would be a really easy DIY if necessary. There's no reason why that data will escape into oblivion just because the games are old. Besides, not a single update to any 360 game has required Internet connection for me, the "update" came on the disc. Only this latest gen has ever "required" Internet to update just so that it can play games after setup.

Same goes for PSP and Wii games (probably PS3 games too, though I haven't used that method for updates). The necessary firmware updates come right on the UMD (PSP) or the disc (Wii).

[argyle]

I think the value will go up. Most people don't take care of their stuff so there should be less of the games around in excellent condition. I've got plenty of CD's and DVD's going on close to 20 years now. They all play perfect.
Besides, PS2 games work right outta the package. These current games need updates, DLC transfers and none of the online playability will survive. I don't think this generation of games will be all that collectible, but the old school stuff should continue to be hunted.

Wouldn't you just need a machine that already has said updates? Seems like that would be a really easy DIY if necessary. There's no reason why that data will escape into oblivion just because the games are old. Besides, not a single update to any 360 game has required Internet connection for me, the "update" came on the disc. Only this latest gen has ever "required" Internet to update just so that it can play games after setup.

Same goes for PSP and Wii games (probably PS3 games too, though I haven't used that method for updates). The necessary firmware updates come right on the UMD (PSP) or the disc (Wii).

And any after the fact patches, while nice, aren't usually necessary.  But I also believe that by the time those things are no longer available to download someone somewhere will have come up with an alternate solution. 

[badATchaos]

It is true that discs are fragile and break much easier than a cart. In the future, and even now, PS2 games will be in the hands of adults and collectors who care about the condition of their belongings. As time goes on and less mainstream users (e.g. children) physically interacting with the discs, the rate of disc breakage will decrease.

One thing that most of you failed to point out is that carts do in fact rust. Simple contact with air over many years will eventually decay any iron or copper components into nothing but oxidation. Left alone, CD-DVD ROMs will last two or three lifetimes, where carts might last one. Couple this with the fact that games today have massive production runs! Disc are printed in the millions compared to the tens or hundreds of thousands on cartridges.

With that all said the PS2 (and other optical disc systems) was(were) very popular. The more popular a brand or product is the more likely there will be collectors for it. Disc games will go up in value but I can never see them surpassing cartridge games.

[argyle]

I think it will depend on what you're after.  For most PS2 games, if you just want the game on disk playable, then they may not be that rare.  If you want them complete & in collectable condition, those are already getting very scarce.  Most people, kids or adults, just don't take care of their stuff. 

[betelgeuse]

I think the value will go up. Most people don't take care of their stuff so there should be less of the games around in excellent condition. I've got plenty of CD's and DVD's going on close to 20 years now. They all play perfect.
Besides, PS2 games work right outta the package. These current games need updates, DLC transfers and none of the online playability will survive. I don't think this generation of games will be all that collectible, but the old school stuff should continue to be hunted.

Wouldn't you just need a machine that already has said updates? Seems like that would be a really easy DIY if necessary. There's no reason why that data will escape into oblivion just because the games are old. Besides, not a single update to any 360 game has required Internet connection for me, the "update" came on the disc. Only this latest gen has ever "required" Internet to update just so that it can play games after setup.

Was kinda thinking Xbox One or PS4 as this generation and not PS3 or 360. I'm sure the 360/PS3 will have some kind of price increase over the years (especially the one player games), but not as dramatic. No, the data doesn't just "escape into oblivion", but somebody buying the game 15-20 years from now most likely won't have the updates or patches on their hard drive for that particular game.

[blipcs76]

I think that in 20 years the problem won't be the discs, it will be the hardware.  Modern systems have way more that can go wrong, and the lasers will probably be the big problem.

That being said, who thinks a disc based Retron-x system is inevitable once these systems start to fail?  I'd love a single system that I could play Shenmue, Metroid Prime, God of War and Halo on!

[betelgeuse]

I think that in 20 years the problem won't be the discs, it will be the hardware.  Modern systems have way more that can go wrong, and the lasers will probably be the big problem.

That being said, who thinks a disc based Retron-x system is inevitable once these systems start to fail?  I'd love a single system that I could play Shenmue, Metroid Prime, God of War and Halo on!

Very true. I can see something like this happening.
I'm not sure what the emulator I tried out years ago was, but it required the TG-16 disc in the PC to play it.