DOES VIDEO GAME COLLECTING SUCK NOW? - Happy Console Gamer

[@LegendaryBattalion]

Such fond memories of sitting in the back seat, on your way home, flipping through the game manual, excited to play your new game.

[@TheSanctus17]

Sometimes the manuals were better than the game!

[@dereka415]

I miss those days.

[@SilentHillDA]

I remember asking friends what their birthdays were to match them with the Final Fantasy characters same birthday because of manuals. That’s how I learned about blood types. 😂 I still flip through the manuals from time to time.

[@Kiárán92]

Back when games actually JD an manual included inside.

[@godawaitsu05]

Man those are great memories i just feel sad now that all my game boxes got thrown out sadly

[@EyesOfTheInternet]

Retro gaming has become being like a broke kid again. Back in the day, you couldn't afford a $50 game, and now you can't afford a $150-500 game.

[@DanielRivera-on5qh]

That's a great analogy lol

[@josh_7569]

That'a actually a perfect comparison lmao

[@TJ-yf4hn]

So true... i recently started collecting handheld systems because I couldn't afford them when i was younger, i finally get a good job to start buying them only to see prices reach annoying levels.

[@edotsuki1979]

your right! absolutely nothing has changed

[@woutermvt]

Exactly, and the whole covid situation didn't help with getting around either :( So double for me haha.. low income plus high prices..

[@bigdrudogg33]

The scalping scene is what ruins collecting for me… it’s out of control, and sickening

[@PhantasmPhoton]

if pay for regular jobs wasn't so awful it would probably go away

[@shanez1215]

@@PhantasmPhoton That's a decent part of it too, the population has been encouraged to "have a side gig" or monetize their hobbies to get by.

[@edotsuki1979]

If it wasn't for these types of people the games your looking for would be full of grease or gone forever

[@AlexanderShelestov]

It's not scalpers, it's people like you, collectors. It's you who's sucked the market and we no see cheap offers anymore. Sell your collection.

[@bigdrudogg33]

@@AlexanderShelestov lol

[@Adowel123]

Not to mention that when you want to get a collectors edition because it's your favorite game or game series, then it's sold out after a few hours and eBay is flooded with resells for 3x the price.

[@fameswebb6439]

More like sold out in 3 seconds due to bots

[@shanez1215]

Thankfully some companies are happy to print shit tons of collectors editions to fill the gap. For example, the Halo Xbox's are REALLY cheap because there's so damn many of them. I collect things I like not expensive things, so a company artificially cutting off supply just makes my hobby harder for me.

[@edotsuki1979]

collectors edition is a scam to help fat japanese cats able to eat sushi off naked women buying collectors edition protects trafficking

[@yunogasai1338]

Utawarerumono prelude to the fallen. It's the only one i'm missing physically....so frustrating.

[@eloelo6944]

Good. Idiots are willing to pay for useless collectors edition then let them get fucked

[@taylora8845]

We grew up on a little farm an hour from town. So when we got a game, the drive back was BRUTAL, but it gave us a great chance to read the manual and salivate over it until we we could pop it in our battle worn system. That anticipation, is what made those days extra special. Now you can just download a game in your living room without having to leave the house! 🤣

[@johnmcternan4157]

I grew up the same way and experienced the same thing😂

[@TheJuice70]

Video Game collecting has turned into “investments” for some people. I’m not surprised at this point though. It was only a matter of time before this caught up with video games. Am I shocked? No. Disappointed? Heck ya.

[@megamob5834]

Yeah unfortunately this has already corrupted my other hobby (comics), shame to see it’s entered the realm of gaming now…

[@exzisd]

It's almost like Crypto except it's not and its tangible. People really are investing in retro video games more than ever. I think during the pandemic people just started playing more games and realizing the old games they wanted were expensive and it started making everything go up. Game sellers probably realized with increased demand for games across the board that they could raise their prices and still sell and so other sellers saw this and the market responded. I hope it balances out. I think these special editions and super limited prints will be how physical media dies except for triple A games until eventually it's just all digital because people can't even really have a collection and younger generations will be so used to just downloading games.

[@desklaser]

Exactly. These people are not spending this money for bragging rights. It’s solely because they think they can turn a profit on them later.

[@Artimes.]

@@exzisd Well its that, but its also because many video game development companies have really pushed the envolope of classic video gaming accessibility through digital platforms, to reboots and remasters to even full on remakes. Its crazy now how much Classic gaming is dominating the market, more then it did back in the mid 2000s. FF VII remake, Mega Man compiliation bundle, Grandia HD remaster. The many compiliation ports of Final Fantasy, the SNK reboot 40th anniversary project, even newly released consoles like the SNES classic edition. I mean its no wonder consumers are seeking out retro gaming again. Which is something I really really Enjoy. I can't tell you happy it makes me that the classic era of gaming is not a dead culture and its even inspired creators to create their own 16 bit reboot with modern tech like Octopath Travelers, its a great time to live in the gaming era, but collecting games is something that isn't as feasible any more because of all these digital platforms and emulation, people know its easy to play these games then own the original hardware and the original games any more. So likewise, sellers are inflating the costs.

[@wangchung2157]

Yea its pretty disappointing that games aren't like movies or music that stays in print. I was lucky to start collecting in 2015 back then alot of games were decently prices now a days its a little ridiculous. I picked up quite a but of everything I wanted but Ive reserved myself to accepting there are games now Ill probably never own 😔

[@omnigears2062]

I don’t stress any of this. I modded my retro physical consoles to play games off SD card or a harddrive. I don’t considered myself a collector anymore, just a gamer that wants to play it all.

[@samfrito]

No shame in that. No one is getting hurt or going under because of your emulation.

[@THELocalHero666]

The possibility to emulate the old Games, on the nativ hardware is amazing, but I love to carrie all my favourite Retrogames on a single Handheld (like the 3ds or Psvita) in my pocket and I can play it everywhere at every time 😍😎

[@MrVisde]

Collect as you go. Hang onto what you have. When a console reaches the end of its life, start hunting for games worth adding to the collection. The prices will be at an all-time low when there isn’t nostalgia yet for the system.

[@raggeragnar]

That’s exactly what I’ve done over the years. NES , Sega master system , Amiga500 , Snes , Sega megadrive , PSone , N64 , Xbox , Ps2 , Gamecube AND games for PC when the hype settled. 3 of these I bought new-in-store. The rest I’ve gotten dirt cheap when a newer system got the attention. I don’t own any complete collections , BUT , I own all the games I want.

[@newgameaaaa]

@@raggeragnar Good for you. I am the same way. I have always collected what I wanted because I wanted to play it.

[@megamob5834]

Best advice

[@nunowun6900]

The point of the video was to acknowledge that prices are going up not down. People say that nes collecting hit its end a couple years back but i ask you if i want to buy little samson has the price gone down for that? Or is it still $200+? I fukking love mystical ninja on snes and found it recently for $36 i have the greatest memeories of playing with my cousin but could not bring myself to pay almost 40 bucks for a games that came out over 20 years ago wen i could buy a brand new switch game for $19.99....

[@crabbuckets7506]

Indeed. This is always how I expand my collection between generations. Although mainly it's holding onto what you like.

[@RetroAP]

I remember going into goodwill as a kid and there would be stacks of nintendo and Sega games and now I can't even find an xbox or ps game that isn't madden or NBA.

[@ssmelche]

I've seen some KZbinrs that will go to Goodwill's multiple times a week to get whatever decent games are there to be found. I imagine there's other people doing the same thing, to resell or flip the games for profit or trade for other games.

[@richarddlee930]

I live in a small town so my goodwill I can find some good games every once in a while. Found resident evil 2 for psone yesterday. Which was nice cause I needed the case. Gonna give the loose disks to my brother or something. I see a lot of goodwills reselling on Amazon. So depending on where you live they never even make it on the store shelf

[@myron1231234]

I actually work at goodwill in the dvd area all games get scanned and put online and they send us shitty shovel ware games to sale in store since the price boom

[@Mercuriusfm]

@@myron1231234 thanks for the info. i really hate goodwill because i feel like they mark up free product way too much. but every now and then i get lucky and find something decent inside.

[@timothys3119]

@@myron1231234 you ain’t lying. The N64 stuff being auctioned pulls big money on the goodwill site.

[@jcitymayne8773]

If everything’s a collector’s edition, nothing is a collector’s edition.

[@hieinh]

Not everything is though. Games that people have a lot of sealed copies won't. And you'll be playing for a grade because most ps2,3,4/xbox, xbox 360 games will get at least a 9.2 because it's dvd case and not a cardboard box

[@americanbadass88]

@@hieinh grading disc based games with a jewel or dvd/bluray case is beyond idiotic honestly as long as the artwork and book are intact you can use ANY dvd case or any ps3 case to replace it to get almost a perfect rating. I still don’t get the whole video game rating BS anyways. Its more market manipulation than anything. This will crash just like comic books

[@hieinh]

@@americanbadass88 Only if it's not sealed. Why grade in box games?

[@joserachi96]

The everyday edition

[@VTheShadowV]

Hahaha true

[@KISSFan1977]

I agree, I am near 44 years old and my collection is something that has built up over a lifetime, I feel sorry for anyone getting into the hobby now.

[@newgameaaaa]

Good for you. Me too. I'm 35 and I have always collected what I like and want to play. However, it's still a great time now to be a gamer because there is still so much stuff out there and so many ways to play. I remember when I was little only having a handful of games and NES games were $40 - $60 and hard to get.

[@KISSFan1977]

@@newgameaaaa I too remember the days when you got a new game reguardless of how good it was you played it to death lol cause it was gonna be awhile before getting another, when I got old enough and started to make my own money was when things really changed and it has been a real habit sense.

[@charlescaulkins8306]

I grew up on video games, and when I lost a few I realized pretty quickly I wanted to keep them, like this one Wild Arms PS2 game that I thought was bad because of graphics and "ugly earth aesthetic" which was kind of the point. I'm 30 now as of this post and have been collecting a lot of games between systems to enjoy. Probably won't get as many "next gen" consoles though as the price for them is really ridiculous ($70 for new release AAA titles, really?)

[@jackthememer1186]

I don’t see the problem. I got into NES collecting and I’ve been having fun.

[@zodivamp]

been collecting since 82 when my folks snatched up a atari 2600 and a colleco viion for me, and i just steamed rolled forward. glad i got a turbo grafx 16 and a turbo express when they were new back in the 80s but now tg16 and the cd component is pricey. and my 500 nes games love me too i bought at either brand new since 85 or at funcoland back when they were super cheap.

[@protodad6151]

I miss the days of going to garage sales and buying whole lots of games and systems for like $20. It really stopped around 2015 I noticed no more GameCube, ps2/ps1 games at garage sales and pawn shops.

[@pc5440]

i remember those days for NES. now I just run everything on emulator and I don't really care. saves me stress. i had everything at one point anyway, lol

[@stupidbluebird]

I quit doing thrift store/garage sale runs around that time because retro games are just not out in the wild anymore.

[@McHaro0079]

@@pc5440 I insist NOT playing anything on emulation just yet. Not until when everything rot and I have to.

[@newgameaaaa]

@@McHaro0079 yeah good for you.

[@newgameaaaa]

Yeah or when blockbuster and other game stores were trying to get rid of old games because they were in the bargin bin.

[@Someguy-xu3oy]

Always excited to see you two together. Hope your having a great day

[@buckeyered80]

The Legend of Zelda Gold Cart was something I thought was the most amazing thing in the world at the time. Not sure why that gold cartridge was so fascinating, but it was.

[@PiroKUSS]

Probably the color and cuz' it was one of the few cartridges that were different in one way or another.

[@KMACKTIME]

I’ve already started buying up 360 games. That’s what I grew up on and I’m trying to get them while they are still cheap

[@maxamillion2140]

And I literally buy 360 games cheap to trade them for the games I played as a kid

[@thegb9228]

Why?

[@immitationstation3369]

360 and the OG Xbox have a great library and the games are cheap and very enjoyable 👍

[@Aeglos15]

@@immitationstation3369 😂 Feels like the only OG XBox title I can't get ahold of because of the high(er) price is Jet Set Radio Future.

[@MrVisde]

I regret selling all of mine after my 360 died. But back when the One launched there wasn’t backwards compatibility and I couldn’t justify spending $300 on a 360 😖

[@theflyingninja1]

I used to buy old games because I was on a budget and it was cheaper than buying new games. Not any more!!

[@skatingsam96]

Yeah really lol. How backwards is that

[@TheContraspirit]

Well, you can buy a dozen PS3 games for a nickel. There are a lot of old games that cost next to nothing. Even a lot of PS1 and PS2 games are very cheap.

[@interghost]

so true! Now just look at previous gen consoles and the games are like £1 each! Go further back than that and Retro is NOT cheap any more!

[@julianx2rl]

Its truly become backwards, because nowadays current games go for like, $30-$20 a year or two after release. The other day the Bioshock collection went for $20, and that's 3 games. Its weird!

[@howiegruwitz3173]

I just bought a game for less than 3 dollars off ebay. BUT IT DIDN'T COME WITH THE ORIGINAL ARTWORK REEEEEEEEEEEEE

[@adronator]

I remember as a teenager just starting to collect around 2010-2012 and thinking it was expensive then lol. Being in Australia doesn’t help as the market is so much smaller. I gave up a few years back and just emulate anything pre 6th gen and buy remasters when they come out. That gets me by. Too poor for the housing market and the video game market, got to love adulthood.

[@Hayseed1976]

It makes me sick going into a retro game store now and seeing prices.

[@CreativeWM_Personal]

My area isn't too bad, mostly charity shops but Games N Gear has some very reasonable prices

[@Tavicx]

Scalping should be a crime and a punishable offense with a large fine and or jail time. We have laws for a reason and strict consequences are the only thing that’s gonna stop people from exploiting others during a crisis.

[@justinianthe1st790]

@@Tavicx My guy while scalpers suck, people who are an actual danger to society should go to jail. This is absurd.

[@scottsims6127]

@@Tavicx Selling at market prices is not illegal.

[@Tavicx]

@@scottsims6127 Don’t @ me with your justification because I really could care less. If you’re selling over MSRP you are trying to exploit someone else for as much money as possible. I really don’t care if you want to justify it as sales commission or whatever because the truth is it’s dishonest and you have no right to rip everybody off. No it’s technically not a law yet but it should be and you human leeches who benefit from this situation should be penalized for taking more money from people than you deserve.

[@FarFaeTravel]

Yo, Johnny. Robman...I'm not sure you'll see this, but I've been watching your vids since late 2012. I was 17 when I started watching, now I'm 26! It's been great having you guys to kick back with over the years. Don't stop doing what you're doing, fellas! - love and respect from Scotland!

[@sneakyskunk1]

It is nice to see Rob man back on the show. He and Johnny always have the best conversations.

[@daniel_najar]

"and if there were two I would've bought one" So true, scalpers ruin everything... 4:21

[@Tavicx]

It won’t stop until it’s considered a punishable offense by law. Until then, more and more people will just continue to exploit the market with bots and take unfair advantage of fans by artificially creating a shortage.

[@Lethargy01]

@@Tavicx Laws don't stop people from doing things, they only dictate what the punishment may be if someone decides to do something and get caught.

[@Tavicx]

@@Lethargy01 Laws do stop people from doing things because criminals are sent to jail every day, effectively stopping them from hurting others in public. Just because more idiots are being born every day doesn’t mean something isn’t being done about it. I know nihilism is cool and all these days but society could be far worse than it currently is if nothing is done about it. SOMETHING is better than NOTHING and I’ll take whatever justice I can get.

[@Lethargy01]

@@Tavicx So threaten people with death for flipping video games... seems reasonable, lol.

[@GameGalaxyshow]

I was actually talking with my friend on this topic last night. He asked about how I had gathered some of my physical collection and I basically said that I got them at a time when resale shops didn't know the value of games and they were under 10 bucks for a majority of PS2 titles I have for example. If I tried to get what I have now it would be ridiculous. You guys also hit the nail on the head with limited run they totally play with your emotions for example Doom is one of my favorite games and so I got sucked into paying the almost $200 collector's edition and same with Castlevania I ended up getting the mid tier one that gives me the soundtrack but it's just like everything has this upgrade version that pulls on heartstrings and it probably is us adults that continue to feed into it

[@CutBackDropTurn]

For me, collecting has always been about the series that I love. Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man, Streets of Rage, etc. I’m not out there to collect every game created or even every game that I have fond memories of. I just collect what’s in my wheelhouse and I’m pretty proud of it!

[@bshays21]

Same I only collect stuff I'm gonna play or grew up loving. I do not hoard multiple copies of anything. Imo that's pathetic a*s greedy baby sh*t.

[@colinewan2320]

That's how to do it. only buy for you.

[@edotsuki1979]

I love your comment so much it's the perfect collectors like robman who ruined it then almost ruining his family loosing his home then we all had to save his ass

[@RAWTYPE84]

word... support what u love.

[@MightyJabroni]

Exactly, and that is the case for the vast majority of retro gamers. Collectors, who commit to a host of systems and all the games for them, are actually pretty damn rare. Their sway on prices gets way overstated. I think sellers, who get wet in their panties because they drank the bullshit Kool Aid of the rotten "rating agencies", are a MUCH bigger problem.

[@dandevil5557]

"everything you own ends up owning you" - Tyler Durden

[@IcePakOG]

Exactly.

[@thomasham130]

Right, I will stick to my Pi 3 arcade I put together. Look at the last gamer does that seem like fun to you?

[@jamesandgames7567]

I forgot about that quote... thanks you just made my day

[@lilg8017]

good luck denying temptation haha

[@dandevil5557]

@@lilg8017 good luck pretending being nerdy if you're actually not more than a shopping addicted consumption victim

[@dan47483]

I'm glad emulation gives average people a way to experience classic games.

[@ducko5404]

It’s mindblowing why some people can still view emulation as a bad thing. At some point it will be the only way to experience certain games. And they improve some things like load times and add quality of life improvements, optional achievements etc. I love emulation

[@jeenkzk5919]

Anyone who critiqued emulation, you simply reply “you got retro game money? You gonna buy them for me?”

[@NeutralGloomBot]

@@ducko5404 I don't care about the people that whine about emulation. They are the ones missing out on it for stupid ego driven reasons so that's on them. lol

[@anthonycruz5569]

Exactly. I started my emulation journey modding my PS3 for PS3/PS2/PS1 ISO’s. I was able to play games like Clock Tower 3 and Rule of Rose without going broke. I’m not paying some re-seller who found it in a bin at a yard-sale $400 bucks.

[@Adamchevy]

I’m not average. You mean most people. I make over 100k a year and the prices are ridiculous to me. I’m pretty careful with my money, and I’m telling you these prices are out of reach for most people . Unless your talking about single people then I guess that’s different. But if your married and have real bills then yes these prices are crazy. Unless your collecting for cheaper consoles like the 360 era and up your definitely into deep debt nowadays.

[@fredrikskogberg6449]

I used to hate when they put price tags on the boxes but now I kinda like them. They show a bit of history with how much it cost back in the day and from what shop. A shop that probably isn’t there anymore.

[@mmq9886]

Walked into a bookstore that sells old video games. They had the *Gold Zelda* cartridge for $149…

[@opaljk4835]

Bookstores and some thrift stores are awful about this shit. They do the same thing with common records, like Beatles and Elvis shit that there are millions of copies of for way more money than they are worth. They used all just be a bucks or two.

[@8bitflea]

Lol they probably think it’s real gold.

[@Jerrel28]

Which is a shame because its such a common game.

[@SolidSnake684]

No way, that's nuts! I remember 10 years ago at a flea market the vendor offered me 12 dollars for it and I went "eh, i dunnnooo" and talked him down to 8 if i threw in another. Shit is so crazy now

[@Nobutehuhh]

What kills me is when the collectors edition has a better box art, but it’s 20-50 dollars more lol. I swear sometimes they make the standard edition ugly on purpose.

[@NeutralAtJSP]

And they sell out instantly to scalpers such as smt5

[@d_shuffles]

I think with FF15 it was the first time I really noticed it. The collectors or deluxe steelbook had that traditional FF art when the standard box art was just the guys on it.

[@pedrochevez2090]

Remember when a standard game came with a physical manual? Today you have to buy a special edition of some sort just to get a physical manual! These guys made a great point in this video when they mentioned how video game collecting (especially special editions with said physical manuals) has become something for adults and excludes the very demographic it is SUPPOSED to be for: kids. That is why I as an adult do not care if I find a beaten up copy of some game and is missing the manual and the reason is that I more than likely (if not mainly) always wanted to play that game. I take what I can get and that's it.

[@Nobutehuhh]

@@pedrochevez2090 it’s pretty depressing lol. some older games have beautiful manuals, especially in the GameCube era. I really miss that.

[@Spenerico]

It's all the KZbinrs who make videos about what's rare or how expensive things are, like with pokemon cards :/

[@arturoperezify]

Even garage sales aren't safe anymore. I went to one that had some classic games once and when i asked for the price the guy pulled out his phone and went on ebay.

[@riddickshultz6877]

Good point guys. I had games and systems Ive sold 20 years ago. Then i decided to buy back my memories, game by game, it became RIDICULOUS to afford. Please don’t hate on me on this, but when I couldn’t afford a 2000$ Snatcher game that I owned in highschool upon release, I settled for a replicated copy online almost flawless to the original. No shame in my game, because I’m there to bask in the memories and replay 1993 all over again. Thanks guys for putting in some great topics that should’ve addressed. Always a fan,..👍👍

[@Drewsefer89]

Prices for any game now has just gone through the roof. New & old. Your commons have easily doubled. Yeah we can emulate but like RobMan says "We want that SUTFF! We're STUFF people!".

[@whackfrequency9807]

Back in highschool this was a number of a channels that inspired me to collect video games. Over the years I've fallen out, started collecting comics and recently also fell out of that due to being overwhelmed and not really having the finances to get what I really want. The trap that I fall into is that because I have such passion for a series, character or a creator that I feel the need to have those games/comics. Something that I'm still learning to come to terms with is that even though it's awesome and a great feeling to own media that you love, the lack of physical ownership doesn't take away the fact that you really care about a title/franchise. Seeing prices for everything pop culture sky rocket in the last year has really made me realise that.

[@samfrito]

@Whackfrequency you said it. When do we escape that need to own something we love. It used to be gaming, comics and vhs tapes. Now, I have to settle for a t-shirt or a sticker.

[@megamob5834]

Yeah it sucks so bad that people like you who have an actual passion for this stuff are being priced out of collecting. I was lucky enough to be collecting comics during the financial crisis in 07-08. Got a bunch of heavy hitters dirt cheap. I’ve gotten out of the hobby now, even common stuff is ridiculous. I was happy collecting the marvel G.I. Joe series in dollar bins and flea markets, now many of them go for $10-$20 each or more…

[@AgentMorgan2010]

If you don't mind trades or hardcover omnibus collections, you can still collect comics fairly cheaply if you know where to look (instocktrades website, for one). I don't care about first printings or singles anymore. Way too much of a pain to manage, store, and take care of. Hardcover omnibuses are great. It's nice to have a whole creator run in one book. But really, you can find any comic you'd ever want to read online nowadays anyway. Video games, too. Hell, I have access to pretty much every 8 & 16-bit game ever made on my hacked 3DS. I've acquired a respectable video game collection over the years. Nothing the likes of these KZbinrs, but about 3 big boxes full. It's more than I'll ever even be able to get to. Don't plan on selling it unless I fall on some real hard times, but I'm definitely done trying to amass any more at this point. Video game collecting is a joke at this point, and we're in an apocalypse of overinflation in general right now.

[@20alpha20]

Main problem for me now being an "adult" is actually having the time to play the games, so I buy more than I can play, which sucks, so I look like a hoarder!

[@karmad.twelve6613]

Same! My backlog is getting way out of hand...

[@josepartida1711]

that's why i slowed down as far as buying any game now, be it retro or new games.

[@ereyes6718]

Same

[@newgameaaaa]

Yep me too.

[@statesminds]

My friends make fun of me for it. 😂 look at this 1000s of dollars of games that you have played like 5 mins of some of them or not at all. I do play games a lot in spare time but ill get hooked on a game then spend like 100 hrs or more on it so hard to get through multiple games lol

[@ntrg3248]

If you aren't already a collector you may as well emulate everything old enough to be expensive.

[@jimmyjay689]

Ive always been a gamer...but "true"(jk😉) gamers never were able to keep their stuff...it was always "beat the game, trade in the game" when we we younger...so I finally decide to build up a collection when I got older...my 1st rule was nothing prior to 2000...it made collecting so much easier...funny thing is, those generations dont even interest me even though I was born in 1981...more into the Dreamcast/PS2/Gamecube/Xbox era because I missed out on alot of those games back then

[@ntrg3248]

@@jimmyjay689 Most of the games I've played blind in the last few years are mostly from 2000-2010. (Only a few here and there from the 90s, and a few newer games) I don't know what it is about this time period that has so many good games. (probably the absence of microtransactions)

[@infasis]

The prices have gotten so stupid that I decided I'm just going to sell most of my games and replace them with merch and all the cool stuff no one even pays attention to. I can get more use out of things like my Dragon Quest humidifier and Tekken coasters anyway :p

[@adronator]

I’ve decided to emulate everything pre 6 gen. PS2 Xbox/360 and Wii is still somewhat affordable but some of the rarer titles are already out of reach.

[@Danny-xm1pe]

But emulation just doesn't bring as much joy as having the real game and playing it on the authentic hardware.

[@pedrochevez2090]

I am so glad you guys made this video because I too was thinking about this a day or so ago after seeing the thumbnail to a video by Metal Jesus Rocks (standing there looking up with a large stack of SNES games). It almost feels to me that he, maybe unknowingly, is helping in perpetuating the artificial inflation for video game prices every single time he talks about his games in his collection or games he's recently picked up. Many times he just picks up random stuff and his other friend Reggie too and lately I wondered "why is that? I thought video gamers collected things they actually really wanted and not just added on game after game and call it a hobby". I'm sorry but hobbies doesn't include bragging about the latest giant stack of expensive games that were obtained.

[@paulnewhouse5126]

When buying games in the 90s and 2000s you got a complete package like a Manuel and box and sometimes other stuff. i know the tech wasn't there at the time to have all the instructions in game but it was part of the experience.

[@krystianhinz4575]

I miss the weight of the box with the manual and inserts inside, feels hefty

[@randallrutherford1384]

Definitely

[@derek-64]

Nowadays all you get is "ease and convenience" instead of getting your money's worth. What a fucking joke.

[@Harp00nX]

Of course the tech was there lol instructions have come on disks even in the 80's sometimes..... the problem is people these days just accept it instead of complaining and boycotting companies, that is the only reason it has turned out this way. Vote with your wallet it's the only language they understand.

[@jons9239]

I would clown anyone that opens and actually reads the manual.

[@TheInternetIsDeadToMe]

I started collecting a few things, from my youth mainly, but stopped a few years back. I try not to get caught up in the consumer madness of it all. It’s exhausting.

[@statesminds]

Remember that feeling of when you're otw home from store and you open game and read the instruction booklet that came with it. Hate that games don't come like that anymore or without anything in the inside cover. I will say I bought YS 9 on switch recently and not only did it have a booklet with character info but it also had art on the inside with reversible cover. Now that's how all companies should do it. Was a nostalgia trip.

[@kohnfutner9637]

I have one collection: masterpiece transformers. I learned collecting easily turns into obsession. Obsessive collecting= hoarding. You must be careful of obsession. Take time to enjoy your collection rather than obsessing about what you feel you need to satisfy your obsessing/collecting wants. IMO

[@richarddukard8989]

Wise words

[@PiroKUSS]

Have an idea of what you want and what you don't and why you'd even want those things.

[@DarkWorldQ8]

I miss the special editions from the Xbox 360 and PS3 era, most special editions were like $10 or $20 more than the standard edition and came with a steelbook case along with a soundtrack CD and a small artbook. Unfortunately, most collector's editions these days that I see are more than double the MSRP and comes with a statue.

[@NotoriousCIB]

I went garage sale-ing yesterday, and you know what I found? A scratched copy of GTA 3. That’s all. Years ago, I never went home empty handed, but I feel like that’s the norm now.

[@SolidSnake684]

Same, I don't even bother anymore. Used to be able to find at least one sale with catridge games, while PS2 games were a certainty. Always used to come home with at least a few. Now i'm lucky if I even find one selling games, let alone come home with any!

[@RideRedRacer]

ya i dont get it. somehow there are still youtubers posting weekly about their amazing finds over and over. but i go look and find nothing

[@NotoriousCIB]

@@RideRedRacer I have no idea how they do it.

[@landonmathews6111]

The Ys VIII OST in the background never gets old, that game and its soundtrack are fantastic🤘🏻

[@Tomnuki]

When the Mine dungeon song from IX came on at the end of the video tho

[@TheDragonFanatic]

I remember going to GameStop to reserve a game and getting a shirt or something about the game. Those were the days.

[@cuttyzonthebeat9634]

Man i havent watched this channel in about a year. I binged all your videos a while back but im glad to be back love you two together the most on your videos.

[@thehealthjourney]

When it comes to collecting anything like movies, games, action figures, etc I will only buy what I like. I think the problem people are having is the completionist mindset. Setting yourself obtainable goals and having a budget makes everything more enjoyable without all the stress. For example, I made a goal to get the top 20 NES games that are worth playing. If the original game wasn't affordable to get then I will get a reproduction cartridge and a custom made case which looks fantastic. This is how I discovered to have a nice collection without going broke. A good point you guys made was how your collection is a result over many years of collecting. I think a problem many people have is that they are impatient and want everything right now. With that type of mindset it is very easy for people to get into financial trouble. I think understanding that is crucially important when it comes to collecting and also going at your own speed. When collecting it is best not to compare what you have with what other people have. This will save you a lot of stress and money. Have fun collecting and playing the games. That is what it is all about anyways.

[@Akspee]

LRG and special editions in general are playing the ”fear of missing out”-card. I love getting a physical copy of a game that I really like but at the same time I hate the artificial rarity. If you can call it that.

[@aozgolo]

I could almost give them a pass if they weren't now releasing like 2-3 games per week, God forbid they release 2 or even 3 games you want on back to back weeks, with collectors editions.

[@BloodyEyeGamer]

Must say, I'm so glad I've weened myself off of buying collectors editions. I buy a ton of games for my collection & just want a physical copy, that's what's important to me now. With collectors editions they just take up too much space and usually contain useless junk that just sit and collect dust.

[@Jawwaad1111]

Same here fam. I’ve bought so many collector’s editions and haven’t opened majority of them. They’re just sitting around. I used to buy a lot of them for the statues but now I see that most of them are garbage and just use my money on higher end statues.

[@Soldano999]

On PS4 most "physical copies" are useless anyway since the full game is not on the disc. Collectors edition are expensive and in most cases contain useless junk.

[@greenreaper1605]

Physical collection is KING and always will be

[@paulocamoes6816]

Definitely agree. I mean, I will still buy a collector's edition from time to time if it's a game from a series that really means a lot to me for example, but it's funny that the more financially independent I've become, the more I steered away from collectors editions. Especially because they used to be, generally speaking, something special and different. Nowadays, most are overpriced and just a marketing gymmick to attract the growing market of gaming fans with little control over their wallets.

[@aozgolo]

Yes, I only buy collector editions now if it has something in it I genuinely want like a nice artbook, otherwise standards copies are just fine.

[@juniorgod321]

There's no way in hell that someone really paid 1.5 million for Super Mario 64. The whole thing was probably the good old fashioned money laundering taking place:)

[@mewimi]

This ^

[@samfrito]

Does anyone need an N64 box on their wall that bad?

[@PrmtymeTheGamer84]

That's the same thing I think and i work in banking.

[@NeutralAtJSP]

99.9999999%

[@exvalos6402]

Gotta realize for some ppl 1.5 million is the equivalent of 00.1 cents

[@adamray10]

I get hit so hard by nostalgia. I am an early 80s baby that loves to collect. I am so glad you guys talked about this. Glad to know we are all collectively thinking the same thing.

[@Robbity]

I agree with you two categories of retro collecting, but I think there’s a third group. Younger Gen Z people who want to experience retro games the way they were supposed to be experienced for the first time. Im 17 and I just bought an N64 and 1080 snowboarding. I’ve emulated 64 games before, but man it just wasn’t the same.

[@Altura0]

I was at a shop yesterday and they had game boy advances, complete with scratches and scars for a whole $110 that shit is insane for me. I think the pandemic really inflated a bunch of these prices.

[@charles5487]

Oh no doubt that the pandemic is to blame for the insane prices. Most people in the world have nothing to do but play video games now due to being quarantined.

[@charles5487]

@@jonathansoko1085 I don't think it's a memory problem. But more of being more aware since everyone else is trying to buy games including us.

[@andreschaves523]

I think the digital future may bring the demand down along with the prices

[@dakotafoy1996]

Lol that pisses me off never pay more than 40 bucks for any gameboy they must be smoking that good stuff to think a beat up gba is worth that.

[@dakotafoy1996]

Unfortunately my local retro game store are scumbags they take advantage of people that don't know any better I watched a dude without questioning pay 200 bucks for a gba and a copy of pokemon either emerald green or ruby red can't remember.

[@davistobia1425]

Yes!! Not about the money...it means something. Well said.

[@allenwheeler5937]

Great video. It's tough to see some games go out of reach for normal people and kids. I think emulation should be celebrated so the new generation can have an appreciation for what come before them

[@therealbitwars]

I once walked away from a copy of Saturn Bomberman because it was too expensive ($6.99). Thankfully I snapped out of it and purchased the game before I left the store. Great to see the two of you doing videos together more frequently.

[@vg4917]

haven't watched your channel in a while good to see you and Rob again, thanks Johnny. Now pairing back my collection actually due to space, but you always have have the memories.

[@Hayseed1976]

I'd be a millionaire if I never got rid of any game I had but i had to trade older games to play the new ones back in the day.

[@ZealKingdom]

I was in the same boat. I never wanted to part with any game, but couldn't get anything without trading. That's why I haven't sold or traded anything in 20 years and have over 600 games now.

[@8bitflea]

Lol I look back at the games I traded just to get new stuff when I was a kid and I wish I would have hold on to it but that was the only way to get new games as a kid, I sold my sega Saturn and games for a ps2 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️ Saturn games are gold now.

[@mariotennisman]

Yeah, and by that mindset I sold my copy of Pokémon SoulSilver to buy a tennis game on my Xbox360 .... I'll never do such a mistake again !

[@gundambassexe31]

Yes game collecting has gotten outrageous nowadays! Especially with limited run games and other really expensive editions of older games . Just my thoughts

[@PrayingSeraph]

On one hand I love Limited Run Games for bringing back life to games or giving physical form to indies...but the way they go about it all, I'm not a fan of.

[@zachcouch8654]

That 1.5 million dollar Mario game was bought by the same company. So the company just made up a number and handed it from the right hand to the left hand.

[@gaupau]

All a business tactic. To hopefully generate more revenue down the line when people start sending in their sealed Mario 64's to make millions! supposedly.

[@tomasgarcia7499]

Wowwwww

[@Tavicx]

1.5 million dollar game sold and bought by the same company huh? Pretty suspicious obviously. That’s one way to clean money. It’s no secret that crime organizations have used all kinds of “innocent” businesses in the past to launder money so why isn’t this being investigated?

[@LedZeppo32]

I heard it was rumored, but I didn't know it was confirmed yet

[@sneslive1556]

@@Tavicx This is now what I suspect of all auctions with items that go for outrageous amounts of money. Seems like a front for money laundering to me.

[@fenrir7878]

Went to a game store TODAY. I saw a Chrono Trigger SNES cartridge for $275. And a Box sealed set for Chrono Trigger for $1000. And I'm like "guess I'll only play Chrono Trigger in a digital copy instead of my SNES like it was meant to be." Ridiculous.

[@jd.3493]

Sadly, channels like these, while amazing, drive up the cost of collecting.

[@edotsuki1979]

I could kiss you! but to be fair it's fans like us who watch the videos That give them great power

[@AbstractM0use]

With or without KZbin, I think it was inevitable that Gen X would start getting nostalgic about the things they held dear in their childhoods around 20 to 30 years later, therefore creating a market for it. These channels definitely helped speed it up, though. Luckily for me, the nostalgia hit early, before the KZbin retro game channel boom, and I was able to find a lot of those older games for dirt cheap. The prices started skyrocketing after KZbin.

[@MightyJabroni]

"Sadly, channels like these, while amazing, drive up the cost of collecting." I think, their sway on prices gets WAY overstated. If somebody buys a NES Cartridge of Super Mario Bros. 3 for well over a 1.000 bucks (just because it is CiB and has a fancy “rating”) or let alone for way more than this, when a loose cartridge can still easily be found for a tenner or less, he is doing so as a speculator …. NOT as a collector. Because which self-respecting collector would tolerate such a price discrepancy … for a game as common as SMB 3? Collectors know that Super Mario Bros. 3 was one of the NES games with the biggest print run (given that it was bundled with the console at one point). It is one of only three NES games to sell (well) more than 10 million copies (18 million!). Read: It is the exact opposite of rare. What we see right now is the market overheating, because speculative sentiments have entered it. Many of the games' prices are utterly unjustifiable, when you look at the market fundamentals that actual gamers and/or collectors care about. And the drivers behind the speculative nonsense are dubious actors, that present themselves as authorities on “rating” retro game cartridges etc. It is utterly contrived! And it will crash down eventually. Karl Jobst has made a great video on this madness. Lengthy, but well worth a watch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKevd3iebLtkbqM

[@PostTraumaticChessDisorder]

@@SPG8989 Handcock? Was that a deliberate typo 😅

[@MarkMcDaniel]

Rob's "Thurston Howell III" was spot on.

[@SkylightCiel]

I grew up watching game collector like these guys and many others youtubers from the earlier days. I was always super jealous of their collection and now that I'm an adult with some disposable income I can't even remotely get into collection like I always wanted to because of how incredibly overblown the prices are. The speculator market and scalpers have completely ruined that for a lot of us.

[@hepwo91222]

The first time I remember getting an extra goodie with a game for preordering was SNES Killer Instinct in 1995. It game with a music CD called Killer Cuts.

[@samfrito]

YES!! so great when games did a little extra. Now the only thing extra you get is a scrawny warranty card and your receipt. Miss the good old days of full color booklets and maps and little stuff to make collecting worth it.

[@seedofwonder]

Didn’t that come with the standard edition? I know I bought it on release day but I just went to K-Mart and asked for a copy and got the disc with it.

[@hepwo91222]

@@seedofwonder maybe it did? You might be right? They couldn't fit a CD in the old SNES game boxes though, unless it was a bigger box like Earthbound, but it wasn't, it was a standard sized SNES box and was handed the disc with it. So not only did I enjoy the game, it was a nice bonus to get a CD with it too for regular price.

[@aandr7127]

KZbinrs with their collections and nostalgia videos with millions of views are to blame. You hyped it, welcome to the outcome.

[@Wolfegang01]

I'm 46 now... But let Johnny start reminiscing with his stories! its so intoxicating! His excitement, love, passion and perspective...it's so vivid and is so awesome every time I see and hear him do it I cannot help but to be blown back into my childhood. Thank you Johnny, you are a one in a million

[@insaneasock3156]

Am I the only one who sniffs my manuals when the come with a game today? 🤔

[@KeithKillingly]

I sniff every new game I open for the first time lol

[@scarecrow00]

@@KeithKillingly same. Been doing this my whole life. Dont like switch game smells tho.

[@KeithKillingly]

@@scarecrow00 Lol yeah I feel the same about switch games

[@Shayisgood]

Yes! And that is why I own every Evercade cartridge!

[@madcamdisease]

Just used ones

[@Cassapphic]

Collecting doesn’t feel like collecting, it just feels like not selling the stuff I kept from my childhood.

[@squidracerX]

There are very different types of collectors. This is also where i sit. I dont collect, i just kept (and now have sold) the games I had. I mean I bought used games at the time - but generally speaking - all of my systems 100% and most of my games - im the only owner. But now Heritage Auctions and Wata have artificially created this sealed and graded bubble. You saw 8 years ago most people wanted just the cart. Then it turned into CIB. Then it was sealed. Now its sealed and graded. So 3 years ago a sealed Mario at a Game-Con was $100. Now its on ebay for $500.... The hobby has changed. (The guy who has the Guinness book record for largest game collection right now - he bought it all in mostly 1 sale - he didn't collect them, he bought them from someone else. So he "collects" very different than us ha-ha). But many of us "we buy games to play them" people are still here. And for the most part modern games arent that much more expensive. so we can keep up with the hobby. the retro stuff has been affected by lots of stuff - the Wata stuff, the investment people, the complete collection people, the nostalgia people; Covid really hit prices since people stayed inside. There have always been the insane people paying $100 for a N64 Clayfighters manual to complete their collection (always though that was mega dumb). But now i see people being like "that $6 copy of Jaws for the NES had 5 screws on the back not 3! So its a first run (who the hell cares!?) So its $300!". And I see this has become Beanie Babies. So Im done with retro honestly ha-ha Too many great modern games to play anyway!!!

[@CaptainUrahara]

I know a guy who has bought several games solely as an investment. He never played games and he never plans to. He bought these games to hang on to in case the value goes up and he resells them. So sad.

[@interghost]

I feel prices will peak soon and then will drop FAST..! (Mainly when us guys start to die off lol)

[@jonnyfendi2003]

but thats with pretty much anything nowadays....anime blu rays, manga, pokemon cards, etc

[@tvandlust]

Collecting is a low key nightmare now. I’m pretty fortunate that I got in while the getting was good and have most of what I want, but I still don’t have certain games that I would love to have and the prices are wild. There’s no way I’d enter the hobby now. I completely agree that emulation is probably the best bet if all you want to do is play the games.

[@RideRedRacer]

im right there with you. i have most of what i want but not all

[@TropicalBeatDown]

I love owning at least what I had back in the day when the systems came out, and then maybe some top rated games, but I would never go out of my way to start a giant collection, especially complete in box.

[@edotsuki1979]

yah that's lame but if it wasn't for these douchebags we would had lost millions of games to the garbage!

[@jckorn9148]

I’m a sucker for the steelbook cases. They’re so nice. Metroid Prime Trilogy, recent Forza games.

[@immitationstation3369]

Yeah I was so hype for my halo 2 one and its all dented now 😭

[@DuelingDragonAdventures]

Everdrive, Xstation, Fenrir ODE, GDEmu, GC Loader... this is the future for me. Playing any game I want on original hardware with no software emulation, and saving thousands and thousands of dollars.

[@AntManR95]

Bruh, Nintendont for wii really changed it for me tbh

[@segaprophet]

I want to get that Satiator card for Saturn it looks really good

[@DuelingDragonAdventures]

@@segaprophet Just get the Fenrir ODE, it's better and less expensive

[@videogamecollecto100]

Thank God for re-releases and compilation games.

[@SuperKhalid95]

I stopped collecting physical copies since covid first hit, now I only buy like 1 or 2 physical copies a year, but yeah now I'm mostly going digital.

[@Justinmeatybonds]

I don't play video games, but I still watch almost all your vids. Love the energy and this friendship! That being said, the same thing is happening in the vinyl game right now!! I still strike gold every once in a while, but I don't shop nearly as much as I used to because even if I see an album I love, the price is so jacked up it's not even worth it TO ME. There are some people that are willing to pay those prices, no problem, but currently I'm learning to enjoy what I already have. Or digging deep to find nuggets that people haven't caught onto yet ;-) Keep rockin, Johnny!

[@charleslavalliere]

Personnally I sold all of it. As I am growing older (38 now), I look forward for a more minimalist lifesyle. I decided to go with streaming services for that reason in good part (GamePass, Spotify, Funimation, etc...). I also play a lot of A Link To the Past randomizer, this is way to much addicting. I wish to live full time in a RV when I will be near my retirement. I wll alternate between Canada and US to visite those 2 huge countries while working less (and eventually be retired) and not having to take care anymore of my daughter. I already work remotly from home full time so that part is already achieved. Still need for my daughter to get old enough to have her own place than buy a travel trailer and an electric pick-up.

[@Krusher1979]

Huh?

[@solofalcon]

the 1980's till 2019 was a hell of a run, we are at end of times.

[@UltimateGamerCC]

it'll drop back down one day... but sadly many of us will not be around to see that day, due to our limited mortality.

[@RubyMVmistress]

I would say 2017 was pretty much the end for me. Persona 5 and some of the Yakuza games were the last games I played. I got the Switch day one but I am just not sure if I am growing out of games or getting to old to care.

[@HiNRGboy]

@@RubyMVmistress or maybe the new games just suck now cuz I still love games from 20 and 30 years ago but none recently lol. That's just my experience tho

[@Pabmyster]

Collecting games will die with our generation as nostalgia for physical items fades into obscurity. So all you have to do is just hope to live longer than every other collector and you can buy all their games for cheap again!

[@truckerpunkonestar]

A few years back I walked into a second hand store and there was a Bucky O’Hare NES game in box with the manual everything with it. They were asking $60 for it. When I got out to the truck and looked up what I had found, just out of curiosity, I was shocked. I just wanted the game because I remember renting it back in the day.

[@benbehzadpour1177]

To be fair, Bucky O'Hare was legit one of the VERY BEST games on the NES. I would have paid $60 for a complete copy even back in the 90's. Ten years ago, I would have paid $100.

[@laura_jones]

it makes me super sad when people buy sealed games and never play them. that's when you know it's really just about money worth and not enjoying the product for what it really is. A GAME. it's even worse when you consider maybe they play that game on an emulator, or they don't even game at all... i'll never get to own my favorite RPG of all time, Suikoden II, because people are selling it for thousands now. how many of them genuinely love playing that game? I have no idea. but I know I would.

[@shanekelley3064]

I only buy what I want to play. I'm not really a collector, but my game room isn't empty. Mostly I just kept everything I bought in those eras. Consoles and games kept clean and working. A couple of backup crt tvs. Nowadays... It's all fucked. I'm happy to have what I already have. Enough to play the rest of my life. But, I'll investing in the everdrives for my various consoles at this point.

[@PS3GamingScotland]

Game collecting has become more expensive but there are still deals to find. It's great to see gaming, anime and geek/ nerd culture becoming mainstream. I enjoy the thrill of the chase knowing full well I might not find anything whereas other times I might snag a great deal. As along as you set a budget and most importantly have fun then that's the main thing. Great video guys! :)

[@ericpaquette22]

NHL94 on SNES is my favorite video games of all time 😂. I had it when i was young and spent so many hours!!! Like music there is a genre of game for everybody!!!

[@jasonkasprick6370]

And it is still cheap to buy!

[@samza9622]

I'll sell you a sealed copy for 1 billion dollars.

[@ConsoleCrashers]

I agree almost 100%. Like you, I was there making collection videos long before the market of today and because of that I feel like I'm partially to blame too for the way things turned out when it comes to over-inflated prices. Now at days, I try to look at things a little different. My friend once said to me, quality over quantity... which really made me consider which franchises meant the most to me. Now, I try to limit my "Collector's Editions" to about 10 - 20 of the franchises I know I truly love and it helps make the hard decision when it comes to which version should I get. Sadly, it means missing out on some cool stuff, but I have grown much more appreciative of things I do have. Glad to see you still making videos after all this time. Keep up the great work guys. - Locke Downe.

[@pokesauceemajin6622]

amazing conversation. very relevant even months later... collecting was hard enough before, but the inflation of prices, acceptance of nerd culture into popular culture, and media influence/influencers, are making collecting anything very very expensive, and virtually impossible for many people

[@hassaankhan5964]

As a 21 year old who wants to get into retro game collecting I feel like my heart is broken after watching this video

[@hassaankhan5964]

@Pete Zuhut thanks for the words man I'll try to go for emulation route to get back Into retro gaming and then see what I can do from there

[@84tanooki]

I remember filling out my 64 collection when the GameCube came out. Imagine smash and such in bargain bins for 9.99

[@tomasjonsson7141]

The only game collection i have nowdays is on steam but im very happy with it =) i do however have a 2000+ music CD album collection since i love music and i been collecting my whole life i gues its nice to have something to collect whatever it is =)

[@BeyondUselessMedia]

Hey, NHL '94 is the best in the series!!!

[@daviddasilva2741]

That’s the only sports game I have and I love it!

[@robertojimenez721]

I love to hear you talk about video games i’m in my 40s and I have the same nostalgic feeling for video games and I collect the stuff that I love grow up with.. Mario Bros nes , sonic wow love it the original.. something about those soundtrack.. Amazing

[@NashxEvo]

Watching this, I regret sell off my old snes and ps1 games when I was a kid. But at the same time I didn’t have much money at the time and needed to sell those games/consoles so I could get the next gen stuff. I miss playing the old games. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Love this channel. I always appreciate the nostalgia.

[@dakotamabry1645]

I resold 4 mario games from Nintendo 64 , for 20 dollars to a man with 2 kids and threw in free dvds . I spent alot more for them .. but they were all so excited- that I don't regret selling them for so cheap . I needed a little bit of money and the dad got to connect with his kids

[@KenzGamesCollection]

I remember walking into a second hand store and asking for a price for a retro game and the owner went straight to their PC to look at the prices on eBay before telling me, I ended up walking out of the store without that game

[@markusspunkt4817]

hahaha..happend to me too, same goes for CDs and LPs....pppfffffff

[@ancientmariner6042]

When they do that I just stop shopping there.

[@edotsuki1979]

fxxk yah! If it wasn't for that guy the game would have never made it to him in the first place because it would had been buryed in a landfilled this pawn man is literally the savior of many of my beloved games I praise him everyday!

[@gundambassexe31]

Yay welcome back Rob!

[@00r99]

Sunday morning, breakfast with coffee watching happyconsolegamer damn what a nice life 💪🏼

[@newgameaaaa]

ME TOO!

[@darkridearts]

I don’t collect anymore. It’s cool and all, but it’s too expensive and I don’t like having tons of stuff sitting around that I’m not actively using.

[@nintendokings]

I can’t imagine trying to buy all the complete GBA games today like I did around 2012-2015. Prices have gone wild for many systems

[@OrangeGeemer]

I enjoy collecting just the consoles, for the games I use everdrives and ODEs. This is the best middle ground, I still enjoy the games on their original hardware and controllers, but without the frustration of paying crazy prices for cartridges/cds.

[@GamesFromSpace]

I've started doing the same thing. I recently got a neo Geo CD, and it might be the last console I buy. And I didn't even consider buying games for it.

[@yellowstreetlight]

I remember when artificial inflation happened to comic books in the 90s. They'd put out 9 variant covers for one issue and the collectors were compelled to pick up each one.

[@hulksmash8159]

Now they put out up to 40 different covers. Not joking.

[@megamob5834]

@@hulksmash8159 and it exploits the retailers who have to order 100 copies of a random book to get that one sought after variant and end up with a stack of comics they can’t return and will have to sell at a discount to recoup some of their money

[@SeanFairgrieve]

I’ve been recently selling off a large part of my collection to focus it on games I really enjoy vs. games I bought to show the collection off. It feels good to keep your favourite games and have a focused collection. Thoughts?

[@nickjoe2260]

What you love you should collect. It what is popular

[@Sneltje]

So true, I want my kids to be in game collecting by even they told me "why it's getting ridiculously expensive and you don't get stuff worth your money". Now if my kids can point this out man, the industry should rethink their sales models. Also Special editions back in the day were special, now it not even special anymore. As you have the special edition, the gold edition, the special gold edition, the extra collector's edition, the extra special collector's edition, oh and even the extra special gold collectors edition... It's just beyond crazy. For me it's not about prices but the games and actual nostalgia.

[@dumpnutz756]

The word 'rare' annoys me. Paper Mario isnt rare for the gamecube over 1 million copies were sold. A GBA isnt rare there were over 80 million produced. Very few things are actually rare, like a gamecube broadband adapter, OG conkers bad fur day, etc. It's all price gouging, and people just have to stop buying at these prices. DK Oldies is a big part to blame