I Downsized My Game Room (and You Should Too)

Hey everyone, here's a bit of a different video than my usual stuff. If you say my retro game room tour video from 2023 (linked below), you'll know I put a lot of time into getting that space to be how it was. Well, recently I moved and had to setup a new space with MANY more restrictions, but it ended up being for the better. Thanks for watching :)
2023 Game room tour video: • Retro Gaming Setup and...
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#gameroomtour #retrogaming #gameroom #gamer #2024 #gaming #retro #nes #gamecube #xbox #xbox360 #johngames

[@MalinaMalina]

I buy games which I want to play. I don't buy games just to collect. 👍

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Same here 👍

[@playalot86]

Boom

[@Matthew-uy6lc]

If it doesn't get play it's just taking up space and not worth having. I went from 13 systems, multiple TV's and some switch boxes to a PS2, SNES, and a single JVC D Series. It's really nice to have my gaming setup be focused on what matters the most to me.

[@thonysrnsen5104]

i grew op witch pc games and kornidor games

[@thonysrnsen5104]

some times in city in acade game TURTLES and steet of race

[@retroremy]

Majority of collectors with big game rooms have hardly played a third of the collection. It's natural to get sucked into the YT space and wanting to create more content for more subs. I'm one of the few folks who have been buying & playing every game I own for over 30+ years which turned into a collection, but never cared much to show everything off. I tend to dive more into the art and appreciation for video games more than hoarding it. Appreciate the honest video.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Agreed!

[@roidnerd2501]

yeah these youtubers who are big now do it for youtube might get odd 1 or 2 that actually play some of the games i so far have spent like in GBP around 3 grand or more on my collection modded gba and gbc etc

[@retroremy]

@@roidnerd2501 I really love modding handhelds, very relaxing and enjoy the esthetics of creating various builds.

[@roidnerd2501]

@@retroremy yeah i wont be modding myself yet waiting for my shed to go up and a place to do it but atm i own a few of each handheld every pokemon game even n64 etc, Im gonna buy a few more handhelds around another 3 to 4 grand worth stuff ill have plenty of orig and modded ones so when i mod myself i got plenty to help me work it all out.

[@retroremy]

@@roidnerd2501 That's great man, lot of hours of gameplay, enjoy it!

[@scorpionwins6378]

A while back I was on a mission to track down all of the Sega Genesis, N64, and PS1 games that I used to own during my childhood/teens. Thanks to eBay and other sources I have most of them again. Though I don't have much time to sit around and play videogames I feel happy just to have them again. Don't really need much more besides that.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Love it 🔥

[@k.morris231]

When I started collecting a few years ago, I wanted a massive game room, but as I grew older my collection kind of gave me anxiety and I ended up selling all games that I didn't care about/didn't want to play. I can now say I'm really proud of my small collection, it consists of games I'm interested in only and I have actually played over half of them :)

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Love it

[@CollinJosephNeal]

I have done the same, definitely have tried to narrow down to just my favorites I grew up with and still play.

[@hammahead101]

Thank you for the video! You've made a lot of good points about this subject. I think it's definitely important for people to develop their own collecting styles and to set specific boundaries as well if they want to. Nowadays, I only buy games that I will open and play either right when I get home or after it finishes downloading from Steam. I essentially no longer have a backlog.

[@apmaquina]

I love this video! when I first got into retro & collecting I got caught up in just grabbing everything I saw. I soon ran out of space and $$$. after talking to a friend of mine, I opted to switch to a more focused approach in terms of just getting stuff I'd actually want to play or sticking to IPs that are super important to me. I sold off a bunch of stuff and I couldn't be happier.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Nice! I have a friend that went through also the exact same thing so I def get it 😅

[@daltonluther8274]

I went through the same thing with downsizing & it was super refreshing. I’m more than happy with a smaller collection along with my small-decent sized record collection. I feel like having a ton of games became way too overwhelming when I didn’t play 80% of them.

[@SwooshxBear]

Constantly going through the collection is healthy. Collecting for purpose and not for quantity I think is a mindset we all hit after the wonder of acquiring a lot of games fades a little bit. When the pressure of owning a game because everyone says its a "must have" fades away and picking what you add for your personal collection is what makes it. Great video!

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

On point! :) thank you!

[@nebulavoyager21]

What gaming and collecting mean to me is the end goal I want to achieve. Whether it's comics, DVDs, books, or games, I make a list. For example, with games, I list the titles I really want and set a reasonable number. For instance, I chose 20 games that I really wanted to play as a kid but didn't have the chance to. Then, I go from there. The same applies to comics. I recently completed my collection, aiming for a short box of comics, which now sits next to my reading chair. It took me 2 years to achieve this goal. So, I think it's about having a clear end goal for your collection and games. It's important to remember that there's always a sustainable way to go about it. Whether it's watching game walkthroughs on KZbin, borrowing games from friends, or finding other alternatives, buying isn't the only solution.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

This is awesome, dude! 🔥 glad you hit your goal - clearly defined goals are a great way to stay organized in your journey

[@BawhawhawYT]

I have a pretty sizeable collection and have played over 2/3 of it and beaten about half. I've found so many bad games that I will never go back to. Been thinking for a while to start to curate an all killer collection and move on the mountains of filler.

[@outsidewithmrt]

Recently sold my entire sega collection. I never played them and bought it all out of impulse for collecting when I was younger

[@paddle_my_mad_laddle]

I'm considering making what I consider a "rotating collection". I will have 1 console and collect for that console for 1 year. At the end of that year, I sell it all off and use the money to buy a new console and collection. That new console and collection will be for 1 year, and the cycle continues. I came up with the idea as I was looking to carve some money out of my gaming collection since I need that money for other things. I think it's an interesting idea for keeping spending and enjoyment focused on something I enjoy for that moment.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Interesting concept!

[@trashboat4731]

I had my entire game collection in my room where I sleep and relax. I made a typical gaming setup and retro game room with all my consoles plugged and ready to play. A month ago I sat back and realized just how unhealthy having all this around me really was. A room packed with games and retro boxes and accessories felt so congested especially since this is the room I sleep and try to relax after a long day. I boxed 95% of my collection and it feels weird to finally have an empty corner in my room, but that should be normal. I now emulate my library on my computer and have 1 console plugged in. Honestly, myself and others are border line hoarders, it's not good to try to feel stimulated by surrounding yourself with stuff you like. That's really is unhealthy.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Great point, glad you were able to find a fix for yourself!

[@jushajod]

i love small game collections that are oozing with quality and sentimental value. saturate the shelves with palpable connection not volume.

[@obamastolemyvcr1446]

Worst feeling ever is being forced to sell your collection :(

[@OntheWrist]

Great setup for the space you have! Totally agree, the most important part is playing the games you love. Volume is meaningless if you don't enjoy it

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Exactly!

[@gears6476]

All killer no filler is the way to go. I have about 200 games in my collection but they all mean a lot to me and I’ve actually beaten them all.

[@MRkriegs]

bro is getting shade thrown at him in the comments. this was a really enjoyable video

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Thanks boss, everyone has an opinion and that’s okay hah

[@MLGxAvenger]

That was depressing. Hope you're okay bro.

[@sonick4610]

This is great advice. Sometimes its better to just have what you really want and let go of the rest. I enjoy my collection more if im curating it rather than keeping a game for no reason.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

🙌

[@TSD4027]

Nah. With everything going on with games as a service and disappearing media I want more physical media, not less.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

More is not necessarily bad!

[@acetrainershaw501]

I have been buying cheap games I might of missed out on or what looks fun, I'm hoping to get round to playing what I have collected and I hope to be able to show it to you all

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

That would be dope!!

[@thonysrnsen5104]

and i is a one some glad tu se you games

[@roidnerd2501]

These games are made to be played not to be displayed sure you can show them off but it collects dust then you die and all stuff gets sold of might as well play what you got

[@MrSlowestD16]

Well sorta missed the mark with who I am, but I clicked because it's an interesting claim... ...and I think you're 100% right. I stumble on collector videos with those massive game rooms you pictured, but I don't get jealous or hopeful, I get stressed thinking about all that clutter, how I already have too much clutter, and the dust and shit that would have to be cleaned from that, not to mention if I had to move, moving all that, etc. Just doesn't look appealing. I play games rarely, but I pretty commonly play for nostalgia sake, not because I want to re-create a retro game store environment in my home. Wtf am I gonna do with a 6' tall Mario? Or an entire arcade cabinet? No part of that sounds appealing. Just want to play my N64 or PS2 or whatever and be happy living in a simpler time to enjoy games without subscriptions and lack of ownership and getting called a n****** by some 12 year old online. Take a break from real life for an hour. Nobody is walking through my house, not looking to impress anybody with a massive collection. So anyway, enough of me rambling. I like your scaled down room. It's more practical to me than a massive room. Nostalgia is great, but my friends don't come over like that anymore, everybody got kids and time intensive jobs and shit. Days of bagel bites and 4-player Goldeneye are kinda over for me for the most part. And it was a great time, but it's time for me to move on yet still hold on to these nuggets of my childhood because they bring me joy. But they don't have to be my entire identity. And with the YT massive gamers it IS their entire identity. And that's fine for them, but for me it isn't. I like my games out of the way but easy to access. And without cluttering up the room. I like what you did with your small space there. EDIT: PS: While I don't live in a city, I too moved to a much more expensive place for work (about 11 years or so ago now), and my square footage is probably 1/2 of what it was before. So I hear ya on space, it becomes quite precious.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Thanks for taking the time to give your take - I appreciate it, and I’m glad to hear the video resonated with you

[@awesomeguysuncle]

Completely agree with the message of this video.

[@DrawalldayNet]

I want my room to look like Blockbuster.

[@PixelShade]

I have honestly gone from hoarding to making a small setup. Mine have been boiled down to a a pretty flexible self-built arcade cabinet on wheels. It houses a PC-CRT (which can run 480p to 1200p), a GBS-C upscaler for 240p+scanlines + a VGA/Audio switch. These days I focus more on the games and less about the hardware/collecting. The Arcade has PC with a GTX970, which I can emulate anything under the sun and has native VGA output. I have reduced my hardware to a Dreamcast and my old Amiga 1200 (since I appreciate the uniqueness of the hardware).... The joystick area is actually empty and I can connect whatever I want there. I have USB-extension ports available for the PC, Extension cables for the dreamcast, and "Power + RGB connector" to my Amiga 1200. that way I have a small arcade like corner with a good quality CRT. The main focus is really on the games these days. And for me, the CRT is the most important part of the experience.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Whoa that sounds super dope!

[@gamesfanguy]

Werry cool collection 🔥🔥🔥

[@Hakushodemon]

i think for true collectors each persons niche, choices, and preference varies alot. i like to think about my collection as my own private museum.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

I like that framing!

[@JoeNayDoh]

I never considered myself as a Collector as much as I'm just someone with a Collection. There are only a handful of games I'm really looking to add to the collection and don't really plan on growing it anymore. Like the shelf I keep my PS1 games have plenty of space for more but I'm happy with the ones I have which are mostly games I was playing as a kid. Although I don't have one yet, I would love a dedicated Game Room for my retro games at least, but don't ever see it becoming this floor to ceiling stacked with games behemoth. Not that there is anything wrong with that, just isn't for me,

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

💯

[@thonysrnsen5104]

i have TMNT Turok and kiby

[@henry3457]

Another John Games BANGER

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Common based Henry opinion

[@chfgn]

I found myself with a collection accidentally just by buying games I want to play for 40 years. I’ve always wanted to want to put it up on display, but I’ve never gotten it to a point where it looks nice.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Would love to see a collection 40 years in the making!

[@11Eighty6]

I moved away from being a game collector to just collecting the consoles and going down the route of ODE's/everdrives to play the games. just don't have the space for rooms packed with games that are just collecting dust on a shelf.

[@ShockerTopper]

Wait why would you get rid of your games? You definitely don’t want to get rid of physical media, especially these days. If you get games online you literally don’t own them and they can take them from you at any point.

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Didn’t get rid of any games! Just changed the space “needed” for them

[@Horrorkid18]

Someone here know how to play Demon's Crest (SNES-Game) in 2024 without spending tons of money for the original modul...I just wanna play the game - legal

[@thonysrnsen5104]

my Old days games blokboster movie

[@leemyers8292]

I created a sign for my game room it says , “consoles are for playing , not displaying” I don’t just by for the sake of it , I only buy what I want to play

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Hah that sign is a great idea

[@leemyers8292]

@@JohnGamesOfficialyou have a pretty nice collection mate 👍🏻 keep on gaming

[@RetroTechSelect]

I'm definitely going to trim my collection down a little later this year. I'm working on several collecting videos right now and plan on dedicating an installment to curation.

[@thonysrnsen5104]

i try corllet ps4 game and Swich games

[@MRkriegs]

whats ur favorite switch game?

[@user-li1fy8wr4e]

I ONLY BUY GAMES THAT I THINK LOOK GOOD R SOMETHING U WOULDN'T SEE ME BUY GAMES LIKE I DONT WE SAY IN THE LINES OF POOPSLINGER WOULD A GAME EXTREMLY RARE BUT I NEVER WOULD PLAY AND IT WOULD JUST SIT THERE BUT EVEN IF I PAY BIG AMOUNT IT I AM STILL GOING TO PLAY CAUSE I DONT CARE THE WORTH I BUY FOR MY ENJOYMENT!

[@boardindoors3274]

Title should be. "Wife makes husband sell video game collection. Maximum Cope Ensues."

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

😂

[@wadewilson6628]

I learned long ago. Just emulate 90% of the games. Wait until you have kids all that will go out the window. And Bro, It is not the time to move into the city. GET OUT!

[@JohnGamesOfficial]

Emulation is totally valid, just not how I like to do it! Believe me, it was a hard decision to move into the city, but for now worth it. Looking forward to moving back out in the future for sure.

[@annettecachora1224]

Bunch of hoarders you are. Jkn love these videos.

[@Yussnan84.]

"aND yOu sHOulD ToO"

[@VEGANVANIA]

Quote, "a game room where you and all your buddies..." -no, none of the gamers on KZbin have (IRL) friends. You pretty much never get a review that even includes two player couch co-op: the dudes with game room tours LIVE ALONE, or have a wife that barely tolerates them.

[@samusvikerness661]

Hell no. I won’t be downsizing shit. Lol

[@UserName-pu1eg]

Damn big cope

[@Maximalistcollector]

you know what more fun, doing the opposite #wifefreelife

[@thonysrnsen5104]

y’er i have lot of fun back in time and in now