Is gaming and especially collecting too expensive?

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Is gaming and especially collecting too expensive?
Tweet Topic Started: Jul 21 2010, 12:28 PM (1,128 Views)
TheCompletionist	Jul 21 2010, 12:28 PM Post #1
Level 3 Posts: 143 Group: Members Member #1,936 Joined: Apr 20, 2010	I apologize in advance if this post is a little long. In no way do I mean to put anybody down, or think that anybody on this site are like this. These are my honest impressions of prices in in current games and collecting. The way I feel is no better or no worse than anybody's approach toward buying games and collecting. It is just based on my feelings and opinions. First of all, I just want to say that I'm 30 years old. I have wife and a full time job and since 1985 I've been playing video games . I've started collecting video games since 2004 and I can admit that I consider this a serious hobby of mind. When I first started playing video games, I didn't really have a lot of video games to play when i was growing up since my parents thought it was a waste of time. I was lucky enough to own maybe two video games a year, and sometimes a member of our family would give us an extra video game for my birthday. I've pretty much been through every generation of gaming, and for the most part some generations of gaming I never really had any part in. I missed out on a lot of consoles growing up most notably, Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Sega Saturn, Sega Dreamcast, Nintendo 64, Nintendo Gamecube, GBA, and quite a few others. I've spent a lot of time trying to play catch up with some of the systmes I've always wanted to own and play. That is why especially over the last few years I've been heavy into collecting. Over the time I've been collecting and buying I've developed a new pet peeve in regards to other gamers especially for this generation of consoles and that people are complaining that playing and buying games are too expensive. That statement really bugs the hell out of me. First of all, I want to state this some of the people that make this complaint are people who don't have full time jobs and maybe do not have a lot of spending money, and I'm sure they have other responsibilities that they need to adhere to instead of their gaming and I respect that. I'm basing my experiences living in Canada in which the price of gaming can be completely different than what it was in the US or the rest of the world espeically 10 or 20 years ago. Nowadays the price of a brand new current gen game (PS3, X-Box 360, Wii)can run you anywhere from 59.99 to 79.99 probably even more if you buy a limited edition version of the game. For the portable systems the average cost of a brand new game is 39.99 to 49.99. When I was a kid and especially a teenager I would be so happy if I could find a game for that price. I specifically remember going into my local drug store at the mall, or our local retail store and looking through the glass case at the nes and snes games. I use to see these game sell from anywhere from 89.99 to 109.99. They were so expensive I was very lucky if I got one game for my birthday and one for christmas. I didn't even really see a drop in the price of gaming until playstation one games came out. I remember buying my greatest hits copy of Final Fantasy for about $14.99, and most playstation games I seen for sale brand new averaged between 49.99 to 79.99. I understand that with this current generation of gaming, we have more systems, we have online play, and more ways to cater games to so many audiences. That in itself could be an accumulated cost, that I'm sure could equal to what games were originally worth back in the 1980's and 1990's. I'm sure there are a ton of economics behind it, to be honest I'm surprised current gen titles especially the big licenses are not charging more because of the millions upon millions of dollars it took to make the game to begin with. Granted there are more people playing games now than people were back in the 1980's and 1990's. I personally don't feel that gaming is too expensive nowadays but it could possibly be that I'm very selective over the games that I buy, and I probably pay more money for retro titles than what I do with brand new titles. I don't even play online to be honest. I'd appreciate impressions on if you thinking current gaming is too expensive. In regards to collecting, I firmly believe in paying for a game for what it is really worth. it is great when we come across a great game really cheap. Its like finding your own personal treasure if we can find Earthbound or Chrono Trigger for $5 or $10. I you do get a great deall all the power to you. However, I have a personal preference not to haggle I don't believe in it. I pretty much have great friendships with every game retailer and second hand gaming store in town. It is because of the great friendships I have with a lot of these people, I end up getting a lot of great games because I'm not bitching about price. I understand that the price they charge is a little tiny bit lower or the actual price of what the game is really worth. The majority of us on this site are video game collectors. One question I want to pose to you. Lets just say if you buy a really incredibly rare game for 20$ for the actual cost of it was worth $150. If you sell your collection, I gurantee you wouldn't sell that game for $20, you would sell it a little lower than actual worth of it. Eventually guys we're all going to sell our collection, when we die, its not as if we can bury it with us. Sure we can pass it down to the next generation but I gurantee one generation will eventually sell your collection. I guess one of the reasons I'm making a post about collecting is because I'm sick and tired of dealing with other gamers complaining about me sniping games from them. I don't price gouge anybody, if your not willing to pay for a game what is really worth and your too busy haggling for the game $5 cheaper. I want the game bad enough, I'll pay the price for it. With regards to collecting, I believe in respecting the seller and understanding the fact that they need to make a profit. I'm not rich, I'm far from it, I just work a lot of hours and I am very passionate about my hobby. Gaming is only as expensive as much as your willing to invest in it. If you want the rarest of the rare be prepared to pay. Don't get mad at me if I pay for a game that you really want, but you wanted it for $5 less. In closing, my best gamer friend and he is my best friend. He is an expert haggler, and he has one of the biggest video game collections. He ranks in the top 20 for number of games owned and is focused on having a full NA nes, snes, and genesis game collection. He has over 2000 games and knows how to find a deal. Unfortunately sometimes he wants games that are a little over his price limit, so I pay it for him, and he just pays me back little by little, he is willing to negotiate but he does understand the value of a lot of the games he is after and it is because of his understanding toward games and the business he provides to a lot of people, he gets a lot of titles he is looking for. With collecting, get the games you want, but be respectful to the seller because remember he/she was you when it came to collecting himself/herself.



KingJames88	Jul 21 2010, 12:49 PM Post #2
Ds Games! Posts: 3,129 Group: Moderator Member #511 Joined: Apr 6, 2009	I'm the type that tries to get a great deal when I can because I buy ds games quite often. I do see if I can get a game 5 dollars cheaper because I don't make a ton of money, however I don't get upset if it sells for what it's worth and I miss out on it. I've been willing to pay a little more for games like etrian odyssey, canvas curse and tetris because I don't mind spending a bit more for something I know I want and something I know will always fetch a higher price.
	>>My DS Collection Here<< 194 games and counting!


Richard	Jul 21 2010, 01:00 PM Post #3
Link Posts: 1,764 Group: Members Member #1,499 Joined: Jan 7, 2010	I agree with you in alot of ways and others not. The price of gaming right now is decent, but you have to consider that many developers aren't even giving the full game anymore. For Example, Star Wars TFU had DLC made before the game is released and did not put it in the package. They waited a month after the game was released and started releasing them. The team was actually disbanded and they were still releasing DLC. I find that practice extremely unethical and shady to say the least. As for prices and game sniping that issue I don't look with favor too much. Sometimes people go too far with bidding and end up inflating the price for the rest of the market. For example, I am a video game memoribilia collector and I love Legend of Zelda. A set of Zelda toys just sold for around $600 each. A couple of weeks before that $400 and less and less. Some people have a passion for their hobby others just collect an item because of value reasons. If the item suddenly dropped to 50 dollars it would become dirt to the idiot who bought it for $600. Being a member on multiple collector forums it has shown me who I am competing with and who are my friends. The sad thing is though that I sometimes wish it was a rich guy bidding everything up, but sadly over the past year I have discovered that it is usually not that at all. Many times it is a lonely person who spends every paycheck on collecting. If you have heard about the recent $1300 metroid mini standee that would be a case of stupidity as well as someone not having anything else to spend money on. I personally try to get good deals and many times I get very good ones and it has not made certain people happy about that. I know sellers and I rarely buy from fellow collectors because I always know that I almost always could easily find the item for cheaper later on.
	In a realm beyond sight. The sky shines gold,not blue. There,the triforce's might Make mortal dreams come true. PSN: MicrosoftSnake XBL: xCKx Snake YouTube Gaming Channel http://www.youtube.com/user/TriforceRich


browland1	Jul 21 2010, 02:57 PM Post #4
Posts: 3,481 Group: Admins Member #719 Joined: May 12, 2009 Currently Playing Bloodborne.	You and I are of the same generation and I have also been playing video games since the early 1980's. Growing up, I would only get new games for birthdays, holidays, and possibly if I was able to save up my allowance for a couple of months. I always thought games were pricey but I have long since accepted that as a reality of gaming. When it comes to game collecting, some gamers have the disposable income to build their collection in earnest while others who find it difficult to plunk down $70 for one game and must resort to bargain hunting. I have been on both sides and I see the pros and cons to both. Nowadays, I can afford to spend full price on a game, but I often choose to wait and buy it used or hold out for a price drop. Unless it's a must-have title, I generally will not pay full price. That's not to say that I am a complainer who thinks that Microsoft and Sony are ripping me off, it's just how I prefer to get my games. I like to bargain hunt and I love the feeling of getting something I want for a lower price. When it comes to collecting older games, it's a simple case of supply and demand, and the game is ultimately worth what someone is willing to pay for it. I'm sure we'd all love to score a rare game for a fraction of what it's worth, but that generally doesn't happen and getting mad about it is futile. Sorry, but if you complain about losing an auction for Earthbound and you were only willing to pay $20, you're a fool for expecting to win and an even bigger fool for thinking someone would sell it at that price. To answer your question, do I think games are too expensive, the answer is no. The price has pretty much been a constant since the early days of gaming and I have accepted it as such. As a consumer, I make the choice about how much to spend on gaming and I can choose to spend full price or wait for a bargain. I can afford to pay what they are asking, so the decision is and not the fault of the company or the developer. I think the people who complain the most are people who want to build collections or get the latest games but lack the means to do so. Not everyone can afford to pay full price and it's frustrating to badly want something that's out of your price range. But that's life, we've all been there.



sdcpro	Jul 21 2010, 10:43 PM Post #5
Level 9 Posts: 2,243 Group: Members Member #1,460 Joined: Dec 21, 2009	You bring up a very valid point: it's only as expensive as you make it out to be. If you want a SNES light up sign and the only one that's up on ebay is $700 and you won't pay more than $300, then: wait until one pops up cheap enough, ask them if they can go lower (maybe not $300), or don't buy it. Another awesome point is: why would the seller want any less for it if they can get more? There's no reason to sell something for less than fair market value unless you are itching for that sale that day. If the situation was reversed and you were the seller, you most likely won't take less than what it's going for. I find the people who complain when you take their business aren't worth the time. If they want to complain because they won't pay more then they can walk. It's business and money talks



thatirishgirl87	Mar 30 2011, 11:48 AM Post #6
New User Posts: 11 Group: Members Member #3,634 Joined: Mar 29, 2011	For me, it is what you make it. I haven't played on a whole lot of consoles, but I have played with NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, XBOX, XBOX 360, PS1, and some of the handheld gaming systems. I don't think anyone should slight another because of what he/she pays for games; that is that individual's choice, and obviously the value of a game is an individual opinion. I do believe that some retailers/sellers do overprice games, as at the end of the day, they need to have a good bottom line. The point is, to each his/her own. Gaming is a hobby, just as anything else is. And just like anything else, it does involve time and money. The more commitment you put into it, the more money.



Kharnivore2099	Mar 31 2011, 04:21 AM Post #7
Retroverdose Posts: 3,313 Group: Moderator Member #47 Joined: Jan 27, 2009 Currently Playing Dark Souls III Twitter Kharnivore2099	I think along these lines too, you can pick up some real cheap deals sometimes. Even if something is priced high, you dont have to buy it. The main problem is chancers trying to get much more money than a game is worth. I think snatcher and symphony of the night are in this category. Though they are great games, they are not worth the going rate. But in general, no, i dont think collecting id too expensive. My master system games are coming along nicely, and they are mostly less than £5 in the uk.
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Szabo	Mar 31 2011, 05:18 AM Post #8
Dr. Mordin Solus Posts: 250 Group: Members Member #3,444 Joined: Feb 17, 2011	Here's my dark and dirty secret: The only game i bought that was fairly new in the past 3 years was Halo: Reach (I also got Fable 3 bought for me). All other games are either second hand, or when on sale. I don't really mind as it means i get the max enjoyment for the minimum price and a lot are hard to find new when a few years old. So yeah in the past month and a bit I've got 3 games which were $5 (Mirror's Edge), $20 (Mega Drive Collection), $20 (Dead Space) so i really don't spend much at all on games. I was considering 'Bullet Storm' but decided to go for Dead Space instead.



Kharnivore2099	Mar 31 2011, 06:03 AM Post #9
Retroverdose Posts: 3,313 Group: Moderator Member #47 Joined: Jan 27, 2009 Currently Playing Dark Souls III Twitter Kharnivore2099	i didnt even mention gaming today...oops hah. If you think modern gaming is too expensive then you only have yourself to blame, we snap up new games on release no matter the price and we let the big companies like EA do whatever they want. They complain that people buy too much 2nd hand games, which in turn loses them money. To counter this they make certain things in games unavailable until a code is entered. Now this is something i cant get behind, apparently earning millions of pounds/dollars a year isnt enough for these companies. In turn, gamestops and gamestations etc are getting just as bad by charging just a fiver less for a used copy of a new game. Anyone trying to buy a 2nd hand COD game can testify to that. The games are more common than some sports games yet they still want almost full price. It sickens me to be honest.
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Szabo	Mar 31 2011, 06:44 AM Post #10
Dr. Mordin Solus Posts: 250 Group: Members Member #3,444 Joined: Feb 17, 2011	True, and exactly why I am yet to own a COD game.



n8great321	Mar 31 2011, 09:02 AM Post #11
Level 4 Posts: 305 Group: Members Member #811 Joined: May 30, 2009	If you're buying and/or collecting current gen games, patience is a virtue. Having the willpower to hold off and wait for a good deal will save you money, or at least get you 2 or 3 games for the price of one new release. Shopping around helps as well if you have multiple retail outlets available to you (online included), so you can compare prices and get the best deal out there. If you buy a lot of new games and are completely in you financial means in doing so, then more power to you! Personally, I enjoy walking out of the store with multiple games for the price of one, but then again most of the games I buy are already a few months or years old lol. If there's a game I'm looking forward to or have heard great things about, I have no issue paying full price. Retro games are a whole other beast. Ebay is the quickest and easiest, but you're going to have to be willing to pay market price, sometimes higher than you'd expect because there's so many other buyers out there competing. I personally love thrift stores, pawn shops, flea markets, the thrill of the chase I suppose. Sure you're going to strike out 90% of the time, but the one time you find a great deal will make it all worth it. Items "in the wild" aren't typically in the best physical condition either, so that's sometimes a sacrifice you have to make.
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