Retro Video Game Collecting as an Investment?

[Gladiator316]

Hey everybody,
 
I know I'm new here and just wanted to get peoples thoughts on this topic I was just pondering with my wife yesterday....

Why do we collect these retro video games...is it nostalgia, we just wanna play the games we had as a kid or the ones we never got to play as a kid or from what I mostly hear from collectors is that its an investment....investment for who? I mean if you plan to sell off your entire collection before your 6 feet under.. yeah I could see it as a investment (assuming the value rises)..

But most collectors not all, seem to tell me that they are going to leave it for their kids so they might get some money or joy out if it....I don't understand this concept. What I mean is that I buy these games mostly cause of nostalgia and I want to play the games that I played or never got to play as a child. To me collecting videogames is a bad investment....well for future monetary gain that is.

Our Children won't get their nostalgia from nes,snes, genesis, Turbografx 16, and so on...it will come from the PS3's, Wii's or 360's....their wont be a demand for these games when our generation dies off. Even my two year old niece throws the Nintendo controller across the room and points straight to the Wii U gamepad.. LOL. (in my head I think shes like get this old shit outta my face and give that new high tech shit).

Are these games we cherish so much just gonna be become useless plastic one day that no one wants? Most of the younger generation these days I talk to when I go to my neighborhood retro game store tell me that they wouldn't want to play a nes, unless the story line or something connects to a recent new release on current generation. They couldn't see themselves spending money on anything nes or snes related...some don't even know what Turbografx 16 is.

So I just wanna hear everyone's thoughts on this topic. Are we collecting for ourselves or for our future off spring? Do you think these games will be worth anything 50 years down the line? Will our children wanna play these games? Or are we just gonna die in our chairs with a controller in our hand ( what a way to go! :-P )

Personally I am gonna sell off my collection one day when I decide its time...or give it away to someone less fortunate. I can already see that my nieces and responses from other young generation that they have no interest..

Let me know what you all think :-)

[Bernie]

I collect these games, to play them.  I do not see them as an investment.  I also dont agree that all young folks wont look back and want to play just the current generation stuff.  There are plenty of members here now, that did not grow up with the turbo, and love it.  Matter of fact, one of our members is a mere 16 years old.  Granted, that is going to be the exception.  Most kids now, demand graphics...more graphics..  Screw that,  I cant play graphics if the story is shit.  It is up to us whether or not interest dies really.  If they arent subjected to it, they would never know where the roots lie. 

[Gladiator316]

I collect these games, to play them.  I do not see them as an investment.  I also dont agree that all young folks wont look back and want to play just the current generation stuff.  There are plenty of members here now, that did not grow up with the turbo, and love it.  Matter of fact, one of our members is a mere 16 years old.  Granted, that is going to be the exception.  Most kids now, demand graphics...more graphics..  Screw that,  I cant play graphics if the story is shit.  It is up to us whether or not interest dies really.  If they arent subjected to it, they would never know where the roots lie. 

Your right there are a few younger generation interested in older systems...but I feel there are a lot more retro game players right now then there were during the mid 90's when 3d was just kicking in with the Ps1..We do have to expose the younger gen to these awesome older consoles.but its the demand that keeps these prices and values where they are atleast for the ones who are doing it for an investment..I just have a feeling there are going to be a lot less retro gamers in the furture...god knows what magical game system they will come out with...maybe game avatars..LOL

[tpivette]

I only "collect" for my own gaming enjoyment. I've never seen video games as a monetary investment. I don't look at my shelves of games and see dollar signs... I see many many weekends of fun!

I mostly collect for the nostalgia factor, that and I just don't find any of the current gen stuff that interests me. My wife always made fun of me over the last few years ..."you always play that 20 year old stuff, why don't you get with the times and play something new?". Because the new stuff sucks ass, that's why! The old 8/16 bit games from my youth are 10x better and more fun than anything that has come out in the last few years! I thought I was alone in this regard, until I found this forum and met lots of other people who were as nuts about older gaming as I was.

That said, I don't think I'd ever sell off my collections, even if I was in a financial emergency. It took me too long to amass them all... I'd probably even sell my Corvette first than my game collection. It's alot easier to replace a single vehicle later in life than trying to re-collect everything I currently have in my gameroom.

[Gladiator316]

I only "collect" for my own gaming enjoyment. I've never seen video games as a monetary investment. I don't look at my shelves of games and see dollar signs... I see many many weekends of fun!

I mostly collect for the nostalgia factor, that and I just don't find any of the current gen stuff that interests me. My wife always made fun of me over the last few years ..."you always play that 20 year old stuff, why don't you get with the times and play something new?". Because the new stuff sucks ass, that's why! The old 8/16 bit games from my youth are 10x better and more fun than anything that has come out in the last few years! I thought I was alone in this regard, until I found this forum and met lots of other people who were as nuts about older gaming as I was.

That said, I don't think I'd ever sell off my collections, even if I was in a financial emergency. It took me too long to amass them all... I'd probably even sell my Corvette first than my game collection. It's alot easier to replace a single vehicle later in life than trying to re-collect everything I currently have in my gameroom.

Well said...I know I said I would sell it off or give it away one day...but your right it is very hard to give or sell something that has more sentimental value...I know it won't be easy..but i'm sure my wife wont let me be buried with my game collection since i'm probably gonna go first  LOL

[Carparama]

It's an investment to an extent, in that I hope my kids will get some major use out of it.  Whether for enjoyment, or for other reasons.  By that same token, I hope that when I do have kids, they'll play these games with me. 

[Gladiator316]

It's an investment to an extent, in that I hope my kids will get some major use out of it.  Whether for enjoyment, or for other reasons.  By that same token, I hope that when I do have kids, they'll play these games with me. 

I hope my kids will play them with me too...but i'm gonna have a bitch of a time trying to keep him/her away from the new shit :-P

[Necromancer]

Collecting with hopes of it paying off monetarily is a f*cking pipe dream.  Even for the TG-16 which is generally considered 'expensive to collect for' (bullshit), only 20% of its games are worth more now than their original MSRP.  Buy 'em to play and enjoy; if you wanna make monies, invest in stocks, bonds, real estate, etc.

[jeffhlewis]

I think our general demographic (late twenties - early forties) has hit that sweet spot where we have disposable income and are on a big nostalgia kick with this stuff. I think over time the focus on 8/16/32-bit collecting will fade and maybe cede a bit to PS3/360 as the kids of today age, but past that who knows? Digital distribution isn't really going to lend itself to collecting.

As far as collecting goes, I just do it because "it makes me  happy" - love to play what I have and frankly love to just gaze at the shelf and see all that gaming history preserved and cared for. It's also great to talk shop with other like minded folks at places like the Midwest Gaming Class (plug alert!).

[Dyna138]

I don't view it as an investment as I never plan to sell my collection. I used to sell my games as a kid so I could buy new ones, it's just the way it was back then cause I didn't have income from working.

Buying and collecting retro games just gives me a satisfaction I don't get from current gen games. A lot of the games and consoles I collect for I wanted when I was younger but didn't have the money/time to invest. They don't make them like they used to can be applied to video games and there's a certain magic in those old 2600/8/16/32/64 bit games that is missing from the last 2 console generations. Anyway that's just the way I feel and I think at some point I could stop buying current and future generation consoles and just stick with retro gaming and I would be just as happy...maybe happier.

[galam]

I just appreciate the history of it all.

[seieienbu]

People collecting for an investment make me kinda irritated.  I'm reasonably sure that they'd do better to invest in mutual funds or something but instead they spend their time trying to drive the prices up in my hobby.  I want to own games that I want to play, not get stuff to resell later on down the road.

Good work, guys who made Dungeon Explorer 2 sell for $200.

[kiketonto]

I just "collect" to play them. As a investment? HAHAHA! Here in Spain, just arrive the Turbografx and a couple of games. Not the Cd or the TurboDuo, obviously the cd games neither. Has a very (very,very) bad distribution.
Nobody knows about these machines, nobody knows about games. Nobody talks about them.
So, an investment in games nobody are interested...
But...eh! I play a lot with my games! Have a lot of fun with them (except when I die...)

[jeffhlewis]

People collecting for an investment make me kinda irritated.  I'm reasonably sure that they'd do better to invest in mutual funds or something but instead they spend their time trying to drive the prices up in my hobby.  I want to own games that I want to play, not get stuff to resell later on down the road.

Good work, guys who made Dungeon Explorer 2 sell for $200.

They told me to hold on to my comic books because they'd be worth something some day. Not going to be buying any cars any time soon with my unopened bagged copy of Superman #75, heh.

Have to figure that there will be a market for this stuff as long as there's interest. It's not like they're going to print more copies of Dungeon Explorer 2, and I don't feel like digital re-releases have really been killing values much as of late.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

long story short........

Let me know what you all think :-)

To be honest I'd have to break this down in full to address some statements you made if I want to adress everything, but I wont, so here is the basic reply:

1. If you keep running into a younger generation that is constantly hanging out at the retro store, but just so happens to be individuals whom are not actually into playing retro games, then what you have probably run into are actually hipsters or posers, not real gamers. There is a difference, and this has been addressed here before multiple times. If this really concerns you, try checking the age of people on the Neo forums, Sega-16, and other sites. You will find there are actually quite a few teenagers on each of these forums.

2. In my own experience, my son and daughter both love playing the older stuff too now and then, and my son keeps a Snes and N64 in his room with all his other game systems. In fact, a couple weeks ago my son came in here and beat Splatterhouse for Pce on his 2nd try and had a blast doing it. Also, a two year old child's lack of want for 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit games should not even be considered or factored into to any conversation like this. The two year old cant read or write, let alone carry on a coherent conversation. Would you let your two year old pick out your dinner? No. Would you let them pick out a movie to watch on movie nite with the wife? No.

Two year old kids have no reference level, so you cant even begin to base the future outcome or demand of classic gaming on a kid that young. They are not even remotely old enough to form educated or responsible opinions or develop personal taste or preferences yet. If you need that put into perspective a tad better, here watch this video:

Now, after you are done watching it, swap the cat for the 2 year old. Get the point? Stop worrying about a 2 year old reaction to old games. For that matter, stop worrying about what is going to happen 20-30 years from now with these games. Odds are you will be dead, or too old to care by then anyway. Enjoy the here and now, that is what matters.