Turbo Gouging on Ebay ( r.i.p. - gouging much )

[Mathius]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Adventure-Island-TurboGrafx-16-Complete-Box-Vr-Nice-/220903781388?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item336ee4340c#ht_500wt_1048

Box is tore up.And if i`m not mistaken,didn`t this game come in A case?.

That box is not "Very Nice" as the listing suggests .

And the game is supposedly, "Ultra rare!"

[Necromancer]

$120 shabby copy of New Adventure Island.

Box is tore up.And if i`m not mistaken,didn`t this game come in A case?.

Nope, this was one of the latter games that came in the dumb plastic tray.

[bartre]

that is one of the games i've been interested in though, what's a realistic price for the new adventure island?

[kakutolives]

you know im relatively new to getting into retro gaming collecting (although i always bought the games when they were current gen) Is this crazy gouging always been the standard on ebay?
The Turbo Grafix and PC engine games and accessories seem to be among the worst offenders too. Also yes that is one hell of a beat up Adventure Island manual...

 

[kakutolives]

that is one of the games i've been interested in though, what's a realistic price for the new adventure island?

sorry for the double post but in reply to this.
my local video game shop carries it used for 26.

source:

http://gamedude.com/turbog.html

[vestcoat]

you know im relatively new to getting into retro gaming collecting (although i always bought the games when they were current gen) Is this crazy gouging always been the standard on ebay?  

No.  It's a recent thing.  One big factor is that ebay auctions have been dried up and eclipsed by BIN listings, making it a sellers' market.  Combine this with the retro craze/advertising explosion in the form of youtube reviewers, retro magazines, the Virtual Console, etc, and the prices skyrocket.

Some subtle Ebay changes are exacerbating the problem:  1)  they seem to have shortened their time frame for "completed listing" searches, which makes it harder for buyers to interpret prices for rarely-listed items, and 2) they now educate clueless sellers with suggested prices for similar listings.  Of course, hopeful sellers are quick to get dollar signs in their eyes and miss the fact that their particular beat-up cartridge doesn't include the box and manual that drove other sales.

The Turbo Grafix and PC engine games and accessories seem to be among the worst offenders too.

It's happening all over.  Prices for late-period NES games like Bonk and Snow Brothers have gone out-of-sight in just the last year.  Same with boxed GB games.  For the 3DO, Lucienne's Quest was going for $50-150 last spring and now one just auctioned for $700+.  I'm even seeing expensive SMS games for the first time.

source:
http://gamedude.com/turbog.html

They list it for $26.  IME, Gamedude rarely has a huge TG selection.

[DragonmasterDan]

It's happening all over.  Prices for late-period NES games like Bonk and Snow Brothers have gone out-of-sight in just the last year.  Same with boxed GB games.  For the 3DO, Lucienne's Quest was going for $50-150 last spring and now one just auctioned for $700+.  I'm even seeing expensive SMS games for the first time.

Yep, it's an across the board case of retro game inflation. It's not just TurboGrafx stuff.

[Samurai Ghost]

Yeah this is why I'm picking up as many games as I can at reasonable prices these days.  
True, I might resell a few one day, but I just want to get them before it will mean dropping $100+ per title for sought-after games (which is already happening).

[JapanTokei]

actually if we pause for a moment and reflect, some price inflation is reasonable.  I mean PCE/TG stuff is coming up on 25+ years old.  minty condition ones are def tough to come by.  add in the fact some of these titles are legitimately tough to find in the first place since TG died early in the US and some obsucure PCE titles were, well obscure to begin with.  Add in money de-valuation, and general appreciation of re-tro gaming to the masses, yea, it's not surprising to see the prices rising.

what's surprising me is that just 2 years ago, when we were coming out of the great recession in beginning of 2009, I was able to get a complete LaserActive + Sega + PCE modules + games and laserdiscs for freaking 25000 yen on yahoo jp.  and I DID get crazy bundles for 20000 yen for tons of hardware and games that now go for double easily.  the change in 2 years is amazing.  glad I got back into collecting/playing at the time I did.   

Yeah this is why I'm picking up as many games as I can at reasonable prices these days. 
True, I might resell a few one day, but I just want to get them before it will mean dropping $100+ per title for sought-after games (which is already happening).

[Turbotracks]

I agree that many prices are very fair, but some games have skyrocketed in the last couple of years. I can't imagine how much I will have to pay when I replace my copy of Terraforming. I blame both greedy sellers and buyrers that don't do their homework. There is a listing for $300 for a Bonk 3 manual on eBay right now. The manual only! That to me is ridiculous and if a clueless collector with a ton of money pays that it will drive prices. This is why I prefer to buy in bulk. Anybody selling collections?

[vestcoat]

actually if we pause for a moment and reflect, some price inflation is reasonable.  I mean PCE/TG stuff is coming up on 25+ years old.  minty condition ones are def tough to come by.  add in the fact some of these titles are legitimately tough to find in the first place since TG died early in the US and some obsucure PCE titles were, well obscure to begin with.  Add in money de-valuation, and general appreciation of re-tro gaming to the masses, yea, it's not surprising to see the prices rising.

I understand that price inflation is inevitable and I can accept that.  My beef lies with the following three trends:

1)  Kids who grew up playing Pokemon and PS2 that get into retro gaming and decide to go for complete collections.  Yes, the late Eighties/early Nineties were an awesome time for video games.  If you missed it, go ahead, buy some games and experience them on the original hardware.  No problem.  What I can't wrap my head around is why these kids decide they need to buy every last shovel-ware game and movie license for a system and/or complete copies of each game.  Why someone with neither a prior investment nor nostalgia would spend so much money confounds me.  I don't know how old most of you guys are, so no offense to present company, but if I may vent a bit: why can't these f*ckers live in their own generation?  Why do they have to go back and buy MY toys?  I never bought up Atari 2600 games and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots because I didn't grow up with that shit.  Which brings me to...

2)  The fact that the term "retro gaming" even exists.  I've been playing the same six consoles since 1996, but for some reason I've become a "retro gamer."  f*ck that.  I'm a TurboGrafx/SMS/NES/SNES/N64/3DO gamer.  A term that refers to dozens of different video game systems is meaningless and stupid.  I'm not interested in the the Gameboy, the Neo Geo, the Saturn, PC gaming, or any Atari systems and I never will be.  I can see the appeal in SOME of these systems, but seriously, who in their right mind would want to embark on a Saturn or Neo Geo collection in 2012?  Talk about missing the boat.  I'm OK with people owning a lot of consoles to pick up some choice games or because of series loyalty (e.g. Castlevania fanatics), but that still doesn't explain the deluge of bozos desperately trying to collect whole libraries.  The systems I've owned since my teens have more than enough games to keep me blowing my discretionary income for the rest of my life.

EDIT:  In the interest of full disclosure, I did buy a $3 Genesis at Goodwill so I can play Warriors of the Eternal Sun, but that's because I'm a Dungeons and Dragons Mystara gamer, not a Genesis gamer.

3)  Ebay's influence on the market (q.v.).

[SuperPlay]

DUNGEON EXPLORER 2

Only £220!


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TURBO-GRAFX-DUNGEON-EXPLORER-2-BOXED-MANUAL-/150771968456?pt=UK_PC_Video_Games_Video_Games_JS&hash=item231ab5a9c8

[Sadler]

DUNGEON EXPLORER 2

Only £220!


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TURBO-GRAFX-DUNGEON-EXPLORER-2-BOXED-MANUAL-/150771968456?pt=UK_PC_Video_Games_Video_Games_JS&hash=item231ab5a9c8

Well sure, you're looking at the very rare boxed version. This is probably the only example of that I've ever seen!

[SMF]

I agree that many prices are very fair, but some games have skyrocketed in the last couple of years. I can't imagine how much I will have to pay when I replace my copy of Terraforming. I blame both greedy sellers and buyrers that don't do their homework. There is a listing for $300 for a Bonk 3 manual on eBay right now. The manual only! That to me is ridiculous and if a clueless collector with a ton of money pays that it will drive prices. This is why I prefer to buy in bulk. Anybody selling collections?

Lol I've seen that Bonk 3 manuel on ebay for a few years now. It drops in price now and again. This seller really has no idea that you can get a complete game for cheaper then what he's asking for a book lol. I've seen a Bonk 3 manuel auction for around $70 a few years ago. So to me he's looking for that one impolsive gamer that REALLY needs that Manuel lol.

[bartre]

1)  Kids who grew up playing Pokemon and PS2 that get into retro gaming and decide to go for complete collections.  Yes, the late Eighties/early Nineties were an awesome time for video games.  If you missed it, go ahead, buy some games and experience them on the original hardware.  No problem.  What I can't wrap my head around is why these kids decide they need to buy every last shovel-ware game and movie license for a system and/or complete copies of each game.  Why someone with neither a prior investment nor nostalgia would spend so much money confounds me.  I don't know how old most of you guys are, so no offense to present company, but if I may vent a bit: why can't these f*ckers live in their own generation?  Why do they have to go back and buy MY toys?  I never bought up Atari 2600 games and Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots because I didn't grow up with that shit.  Which brings me to...

2)  The fact that the term "retro gaming" even exists.  I've been playing the same six consoles since 1996, but for some reason I've become a "retro gamer."  f*ck that.  I'm a TurboGrafx/SMS/NES/SNES/N64/3DO gamer.  A term that refers to dozens of different video game systems is meaningless and stupid.  I'm not interested in the the Gameboy, the Neo Geo, the Saturn, PC gaming, or any Atari systems and I never will be.  I can see the appeal in SOME of these systems, but seriously, who in their right mind would want to embark on a Saturn or Neo Geo collection in 2012?  Talk about missing the boat.  I'm OK with people owning a lot of consoles to pick up some choice games or because of series loyalty (e.g. Castlevania fanatics), but that still doesn't explain the deluge of bozos desperately trying to collect whole libraries.  The systems I've owned since my teens have more than enough games to keep me blowing my discretionary income for the rest of my life.

EDIT:  In the interest of full disclosure, I did buy a $3 Genesis at Goodwill so I can play Warriors of the Eternal Sun, but that's because I'm a Dungeons and Dragons Mystara gamer, not a Genesis gamer.

3)  Ebay's influence on the market (q.v.).

I do agree with you on most points, the complete set thing is kind of ridiculous, I've talked with multiple people who are trying, or have, complete sets of games for all of their systems( maybe 15% of the games actually get played)

MY biggest thing is why go back to something from before you ever experienced it?  admittedly, like half of the reason I play older games is for the nostalgia, IMO most NES games are shit.