Rare, Valuable Games!

[helava]

Some games become extremely rare, and valuable! You should buy two of every game you think will become rare and valuable, or snap up any game you can get for cheap, because it may also become rare, and valuable!

Why is the above statement extraordinarily stupid?

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. Buying a Greatest Hits game in the original packaging will get you 1 of ~400K copies in distribution. Part of something being "valuable" is supply. The "Collector's Edition" of Halo 2? More than 1 MILLION in distribution. Not going to ever be valuable. Period.

2.) The other half, of course, is demand. There is a reason that something like Ashen, for the N-Gage, is $2. Demand is low. It's not a stellar game, and not a lot of people have an N-Gage. It's not going to go up in value, even from $2, because there is no demand for it.

Games simply aren't useful as collector's items, by and large. There are too many copies of the various games out there, and demand dies down when the console's lifespan is over. With very, very few exceptions, most games become worthless to the general public the moment the manufacturer stops putting the console on store shelves.

Exceptions, of course, are out there. There are collectors for very old hardware, and some games have as much as tripled their price, due to relative scarcity, and a continuing demand. But that's such a rare proposition, and is limited to probably less than a hundredth of a percent of every game ever made, that no modern game will ever become "Rare" of "Valuable."

seppo

[javeryh]

Some games become extremely rare, and valuable! You should buy two of every game you think will become rare and valuable, or snap up any game you can get for cheap, because it may also become rare, and valuable!

Why is the above statement extraordinarily stupid?

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. Buying a Greatest Hits game in the original packaging will get you 1 of ~400K copies in distribution. Part of something being "valuable" is supply. The "Collector's Edition" of Halo 2? More than 1 MILLION in distribution. Not going to ever be valuable. Period.

2.) The other half, of course, is demand. There is a reason that something like Ashen, for the N-Gage, is $2. Demand is low. It's not a stellar game, and not a lot of people have an N-Gage. It's not going to go up in value, even from $2, because there is no demand for it.

Games simply aren't useful as collector's items, by and large. There are too many copies of the various games out there, and demand dies down when the console's lifespan is over. With very, very few exceptions, most games become worthless to the general public the moment the manufacturer stops putting the console on store shelves.

Exceptions, of course, are out there. There are collectors for very old hardware, and some games have as much as tripled their price, due to relative scarcity, and a continuing demand. But that's such a rare proposition, and is limited to probably less than a hundredth of a percent of every game ever made, that no modern game will ever become "Rare" of "Valuable."

seppo

Does anyone know if this information will become rare/valuable?

[RaekwonThaChef]

where's whipsmartbanky

[AnthonyRoundtree]

Does anyone know if this information will become rare/valuable?

well i didnt feel there was enough information within the post... and since that signals a low supply... the answer in the long run would be, YES.

better cut and paste this into a word file for safe keeping.... i could be rich one day.

[Tromack]

Some games become extremely rare, and valuable! You should buy two of every game you think will become rare and valuable, or snap up any game you can get for cheap, because it may also become rare, and valuable!

Why is the above statement extraordinarily stupid?

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. Buying a Greatest Hits game in the original packaging will get you 1 of ~400K copies in distribution. Part of something being "valuable" is supply. The "Collector's Edition" of Halo 2? More than 1 MILLION in distribution. Not going to ever be valuable. Period.

2.) The other half, of course, is demand. There is a reason that something like Ashen, for the N-Gage, is $2. Demand is low. It's not a stellar game, and not a lot of people have an N-Gage. It's not going to go up in value, even from $2, because there is no demand for it.

Games simply aren't useful as collector's items, by and large. There are too many copies of the various games out there, and demand dies down when the console's lifespan is over. With very, very few exceptions, most games become worthless to the general public the moment the manufacturer stops putting the console on store shelves.

Exceptions, of course, are out there. There are collectors for very old hardware, and some games have as much as tripled their price, due to relative scarcity, and a continuing demand. But that's such a rare proposition, and is limited to probably less than a hundredth of a percent of every game ever made, that no modern game will ever become "Rare" of "Valuable."

seppo

I agree for the most part, but you must remember that 500 years from now, a copy of Halo 2 collector's edition might be hard to come by. You should rarely say ever (notice how I didn't say never).

[Mospeada_21]

the OP made some sense, but the responses are pure :rofl:

[Storamin]

Ok thanks for the info, I guess. When will I need this info?

[Weedy649]

I think there are 2 ways of looking at this. One is the way that some get rich quick people want to turn nothing into something to get on top. I think thats really stupid but the other to see it is like this. If your a CAG, then you dont want to spend full price for a game but you also dont want to wait until its 10 bucks and then find out the game is going for like 70 on ebay*cough* Resident Evil 2, 3 on cube *cough* So i think its ok to wonder if a game will be rare one day but only if you want it to play further down the line not to hope and sell it for 3 times the amount you paid

[the_deej]

thanks.................... for wasting my time

[Gameboy415]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.

[drone8888]

The whole thing is ridiculous.

Print runs do account for an increase in value, later on.

Sometimes a game is released for a limited time, which yields a more sentimental value, to the potential buyers.

You can blubber all day, about how games SHOULDN'T be worth more, because of your statistical analysis,...... but in the end, you are wrong.


A collector doesn't care about quantities, scarcity, or the likes.
They care about having a MINT copy, USUALLY sealed, of a certain title.

Do you believe that Chrono Trigger on the SNES is scarce???
It's not.
A sealed copy, though, is very hard to find.
A collector will pay top dollar for it.

Just like the Final Fantasy series.
The older games are pure perfection,... and to have a sealed copy is like having a cherry GTO, or an original negative of a classic movie.

People have the means now, to browse and purchase ANYTHING in the world.
That is why fairly new items go for higher prices.

Imagine being in 1980, and trying to get a Super Famicom, without travelling to Japan, or knowing someone there.

Today, eBay, and the internet makes this stuff child's play.

Take for instance,.... I couldn't find a copy of Cubivore for a long time.
The game was retailing for $20,... if it could be found.
Then, while across the country,... I found a copy in-store, and payed $40 for it.
They were selling on eBay for $80 at the time, so it was a triumph for me.

The thing is, .. if I didn't find it,... I would've ended up paying the cash for it, since it was something I needed for my collection.
I also wanted to play it,... so the demand was there, and price is usually not a factor when something is sought after.


You keep whining about how it SHOULD be,... and then get a reality check.
:)

[wubb]

So you made a crazy statement and then refuted it yourself? Weird.

I think most people realize they are better off putting their money in stocks vs. buying video games as an investment.

Although it does seem like quite a few NES games (sealed) fetch a nice sum on eBay... :)

[defender]

stop buying games to collect and buy them to play and you wont have this problem

personally I have always defined the word "collecting" as "someone else collecting your money"

in most cases this definition is true

buy games you like and are going to play..it's that simple

[RedvsBlue]

I've heard that ESPN 2k5 is going to be rare because of the licensing issues. Where did I hear that again....? Oh right, it was a bunch of noobs on here...

[WhipSmartBanky]

Do you guys think rare, valuable games will become rare/valuable?

[greydemise]

and here i thought this wud be a topic about which games are rare/valueable...

do think my hopes getting dashed wil become rare/valueable? :-p

[LeviathynX]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

[zionoverfire]

stop buying games to collect and buy them to play and you wont have this problem

personally I have always defined the word "collecting" as "someone else collecting your money"

in most cases this definition is true

buy games you like and are going to play..it's that simple

:applause:

[WhipSmartBanky]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

Do you guys think thread sucking will become rare/valuable?

[Mospeada_21]

stop buying games to collect and buy them to play and you wont have this problem

personally I have always defined the word "collecting" as "someone else collecting your money"

in most cases this definition is true

buy games you like and are going to play..it's that simple

:applause:

:applause: wisdom shared.....

and the subject line is sooooo misleading :-s

[rabbitt]

stop buying games to collect and buy them to play and you wont have this problem

personally I have always defined the word "collecting" as "someone else collecting your money"

in most cases this definition is true

buy games you like and are going to play..it's that simple :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

Nuff' said. All this 'Better buy it before it's rare' shit is stupid.

[LeviathynX]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

Do you guys think thread sucking will become rare/valuable?

Sorry. I have just been antsy waiting to use that .gif.

[WhipSmartBanky]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

Do you guys think thread sucking will become rare/valuable?

Sorry. I have just been antsy waiting to use that .gif.

Do you guys think waiting will become rare/valuable?

[LeviathynX]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

Do you guys think thread sucking will become rare/valuable?

Sorry. I have just been antsy waiting to use that .gif.

Do you guys think waiting will become rare/valuable?

Do you guys think that rare/valuable will become rare/valuable?

[WhipSmartBanky]

http://www.mustangmods.com/data/14480/thisthreadsucks.gif

Do you guys think thread sucking will become rare/valuable?

Sorry. I have just been antsy waiting to use that .gif.

Do you guys think waiting will become rare/valuable?

Do you guys think that rare/valuable will become rare/valuable?

Do you guys think thinking that rare/valuable games will become rare/valuable will become rare/valuable?

[RaekwonThaChef]

where's whipsmartbanky

It's almost like this thread was made for you banky.

[WhipSmartBanky]

where's whipsmartbanky

It's almost like this thread was made for you banky.

Do you think threads made for banky will become rare/valuable?

[RedvsBlue]

Its gonna be a long night...

[alongx]

I agree for the most part, but you must remember that 500 years from now, a copy of Halo 2 collector's edition might be hard to come by. You should rarely say ever (notice how I didn't say never).

In 100 years, your Halo 2 disk won't be good anymore (optical media currently is said to be permanent data storage good for 100 years, but nobody knows if it'll go longer) so we can assume any copies of Halo 2 will be used as coasters in 500 years.

[defender]

Am I the only one deeply disturbed my WSB's new avatar?

[LeviathynX]

I don't know whether to beat off, seek counseling, or both and move to South Florida

[WhipSmartBanky]

Am I the only one deeply disturbed my WSB's new avatar?

Betcha won't borrow THIS one, eh? :rofl:

[LeviathynX]

Can I borrow it as long as I put laser shooting nipples on the WSB fembot?

[WhipSmartBanky]

Can I borrow it as long as I put laser shooting nipples on the WSB fembot?

Do you guys think laser shooting nipples will become rare/valuable?

[LeviathynX]

(Charlton Heston Voice) My God. What have we done?

[Ugamer_X]

Do you guys think laser shooting nipples will become rare/valuable?
I'm not sure exactly when, but that stopped being funny after the second time someone said it.

[WhipSmartBanky]

Do you guys think laser shooting nipples will become rare/valuable?
I'm not sure exactly when, but that stopped being funny after the second time someone said it.

Do you guys think things that stopped being funny will become rare/valuable?

[dwsscs]

Yeah this thread sucks!

[zewone]

Do you guys think laser shooting nipples will become rare/valuable?
I'm not sure exactly when, but that stopped being funny after the second time someone said it.

I thought only WSB said it. Either way you are correct.

[willardhaven]

I don't know if it's just me, but I feel the urge to buy any game I might possibly want to play, fearing that it will go out of print or become rare. I've missed out on games like Valkyrie Profile and Thousand Arms because of their becoming "rare".

[Gameboy415]

Imagine being in 1980, and trying to get a Super Famicom, without travelling to Japan, or knowing someone there.



Haha, you'd need a time machine too!

1980? The original Famicom wasn't even out then! Lol.

Sorry, I had to :lol:

[WhipSmartBanky]

Can I borrow it as long as I put laser shooting nipples on the WSB fembot?

Do you guys think laser shooting nipples will become rare/valuable?

Just in case they become rare/valuable, I stocked up...

[helava]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.

Actually, Panzer Dragoon Saga had a print run of ~27K copies.

seppo

[helava]

I guess the issue was simply that nothing is "Rare or Valuable" unless you're talking about that Nintendo competition cart, of which there's only like, fifty in circulation at most, and actually has some sort of collector's appeal.

If you're talking about PDS as a "rare/valuable" game, you're talking about a game that can be found on eBay for ~100 - or roughly double the original price. That's one of the *most* valuable games in recent history - I'm just saying if you're going to buy a game on the hopes that one day, it might be valuable, it's an extremely poor use of your money.

Buy it 'cause you like it, not 'cause you think you might make $50 a year from now on it. Sheesh.

seppo

[Tromack]

I agree for the most part, but you must remember that 500 years from now, a copy of Halo 2 collector's edition might be hard to come by. You should rarely say ever (notice how I didn't say never).

In 100 years, your Halo 2 disk won't be good anymore (optical media currently is said to be permanent data storage good for 100 years, but nobody knows if it'll go longer) so we can assume any copies of Halo 2 will be used as coasters in 500 years.

I don't know about you but I have a copy of Halo 2 hermetically sealed in a vacuum.

[defender]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.

Actually, Panzer Dragoon Saga had a print run of ~27K copies.

seppo

Yeah I hate that rumor and the game was available for more than just one day. I remember ordering just 3 copies because at the time Saturn games wouldnt sell for shit. I still had new sealed copies up until just last year and I still have some Burning Rangers new and sealed. I am not sure where the 5000 rumor started but I am sure it was with Ebay sellers.

[guessed]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.

Actually, Panzer Dragoon Saga had a print run of ~27K copies.

seppo

Yeah I hate that rumor and the game was available for more than just one day. I remember ordering just 3 copies because at the time Saturn games wouldnt sell for shit. I still had new sealed copies up until just last year and I still have some Burning Rangers new and sealed. I am not sure where the 5000 rumor started but I am sure it was with Ebay sellers.

Are you selling? I am afraid to ask, but if so, how much? (Also, do you have any cheaper opened ones?)

[Gameboy415]

Well whatever, I still say the game's rare regardless. Poin in case, I've had a hell of a time trying to find a decent price for the game.

But I finally caved and got a like-new copy off ebay for $130 shipped 2 days ago.

A bit pricey, but ITS CHRISTMAS! :)

[roc's feather]

I don't understand how Seppu can possibly defend this against any real examples. Suikoden 2 is RARE. It cannot be bought at any major retailer, and when it was avaialable it had a very limited print. Suikoden 2 is valuable. It generally sells for about 60-100 dollars. Much more than the original price.

I think you need to draw a line between RARE and VALUE. They're not mutually exclusive. VHS copies of Steel are not valuable but they probably are rare. There aren't thousand floating around. But it doesn't matter because nobody cares, and no one is going to pay anything for a copy. Similarly I understand what you mean concerning modern games. With the huge print runs of current games, they will never be rare in the same way that a paiting might be. But as time goes on, and they get removed from shelves and public opinion/tends/nostalgia change, prices do change

[Free Artest]

I don't understand how Seppu can possibly defend this against any real examples. Suikoden 2 is RARE. It cannot be bought at any major retailer, and when it was avaialable it had a very limited print. Suikoden 2 is valuable. It generally sells for about 60-100 dollars. Much more than the original price.

I think you need to draw a line between RARE and VALUE. They're not mutually exclusive. VHS copies of Steel are not valuable but they probably are rare. There aren't thousand floating around. But it doesn't matter because nobody cares, and no one is going to pay anything for a copy. Similarly I understand what you mean concerning modern games. With the huge print runs of current games, they will never be rare in the same way that a paiting might be. But as time goes on, and they get removed from shelves and public opinion/tends/nostalgia change, prices do change

Yeah, what he said ^

[Kevtones]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.


It was actually around 25,000, people just like to assume things are "rarer" then they actually are.


You want impending rarity?

Technic Beat on PS2...sold 771 copies during its full launch month....guaranteed scarcity

[Free Artest]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.


It was actually around 25,000, people just like to assume things are "rarer" then they actually are.


You want impending rarity?

Technic Beat on PS2...sold 771 copies during its full launch month....guaranteed scarcity

But what's its print run?

[helava]

Uh, I never said that games don't sell for more than their purchase price. But doubling your money? You think that's *valuable*? Look at the odds. How many games have even retained their original purchase price? A thousandth of a percent? I doubt it's even that high. And what's the *most expensive* game you can think of? Far as I know, it's a Nintendo Competition Cart, and that's somewhere between $14K and $40K, if memory serves, and that's because there were less than ten of those in circulation. Suikoden 2, by contrast, probably has a thousand times that, if not twenty or thirty thousand times that in circulation.

My point was simply this - if you're asking whether a game is going to be "Rare or Valuable" your priorities are really whacked, and you're playing against very stacked odds. Why bother? Of course it's up to you, what you wanna spend your money on - be my guest if you wanna get a second copy of Halo 2 and put it in a Food-Saver bag. Dowhutchalike.

seppo

[Scorch]

Suikoden 2 is RARE. It cannot be bought at any major retailer.

New, nope, but I found one at EB a few weeks ago used.. the same week I found Intelligent Qube at EB mint and complete.

[PhrostByte]

1.) Any game that you can buy on store shelves has probably a minimum print run on the order of 10,000 copies, at an absolute minimum. Most games will be greater than 50K. .....

Right.

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.


It was actually around 25,000, people just like to assume things are "rarer" then they actually are.


You want impending rarity?

Technic Beat on PS2...sold 771 copies during its full launch month....guaranteed scarcity

/me looks over at his still sealed copy. Now I wonder if I should actually play it or not. Maybe I'll just keep it sealed.

[Ledhed]

That's why Panzer Dragoon Saga was available at my Toys R Us for ONE DAY due to its print run of Approx. 5,000 copies in the US.

I guess I'm trying to prove the point that there truly ARE rare games, but if they don't interest you, don't buy them. Its up to you.


It was actually around 25,000, people just like to assume things are "rarer" then they actually are.

While 5,000 isn't right, it's a helluva lot closer than 25,000. 10,000 copies were printed (http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/april02/crpg2/index2.shtm). But hey, that's what happens when some people assume that they're right without doing any research on the matter.

[DigitalSpace]

I don't understand how Seppu can possibly defend this against any real examples. Suikoden 2 is RARE.

Suikoden II is not rare. The game gets a rarity rating of 4 on Digital Press (on a scale from 1-10; a rating of 1 means a game is very common) - here's a link (http://www.digitpress.com/DP/cmf/game.cmf?gameid=155486) to back it up.

Suikoden II is a great game, and there's a lot of demand. You don't see it often because used copies usually get snatched up as fast as they hit the shelves. Also, people are aware that the money you can get if you sell your copy on ebay beats what they'd get for it at EB, etc.

[helava]

While 5,000 isn't right, it's a helluva lot closer than 25,000. 10,000 copies were printed (http://archive.gamespy.com/articles/april02/crpg2/index2.shtm). But hey, that's what happens when some people assume that they're right without doing any research on the matter.

I guarantee you that I've "done research" on the matter. My number may be off by several thousand, but it's definitely not off by as much as Gamespy's estimate, and it comes from a much better source.

seppo

[portnoyd]

I guarantee you that I've "done research" on the matter. My number may be off by several thousand, but it's definitely not off by as much as Gamespy's estimate, and it comes from a much better source.

Like you did on the NWC cart?

Far as I know, it's a Nintendo Competition Cart, and that's somewhere between $14K and $40K, if memory serves, and that's because there were less than ten of those in circulation.

$14k? Are you joking? Your memory is not correct. The highest a gold NWC has sold for was $7k (avg 3-4k). There were 26 of these made, and only half of those are accounted for. The grey has at highest, gone for about $2.5k (avg 1k-1.5k), and there are at least 300 of them out there.

No matter what anyone says, production runs are trade secrets, and most that you've heard are pure bullshit. I wouldn't be surprised if all the claims about PDS's production run are all hearsay.

And if you think no current gen console will produce a rare game, then you're insane. And anyone trying to accomodate for future rarity is not 'whacked'; they're simply trying to two things: buy low, sell high (or - buy now low so they don't have to worry when the vultures circle the carcass) or, prepare for getting a complete collection.

[helava]

No, I didn't do any research on the NWC - I was just pulling those numbers out of my ass, based on something I recall reading like, five years ago. re: PDS, though, you can believe me, or not - I don't really care either way. Yes, I understand that I've given you no concrete reason to believe me - but again, I just don't care.

seppo

[helava]

And if you think no current gen console will produce a rare game, then you're insane. And anyone trying to accomodate for future rarity is not 'whacked'; they're simply trying to two things: buy low, sell high (or - buy now low so they don't have to worry when the vultures circle the carcass) or, prepare for getting a complete collection.

I don't think a current gen console will produce a truly "rare" game, because there are already enough collectors out there to really prevent anything from becoming truly "rare". At best, you'll have something where there are maybe 5K-10K in circulation. If you consider that a game cart where there were only 20 ever made is the most expensive thing out there, and it's at ~3-4K, by what you said (though you were wrong about the total number of gold carts), then what chance does something that's three orders of magnitude more common have to become valuable? At most, you'll what, double your investment? Whoo!

Seriously, do whatchalike. I couldn't care less. But "buying low" and "selling high" against odds like this is *insane* and no one in their right mind would give you their money to invest. The payoff is ludicrously poor. But by all means! If you look at games, and you think, "Ah, this is where I'm going to really see a great turnaround on my $50," go for it. Best of luck to you.

seppo

[lurknomore]

Video games are not investments nor commodities. Collect for yourself, not for profit. If you want to make profits, study and work hard. You can get rich the easy way by finding sealed copies of what-not.

[portnoyd]

Seriously, do whatchalike. I couldn't care less.

Then why do you keep replying to this topic?

And apparently you're not on eBay much, if you think people can't make a profit off videogames. And they are indeed investments. I paid $550 total for my complete copy of Stadium Events for the NES... the last complete copy up on eBay went for $1800, not to mention that was 2 years ago, and a complete copy hasn't been seen since. How is that not an investment? What are you looking for here? Spend $5, make $2,000? When does that ever happen?

And you're equating rare and valuable again, when they're not the same thing. They're not the same thing. Often times, they do go hand and hand, but it is not an absolute.

A game with a 5k-10k is considered rare (compare that to what is known as common, having 1mil+ print runs). Example, Quadrun on the 2600 was quoted by the programmer as having a 10k production run (it's rare that info like this is discovered), and this game is considered very rare, and a loose cart gets $200-$300 on average.

Here's the best current gen example of a rare title: NCAA Basketball 2003 for the GC. It was pulled, this is common knowledge, and it was shortened print run as the last Sega Sports title before Sega killed that line. It won't hold a candle to older systems like the 2600, but you can definitely call it a future rarity based on the circumstances.

[integralsmatic]

wow thats some serious dough to shell out for a game.....i agree with defender...buy to play its that simple...why waste your hard earned money on a rare game that you may never play...might as well go buy some new clothes or sumtin......

[Theenternal]

Well despite rarity, a lot of games are defintely worth reselling. You just need to increase your profit margin, and know where to look.

One year, I made about 10k selling games that I purchased from pawnshops,fleamarkets etc. And had less than 100 hours invested. This can't be done everywhere, but its not uncommon.

Picking up games and investing because of rarity etc, is a big gamble. Instead just go for the quick resell.

On a side note, I may wipe out a pawnshop of their goodies, but for my own morals, I don't get greedy on various CC 5 dollar deals etc..

[onikage]

Speaking of rare games, does anyone know how many SNES Waterworld carts were produced?

[saigumi]

So, "Collector's Edition"s are the ones that the collectors don't want, and the "Original One"s are the ones the collectors do want?

[portnoyd]

Speaking of rare games, does anyone know how many SNES Waterworld carts were produced?

Probably a handful of protos, and that's about it. Never made it out the door.

[JAMMR]

VHS copies of Steel are not valuable but they probably are rare.
I'm stockpiling that shit in preparation for the armageddon. When the world ends, civilization shall be remembered by the acting chops of Shaquille O'Neal.

[StevenScott]

Thread sucking was hilarious.

:-)