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IGN had recently reported that the global entity, Gamestop, plans on foraying into the Vintage Game market, having observed and noticed the profits and interest made in recent years. They had stated they had amassed a large amount of these "vintage games" over the years and are looking to unload them on the market. Now, what does that mean for us? Will the games be sorely overpriced or decently understandable? Thoughts anyone?

Complete Video Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEx8y...ature=g-user-u

Check out GameStop's website and you can pretty much buy any game from the past generation or two - or pre-order anything due out for the next several years. But one thing that's missing from the global retail giant is the ability to buy games prior to the era of the PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. Want a classic NES or SNES game? Some other classic part of gaming history? You won't find it. According to GameStop CEO Paul Raines, that's going to change. "We think there's a vintage sales opportunity, so we're accumulating some inventory," Raines told Verge in a recent interview, specifically pointing towards GameStop's website as the destination for this new venture. "If you go to eBay and look at all of the gaming stuff that's on there, it's unbelievable. Collector's stuff. We've got to be in that business. We will be." Raines noted his company already has many old school classics, the result of trade-ins over the company's meandering 25-plus year history. According to the executive, there are a few challenges remaining, such as "sourcing the product, the condition [and] the refurbishment," but because the demand is there, the effort to expand the business is seen as worth it. Raines offered no timetable for this expansion, merely noting his company is "working on some stuff we haven't announced yet." - IGN Article

This will probably be a cluster.

The vintage market fluctuates a bit too, so they may run into some issues with that kind of stuff.

They're probably going to screw up big time, especially if they assume too much and believe they could make a profit by overpricing games people could generally get a more a decent rate.

Gamestop may have some success with the collectors but I'm not quite sure with everyone else.

Wait, they're trying to go into the vintage game market?

Isn't this the company that periodically flushes out older inventory as it's no longer "current", such as the GB/GBC, GBA, GameCube and Xbox, just to name some recent items?

I see this working as well as a screen door on a submarine.

Yeah, that is what they're planning. I always wondered what Gamestop did with their games and this might be one reason. They've been looking at Ebay and seeing the potential profits they think they can make.

I read the comments of the video and loved the examples of the prices they may use.

They intend to sell these items on-line only, and not in any of their stores? Why on earth would I want to go through GameStop for vintage game purchases, when Craigslist and EBay already exist? It's just adding another middle-man, when the mechanics for selling directly through the internet have been well established.

There are already stores in my area that sell vintage games. GameStop was responsible for closing down the vintage game business in the first place by refusing to stock older titles or systems. They aren't winning any points by saying that they are now going to try to get into that business on-line. And they REALLY aren't winning any points by revealing that they are sitting on top of a large vintage game stockpile. They may very well be responsible for the artificial inflation on some titles.

Imagine a whole warehouse full of boxed Earthbounds?

Gamestop preparing for the xbox 720 going all digital.

Originally Posted by shrike4242 Wait, they're trying to go into the vintage game market? Isn't this the company that periodically flushes out older inventory as it's no longer "current", such as the GB/GBC, GBA, GameCube and Xbox, just to name some recent items? I see this working as well as a screen door on a submarine.

I agree 100%(for once) with you.

Originally Posted by Olengie Imagine a whole warehouse full of boxed Earthbounds?

Knowing Gamestops' usual 'quality' of their pre-owned games, I'd venture a guess it's more ripped/stained/faded label disc only/cart only copies that look like they were dropped in the bedpan of a person with dysentery repeatedly to coat all portions of it and left to dry in the hot summer sun.

But maybe that's my extreme dislike of the chain showing.

Originally Posted by Olengie Imagine a whole warehouse full of boxed Earthbounds?

Grrrrr! It wouldn't surprise me. GameStop took vintage game sales away. Only the most obscure stores still carry my beloved cartridges thanks to those corporate ninnies. This crap just fills me with rage. I need to cool down with some iced tea and a good book.

I think that's the corporate dislike speaking IATCG. :P

I just hate how GS just waste space in their stores.

Originally Posted by Olengie I think that's the corporate dislike speaking IATCG. :P I just hate how GS just waste space in their stores.

There's a lot of wasted space, but it's usually between the ears of the corporate goons behind the counter at GS. I find myself running into less and less free thinkers who actually can converse about anything other than what the evil empire tells them to shill for that week/month.

Must....sell...PUR....cards....must....sell...pre-orders.....must....lick....corporate....masters... .scrotal....sack

Originally Posted by Olengie Imagine a whole warehouse full of boxed Earthbounds?

That they will open and gut and sell as "new"?

Like everything they do, this will be horrible and overpriced.

I'm just sad that people who might have these older games and systems will be less likely to take them to thrift shops, yard sales, or craigslist when they can trade them in for seven cents towards the new madden.

Then that copy of Ninja Gaiden 1 for NES goes on the shelf for $34.99 ($31.50 if you're a POWER UP REWRADS CARD MEMBAR)

With the added benefit of the people who still sell on craigslist or yard sales thinking that the Gamestop "VINTAGE" price is fair price to charge for super common NES and SNES games. Stupidity all around.

Is there really a market for this now? Its niche obviously and personally I've already played through all those titles and have too big of a next gen backlog to care about taking a trip down memory lane.

Now for all the young bucks out there who have never experienced the original Sonic, Streets of Rage, Super Mario World, Flashback, Out of this World, and even Atari classics...I don't think these games hold up well enough or are approachable enough to entice gamers to buy them instead of a new game for their 360. Games were HARD back in the day!

The day the gaming industry completely dries up of original ideas and lacks all innovation is the day I revisit the Nintendo64 and buy another Dreamcast. Thankfully, I don't think we are quite there yet...

So Gamestop is now going to be Rhino?

These games are definitely going to be overpriced since GS basically monopolized the B&M used game market in most of the country.

The problem is they'll want collector prices for far-from-collector quality... But look at the bright side, there will be all these "new" vintage games to buy (at least by Gamestop's definition ).

It sounds like it could be cool if they do it right. I love buying old SNES games at EB games/Funcoland 10 years ago or so. They were pretty reasonably priced then; some games might be in the $30 range (like Final Fantasy III and Chrono Trigger) but the majority were $5-$10. I'm curious as to how their pricing would compare these days.

Originally Posted by Abear21 Now for all the young bucks out there who have never experienced the original Sonic, Streets of Rage, Super Mario World, Flashback, Out of this World, and even Atari classics...I don't think these games hold up well enough or are approachable enough to entice gamers to buy them instead of a new game for their 360. Games were HARD back in the day!

And on top of that, for those who want to play these things and don't have the old consoles laying around, it's easier to just buy them on the Virtual Console/XBLA/PSN than going and buying a vintage console and game carts etc.