[quote name='Blade']Games can still become that rare with limited production runs, initial release errors, developer/manufacturer bankruptcy, or even with enough time. Yeah, most games won't sell like that now, especially with people cracking, emulating, and torrenting games. But it could still happen. And people can easily turn a game into net profit if they're smart about it. It's just like collecting baseball cards.
The sole purpose of posting that article was to counterpoint the idea that reselling video games cannot be profitable. Again, it's just like collecting baseball cards. If anyone happens to feel that I'm wrong, and they have either a mint copy of Suikoden II, a T206 Honus Wagner or a 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card, I'll buy it from you for $5.
Technically, you can retire at any given time. Given that Stadium Events sold for ~$41,000, the average annual income here in the United States, one could retire for a year with that given sale, then come out of retirement if they so chose. And furthermore, he was initially wrong in his assessment that you can "build" a 401(k) off from the aforementioned reselling of video games; all a 401(k) is is earned money withheld by an employer and not subjected to income tax until after retirement. Where do you propose the employer is in a "buy this exceedingly rare game, hold onto it, and resell it for a sizable profit later" scenario? One could also invest that money in stocks, like some companies give their employees the option of doing with their 401(k). I do get that it was a joke, but I disagreed with what he wrote and felt like adding an insult. I hope 1997 was your birth year, and not the year of your high school graduation.
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You're talking about two different models, however. Finding one of the handful of video games worth thousands of dollars is nearly impossible to do if you set out to do it. I've been collecting for almost twenty years now and those games almost always pop up in the hands of people who have no idea what they have and only rarely will a collector or reseller end up with a copy for far below value. Typically they end up going on Ebay right away and collectors end up with them then which is how the record prices get reached to begin with.
I'm not sure where you live, but here in California, $41K before taxes (yes, you still owe the IRS a share) would allow me to live for about six months if my wife and kids had their own source of income and didn't need me for support. You can't "retire" on that anymore than you can on unemployment. Also, for most people, having a six month or one year gap of employment makes hopping into the job market again very tough. Finally, anyone can start a 401K at anytime whether they are employed by someone else or self-employed. Many self-employed people have 401ks, so yes, even a game reseller could flip their profit into one. If you're gonna be an ass, at least get the facts straight.
ing idea!
. But I referred him to the website and he had a two people search for their preorder cards in back.
