Collecting video games can be costly. Some of the more rare video games are worth hundreds and even thousands of dollars. How much you will spend on collecting video games depend on many factors:
Number of games: How many games does the system have? For example, the Play Station 2 has over two thousand games. If you are planning on collecting them all, expect to spend thousands of dollars. On the other hand, you can choose a system that has fewer games – for example, the Atari Jaguar which has had less than one hundred games produced.
Condition of games: A big factor in the cost of a video game collection is the condition in which you seek to collect the video games. If you are just after the loose games, without the manuals and original packaging and such, the collection will cost you a lot cheaper than if you were after getting the games in complete condition. And if you seek to collect games in new, factory sealed condition, expect to pay a lot more. It is sometimes more cost efficient to purchase the games themselves alone, and later track the other materials separately. This is because a game in already complete condition will usually cost less then buying the game alone, and the packaging alone.
Rarity of games: Do you seek to obtain the most rare games, or the “Holy Grails” of gaming as they are referred to? Some of the rare games cost a lot of money. For example, a Stadium Events for the Nintendo Entertainment System can cost several thousand dollars, and in new condition it is valued at tens of thousands of dollars according to Rarity Guide. This is also system dependent – the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) has many rare games in its library, while a system such as the Sega Pico or the Atari Jaguar do not offer many rare and expensive games.
Method of buying the games: The way in which you purchase games for your collection will also affect how much money you spend. You can usually find good deals on games in sites such as Ebay, Rarity Guide, and Craigslist. Make sure to know what the game is worth before paying for it! Just because a game has a price tag of one hundred dollars and the title says “Rare”, it doesn’t mean that the game is really worth that much. Check the rarity guides on the Rarity Guide website to make sure you are not getting ripped off.
Planning ahead: If you compulsively buy any game you run into, you will quickly run out of money and even might have to sell the games for a lot less then you bought them to recover some if it! Rather then buying video games on a whim, you should plan ahead. What is your budget? How much can you afford to spend on video games every month? This is very important, as with thousands of video games out there one can easily get carried away and quickly become broke without even realizing it!
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Kyle Logan is a long time collector of video games, including Sega Genesis games. He often hangs out on RarityGuide.com, giving help and advice to fellow collectors in the forums.
