As a seasoned gamer and collector with decades of gaming history under my belt, I can’t help but feel a sense of dismay and disappointment at the state of game preservation in today’s market. The once-affordable world of used games has transformed into a minefield of extortionate prices and scarcity, all due to a perfect storm of licensing issues, digital store closures, and unchecked greed.
After the debut of Deadpool and Wolverine, I’ve penned down two distinct articles revolving around the video game adaptation of the “Merc with a Mouth.” One piece was a casual heads-up, “by the way, did you know this game exists? It’s becoming quite scarce,” while the other delved into the escalating costs on the second-hand market.
The problem lies with the expiration of Deadpool’s license, despite Microsoft acquiring Activision, who produce the Deadpool game. This means no more digital sales, as physical copies have been out of production for a while. With the hype from the movie inflating the price, what remains is essentially all that exists. Similarly, the X-Men Origins: Wolverine game faced the same fate.
Over the last few days, I’ve been revisiting some older games from my personal collection and examining their current market values. To my surprise, most of the titles I purchased at almost no cost in the past have seen a substantial increase in price. It appears that the closure of the Xbox 360 digital store may soon affect the entire catalog as well.
Suddenly it hit me. What was once a fun hobby has been spoiled. Game preservation is in tatters, licensing, and servers being turned off means gradually an increased scarcity of great titles from years past. And ultimately, greed. As prices go up, those in possession will naturally cash in, and prices will stay high. It’s like a horrible crypto scam, except for something actually worth owning.
Games don’t even have to be ‘good’ to start going up in price
I didn’t initially purchase Xbox 360 games because I traded my original Day One console for a PS3 with a Blu-ray player. However, I picked up an affordable later model around four years back, which sparked a gradual expansion of my game collection.
Another key aspect was ensuring backward compatibility from the Xbox One extended to the Xbox Series X|S. At that time, purchasing pre-owned discs was significantly cheaper than buying digital copies at full price. Thrift stores, garage sales, markets, and even individual sellers were abundant sources for these games, as it appeared no one wanted to keep their old Xbox 360 games. It was a dream come true for savvy shoppers.
As a die-hard Marvel enthusiast who’s missed out on most of the associated video games, I’ve been snapping up any titles emblazoned with the Marvel logo. From Spider-Man and X-Men to Iron Man and Thor, if it had the Marvel brand, it was mine. Mostly, these weren’t critically acclaimed masterpieces, but they were games I couldn’t resist. I never spent more than a tenner on any of them, with The Amazing Spider-Man 2 being my priciest purchase at that point. The rest were all under £10, but now some of these bargain titles are shooting up in value.
As a longtime comic book enthusiast and collector, I’ve had quite the journey with my beloved Marvel memorabilia over the years. I remember back when I snagged Captain America: Super Soldier for just £6, which now sells for an eye-watering £32 in the same UK store. If I were to sell it back, I could almost double my money! Thor: God of Thunder was another great find at £2, but now it’s fetching five times its original price. While that’s not terrible, it certainly adds up quickly. The X-Men games have held their value a bit better, with two still being quite affordable. However, Wolverine is a whole different story; his value has skyrocketed at an alarming rate. I guess it just goes to show the unpredictable nature of the collectibles market and the importance of timing your purchases wisely!
And that’s only the Marvel games.
It’s a seller’s market, and normal folks are the ones to suffer
I recently saw an Instagram reel of a British chap who spent over £600 on a rare PS2 game. I’m not remotely suggesting this will become the norm, but as discs dry up, and demand increases, prices will inevitably rise. I’m a huge fan of the Sega Dreamcast, but I ultimately gave up on collecting its games because they’re already in this position. Even ‘common’ games like Crazy Taxi can still cost more than some new releases.
In a similar vein as my emphasis on the Deadpool game, it’s everyday gamers who long for vintage titles that will feel the pinch most acutely. Wealthy collectors with deep pockets won’t even flinch, and those who can afford to buy, hold, and resell will only grow richer. It mirrors the practice of sneaker resellers snapping up exclusive releases and selling them at sky-high markups. The scope may vary, but the concept remains consistent.
As a tech enthusiast, I can’t help but notice the recurring theme that game preservation often seems to take a back seat in the gaming industry. It’s quite puzzling how little emphasis is placed on this crucial aspect by the game-making companies themselves.
People who own licenses earn money, while big publishers make profits too. However, once they’ve made their money, they tend to lose interest. Copyright protection is important but can be frustrating. Take the original Forza Horizon game, for instance; none of the cars shown in it are produced anymore. Yet, the game was taken off the market due to licensing issues. This has happened with subsequent Forza Horizon games as well. In the end, we, the consumers, are usually the ones who suffer the loss.
The entire setup seems biased against us casual gamers. My advice is simple: if you come across an older game that catches your eye, and the cost appeals to you, don’t hesitate – grab it while you have the chance. Later on, you might find yourself wishing you had done so, otherwise. I find myself in the same predicament with Spider-Man: Web of Shadows, as I’m unwilling to pay almost £100 for it. If an opening presents itself, seize it.
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2024-08-15 19:52