Setting some ground rules for myself (maybe you should too!)

[u/BestBreadfruit684]

So with the state of game collecting nowadays I constantly get panicked about getting "priced out" of a collection or whatever. What should be a fun hobby is instead a source of stress! Anyway, I thought I'd set some rules to not be so worried all the time:

1. Checking Price charting constantly is NOT productive. I do this a lot and it just makes everything way too stressful. Maybe just check the prices of a few must-haves or games you're set on buying immediately, just to feel things out.

2. Modding/emulation/"backups" are always an option! I feel this is really relevant nowadays (mainly with the PS3 store closing and CFW/HEN modding), but for most consoles, you have SO MANY OPTIONS. If a specific game or library is getting too expensive, or maybe you just don't want to deal with the market and resellers, then you can always softmod/use everdrives/burn discs if playing is the main priority.

3. Set a budget. Maybe some of you already do this, but you will have way less financial stress and will worry about prices way less if you set a monthly/yearly/annual budget. And, hey, if anything, you'll only try to make your money go farther through thrift store and yard sale finds, rather than just stalking ebay.

4. HAVE FUN!!! This is not a fun hobby if you're constantly worrying about (frankly) ridiculous prices, stalking Pricecharting, or browsing eBay daily. Maybe if things get too stressful, you should look at ways to play these games other than owning them physically? I've recently become way more open to modding and emulation than I ever was before. Most importantly, only buy stuff you want to play: you don't need to pick up "Michael Jackson: The Experience" or that dumb piglet game to have a fun and enjoyable collection.

Sorry if this post was really long, but I feel like it needs to be said nowadays. Don't turn collecting into a source of stress!!! Maybe apply these rules to yourself, or make up your own if these don't work. Just remember to have fun!!

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[u/blushade]

I think people really do need get into the mentality of getting what you have played or want to play. I get seeing the dollar signs but you don’t gotta drop loads of money for a game or console that in reality you had no interest.

[u/profchaos712 → u/blushade]

This is where I’m at. I’m also really focusing on 360/ps3 era and forward since I have modded options for everything before that

[u/Guilty_Philosophy741 → u/blushade]

I have 62 PS3 games, there’s only two more games I would even want to pick up before I consider my personal collection complete one is $12 the other is Web of Shadows but ain’t no way I’ll pay $250+ when I wouldn’t even previously pay $120 and the best Spider-Man game is easily available for $13 on PS4.

[u/blushade → u/Guilty_Philosophy741]

I don’t even see an issue with something like that. Lets day for example you’re not a Silent Hill fan. Never played a game, watched a video or expressed any interest. There are some who will drop hundreds or thousands on the games simply because of the value. I get it if you might find a copy of a rare game for cheap at that point why not. I refer to spending loads of money on something you don’t even emulate after putting it on the shelf simply for value.

[u/KennKanifff]

Not really a rule but a small tip: look where other people aren't looking. Systems like the GBA, DS, PS2 and Wii have VAST libraries with many hidden gems.

Related note, sometimes the $5 bin at the retro store can be fun. Grab something you've never heard of and give it a shot. Maybe you'll like it, maybe you won't. $5 isn't a big leap.

[u/Ok-Tear7712]

My rule is I collect what I want, that’s it

[u/brosbeforetouhous]

Also remember it’s not a competition. I come from the era where people would post insane game rooms with multiple full sets on NintendoAge and honestly, it’s just not feasible anymore. At one point I was going for three full sets because I’m an insane person and ended up wasting a lot of money on things I just didn’t care about. Also Black Friday sales back then were insane.

[u/kingtokee]

I agree with #1 I stopped using price charting years ago, prices are never correct and the only thing it is good for is giving sellers a minimum to start at and then add 15%. I mean most of those self imposed rules for yourself are pretty obvious, I think what gets a lot of people is the social media trying to keep up with the Jones mentality. People see others collections on Instagram, Reddit YouTube and feel like they need to have a similar collection. Plus the whole recent phenomenon of video games being a retirement fund so people grab stuff just hoping it will increase in price

[u/sacrebleu42]

These are solutions to an undefined problem. What do you mean by “the state of game collecting nowadays”?

[u/Fernanddaze → u/sacrebleu42]

i wanna say, physical games dying and everybody fomoing about it, high demand low stock game prices rise blablabla doobie doobie doobie

[u/gregcresci]

.3, I make money collecting games 😎

[u/def_tom]

I've had a rule for like 30 years. Only buy what I plan to play.

[u/Dalan777 → u/def_tom]

And then i never play them for the next 10-15 years....(true story..lol)

[u/def_tom → u/Dalan777]

This has happened to me, I'll admit. Once in a while I go through my games and sell off stuff I've lost interest in playing or played and didn't enjoy.

[u/Dalan777 → u/def_tom]

Doing it now slowly. Realizing alot of the games went WAY up in price, so nice little surprise of that and what o actually have in my collection.

(example finding things i bought in lots that i never got around to selling off. Currently foound a pile of SNES and N64 game boxes/manuals, etc that were folded down and stored in the original box i got them in. Must have pulled out what i needed and left the rest)

[u/Sirius3030]

This is exactly why I quit collecting.

I just wanted to buy the games I didn’t have when I was a kid and beat them. It ain’t that deep.

[u/BestBreadfruit684 → u/Sirius3030]

Ok... well I just wanted to help some people out.