Video Game Collecting: A Timeless Hobby

By Jackson Gallant  

 

Since their humble beginnings in 1972 as a way to move square pixels around different displays, video games have been an infatuation for many people. Even with their limitations at the time, they provided an escape from the monotony of the real world and a portal to somewhere unlike anything people had seen before. It would take another 11 years for video games to take over the mainstream but with the release of the Nintendo Entertainment System, they became inescapable. 

The idea of turning on your TV, picking up a controller, sitting on your couch and experiencing any world you choose resonated with millions. Then, once juggernauts like Sony and Microsoft entered the fray, there truly became something for everyone. Any medium that’s impactful for this long is bound to form nostalgia for the people who loved it since they were children, or curiosity in the younger generation about what it was like before they were introduced to it.  

These are both key factors in why collecting video games is a hobby that will never die. As new games keep coming out and old games keep getting older, the interest will always be there.  

 

Origins of a Collector 

If you’ve ever had that warm feeling while looking back on your first trip with the family or been in awe at the bright lights and captivating sounds of the movie theatre, you can understand what video games bring to the table for some people. As people get older, they yearn for the feelings they experienced as a child.  

“I remember spectating my older brother play Super Metroid and being in awe at the ambiance created by the game: the music, visuals and gameplay all within a CRT (cathode ray television) was really mesmerizing,” video game collector and twitch streamer Sebastian Combe says. “This was way back when I didn’t even know how to read, so I just absorbed the visuals and only wondered what the text meant.”   

According to the California Department of Education, children start developing an interest in the world around them between the ages of two and three. Even if they can’t fully comprehend them yet, they start to figure out what their core interests are going to be throughout their early years and possibly longer. 

 As children get older, they start to develop deeper connections with the games they love, but don’t often have the resources to start collecting. This gives them time to flesh out their niches within gaming and realize what they want to collect.  

“Initially, I wanted to have all the mainline Super Mario games as they’re some of my most iconic video game experiences,” Combe says.  

As he started his collecting journey, his horizons broadened.  

“Then, I started wanting to collect all the console exclusives, all the games of a particular genre and it all snowballed from there.” 

 

Process of Collecting 

Collecting video games can seem like an intimidating hobby to get into. The overwhelming number of options and steep price point of many items can turn some people away. This is a common problem when shopping online. Since sellers know people are looking to buy older, harder to obtain games, they hike the prices up. 

 A notable example of this is Duck Tales 2 for the NES. This game was released in 1993, which was close to the end of the NES’s life cycle. This, along with the fact fewer units than normal were produced make it an extremely sought after game. 

 As of Sept. 28, 2023, the game is going for anywhere between $120 and $1,200 on eBay Canada. However, online browsing isn’t the only way to find the games you are looking for. If you want to physically go somewhere filled to the brim with games and accessories spanning 38 years, used game stores are the place for you.  

Walking into one of these stores is like entering a video game museum. You are bombarded with games from every console you could dream of no matter where you look. You can even bring in old games of your own to trade in and gain value towards a new game.  

They’re everything a game collector could want. They are also a good place to go if you’re looking to connect with other collectors.  

“People come in and start talking to you about the last game they played, some of their childhood favourites, games they’re looking forward to that are going to come out next year, stuff like that,” owner of Digital Oasis Tarra Hart says.  

Getting to know other collectors or people who work at these game stores can be advantageous for a collector. Knowing other people in the space can help you understand what a fair price for a certain type of game is and where to go for those kinds of deals. Knowing the best way to go about buying games is important if you’re strictly looking for value, but it is equally as important to not get carried away.   

“If you’re getting into things now, don’t be super FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) trying to collect them all like Pokémon, just take the process as it is,” Hart says. “It’s a journey, an adventure, targets of opportunity here or there, get a good deal, don’t put yourself in debt.” 

Hart urges collectors to follow their heart when choosing games to collect.  

“The little-known games are still good, still out there. Common games, always fun,” Hart says. “You don’t have to go straight to the tippity-top right at the beginning. Things that other people say oh that’s a bad game, you might enjoy it, give it a go.”  

At the end of the day, the way you want to collect games boils down to the individual. Everyone is going to want something different out of their experience. With the expansive library of games available and the inevitability of new games for years to come, the video game collector will always be around.