OrbitalBeard
Member
Ben confirms the connection to the earlier section in the comments. The wording used at the end of the article is very deliberate.
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The $5,000 decision to get rid of my past (Polygon Opinion)
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Ben confirms the connection to the earlier section in the comments. The wording used at the end of the article is very deliberate.
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
That's a really "real" article, and I could relate to a lot of it.... both collecting games as a way to hold onto the past, and the ghosts of early 20s love. I know the loss of having stuff stolen (launch PS3 when it way new) and I even had part of my game collection taken out by a flood.
But personally, I have my huge game collection now (flooded games mostly replaced). It still brings me joy. It's a massive burden on space and money but I don't think I'll be having my Buddhist monk moment of giving it all away. As long as your attachment to your collection is healthy, it's fine.
But personally, I have my huge game collection now (flooded games mostly replaced). It still brings me joy. It's a massive burden on space and money but I don't think I'll be having my Buddhist monk moment of giving it all away. As long as your attachment to your collection is healthy, it's fine.
hououinkyouma00
Member
I think its his collection that he has rebuilt? I just dont think its specifically mentioned.
SolVanderlyn
Thanos acquires the fully powered Infinity Gauntlet in The Avengers: Infinity War, but loses when all the superheroes team up together to stop him.
Same. I've lived on the brink of absolute poverty several times, so the thought of wasting money on something you won't ever use seems irresponsible to me. I guess I might be bitter because of the times I've sold my beloved games that I would have actually played again just because I had to, but I do think that hoarding for the sake of hoarding is a practice that represents extravagance.
I felt the same way about that line. I don't want my SO staring at me while I grunt out yesterday's breakfast. There's something to be said for keeping at least a semblance of politeness in the relationship.
Adam_Vania
Banned
i gave away all the games i had as a kid over a decade ago. i had tons of original SNES games in box i donated to Goodwill. i was broke and needed money and donated a lot of stuff from my childhood including action figures.
never had the desire to recollect. part of the decision to donate came from emulators. now that there are emulators there is no reason to hang on to cardboard boxes that take up space and eventually disintegrate from use. i will say that emulators can't replace the experience of original hardware (including game box and CRTs) but they get pretty close. close enough for me.
now that digital games are a thing i haven't looked back. i have no desire for a physical box. i will buy something interesting if i see it cheap like in a thrift store but paying full price for a game i already paid full price for seems like the dumbest move ever.
never had the desire to recollect. part of the decision to donate came from emulators. now that there are emulators there is no reason to hang on to cardboard boxes that take up space and eventually disintegrate from use. i will say that emulators can't replace the experience of original hardware (including game box and CRTs) but they get pretty close. close enough for me.
now that digital games are a thing i haven't looked back. i have no desire for a physical box. i will buy something interesting if i see it cheap like in a thrift store but paying full price for a game i already paid full price for seems like the dumbest move ever.
TheBryanJZX90
Member
Didn't read the comments before because polygon's mobile site is trash, but yeah I guess so. Too bad.
Yup. I only keep new games that I might replay in the future; otherwise, they're sold. Some old ass games of mine still get a ton of use. And if I replay an old ass game that has lost its luster, I sell it.
I'm kind of in the same boat; most of the games I'm keeping are because they're the only good way for me to get the experience they provide (3D Games, light gun games, etc.). The others are mostly ones I had when I was a kid.
Marty Chinn
Member
Eh, they're already starting to play them. It's not that I expect them to care about the historical importance of the games, just that they have available to them the best games ever released. Having easy access to those games and being able to give them the opportunity to play them if they want is just one aspect of why I do it, not the only one.
I'm not doing it solely for them, but I'm not doing it solely for myself either.
polyh3dron
Banned
Everdrives work wonders, for most games. Got one for every cartridge based Nintendo console.
yeah tbh when you start assigning this much personal value to owning consumer goods and making it an altar to a happier time in your past you might consider getting some help
Adam Prime
hates soccer, is Mexican
NO KIDDING.
My grandpa left me his collection of coins and stamps... let me tell you how valuable that shit was to me. It's no different here. Your kids are going to have no sentimental value for the games you "leave them". They'll be just as happy to sell off your collection and use that money for whatever interest they're into at that moment.
Also, Ben just highlights the condition we as humans have in... the tendency to create idols for ourselves in the things we own or obtain or accomplish. His story of his video game collection is no different than the many things each of "store up" for ourselves.
Maybe you live in a place where there's an independent game store with an enthusiastic community. Places like Digital Press in Clifton, NJ, or Game Underground in MA, or Save Point in MD. If you bring your collection there, not only will it be enthusiastically accepted, it will also go to people who will be passionate about owning that stuff. It'll all wind up in very good hands. Just a suggestion =)
MoneyLaunderer
Member
I sold my original NES collection back when I was in college. Overextended myself financially and had to move home, requiring me to break the lease in my apartment, and selling it was the only way I could do it without ruining whatever credit I had (I was 19). I had over 400 games, many in box (Dragon Warrior 1 through IV mint in package, original Final Fantasy factory sealed. Those I sold separately). Each game had a Nintendo plastic sleeve, was always alphabetized, and taken care of. Made over $1,200 on the NES collection alone, adding around $400 for the Dragon Warrior set and $200 for Final Fantasy.
I wish I had that collection back again. I also had SNES and Genesis collections, but they were nowhere near the size of my NES collection. Made about $500-600 on each of those. From time to time I've considered trying to re-acquire the NES collection, as I'm in my 30s now, but with my NES Classic Edition hacked with all US released NES games, I can't find a reason to do it outside of complete and utter nostalgia and righting a stupid decision in my youth.
I wish I had that collection back again. I also had SNES and Genesis collections, but they were nowhere near the size of my NES collection. Made about $500-600 on each of those. From time to time I've considered trying to re-acquire the NES collection, as I'm in my 30s now, but with my NES Classic Edition hacked with all US released NES games, I can't find a reason to do it outside of complete and utter nostalgia and righting a stupid decision in my youth.
Handsome Ralph
Member
I collected for about 15 years and just recently finished selling off the rest of my NES, SNES,Genesis and N64 stuff. Started the initial sell off about three years ago. Banked around four or five grand selling it all off.
It got to a point where most of it was just sitting in bins and crates in my attic and I was pulling it out to look at or use maybe once a year or so. Digitization has made it easier to go back and play most of those games be it through eShop or emulation on my Raspberry Pi.
I did hold onto my Dreamcast and PS1 stuff. Primarily because that stuff is pretty easily condensed and I have a special affinity for Dreamcast for some reason that I can't explain. I've also got one of those PSOnes with the attached screen so it makes playing PS1 games significantly easier whenever I pull it out of storage. Though I wonder if one day I'll eventually justify getting rid of that stuff as well.
It got to a point where most of it was just sitting in bins and crates in my attic and I was pulling it out to look at or use maybe once a year or so. Digitization has made it easier to go back and play most of those games be it through eShop or emulation on my Raspberry Pi.
I did hold onto my Dreamcast and PS1 stuff. Primarily because that stuff is pretty easily condensed and I have a special affinity for Dreamcast for some reason that I can't explain. I've also got one of those PSOnes with the attached screen so it makes playing PS1 games significantly easier whenever I pull it out of storage. Though I wonder if one day I'll eventually justify getting rid of that stuff as well.
RiderKairuu
Member
Downsized my collection quite a bit recently. I'd rather have a medium sized condensed collection of games I really care about than a bunch of filler. Moving around enough put things into perspective. Until I own a home I can't really facilitate a large collection. Still holding onto to my PS2 collection though. I'll never part with that.
There is fine line between collecting and hoarding.
Over the last few years, I have learned that a carefully curated collection, one of only a handful of select titles and systems, is far more healthy and attractive than a huge hoard, no matter how well-organized and meaningful to you it might seem.
I was a staunch supporter of physical-only, but after unburdening myself over the past year or so I really am starting to see the appeal of going mostly digital, with a few exceptional titles kept physical (Zelda Collector's Edition, for example).
Over the last few years, I have learned that a carefully curated collection, one of only a handful of select titles and systems, is far more healthy and attractive than a huge hoard, no matter how well-organized and meaningful to you it might seem.
I was a staunch supporter of physical-only, but after unburdening myself over the past year or so I really am starting to see the appeal of going mostly digital, with a few exceptional titles kept physical (Zelda Collector's Edition, for example).
7DollarHagane
Banned
This article doesn't even make any sense. Has ben kuchera ever mentioned having a 300+ game collection burglarized in the past? Has he ever mentioned a fondness for classic games?
More importantly what person that amasses a 350 game classic library in the box and then re-collects it to 450+ takes a game like r-type 3 to GameStop to get money for a new switch game?
And that person is shocked it's worth $33? That game is $100+ loose at a good price.
I mean, what the fuck was ben kuchera doing that he stumbled into a 450+ classic game collection for peanuts and he has no idea they cost or are worth anything?
Is Ben kuchera life's pachinko ball, launched into an obstacle course and careening around without care for anything but the laws of physics?
More importantly what person that amasses a 350 game classic library in the box and then re-collects it to 450+ takes a game like r-type 3 to GameStop to get money for a new switch game?
And that person is shocked it's worth $33? That game is $100+ loose at a good price.
I mean, what the fuck was ben kuchera doing that he stumbled into a 450+ classic game collection for peanuts and he has no idea they cost or are worth anything?
Is Ben kuchera life's pachinko ball, launched into an obstacle course and careening around without care for anything but the laws of physics?
Silvawuff
Member
I feel this piece. I have a sizable collection myself and I've offloaded a lot of it to people that will play/appreciate it, and plan to sell off more. That part of my life is done, and it's time to move on to brighter horizons. Older games get ported all the time to new platforms, often on the cheap, so revisiting an old game if the itch strikes is pretty easy nowadays.
Laevateinn
Member
I collect old games because I like them more than new ones not because of some sad attempt to recreate my childhood. I don't see myself unloading my collection ever unless something terrible happens.
All this does is reinforce my opinion that Polygon is the worst.
All this does is reinforce my opinion that Polygon is the worst.
Weltall Zero
Member
Well this explains his position on Microsoft's (now overturned) second-hand policy for the XBone.
7DollarHagane
Banned
Yep. I feel like this is a half fabricated story to try to talk down to people that have caught interest in the collecting boom of the last 7-8 years.
Grimm Fandango
Member
Yeah I've been thinking of offloading my disc collection. I'm essentially 99% digital now.
Easiest is probably going to GameStop and selling it but I got rid of all my cases. Just have the games only.
Easiest is probably going to GameStop and selling it but I got rid of all my cases. Just have the games only.
Admiral Snackbar
Member
Why does Kuchera still have a job?
7DollarHagane
Banned
Pretentiousness and gullible people
Because he wrote about video games on a site that didn't really vet much of what he wrote about for years and years, establishing a work history and rapport with industry contacts that made him valuable.
He then gave up that job to write about video games on a site that was increasingly showing how they couldn't actually do the things they've made fun of all these years (Penny Arcade), and then when that fell apart, Polygon.
Like I feel for the guy if he needs actual help, but his attitude has been sour for years. His low point was the Xbox One article he wrote for Penny Arcade. That was maybe the point where I realized he really had no idea what he was talking about.
semiconscious
Member
yeah, there's a lot of self-contradiction &/or dissonance going on in this article. maybe an additional 10-15 minutes in the shower would've produced a bit more coherence, but probably not - imo, there's just something 'off' at the heart of this 'confession'...
I open every single door in my apartment before I take a shit.
No walls.
No barriers.
We are all in this together.
7DollarHagane
Banned
This is very true. My 3.5 year old doesn't really care about games at the moment, and I doubt she'll care about the NES when I'm 7 or the SNES at 11 like i did.
I did buy some kids games for them on the Vita but that's literally on the off chance that they want to play a Lego game.
Otherwise in general I think I started my current small collection of 220 physical at a rather awkward time, the PS2 era. Most of it isn't worth anything but I've easily spent $15k including hardware (and a PC) over 20 years. Even if I wanted to sell it down somewhat I can't really at the moment cause I'll get a fraction of it back. I don't know if I'll ever get much back because they're so many copies of stuff out there in the wild.
Also I'm stuck at a crossroads, I wouldn't mind collecting if hardware didn't fail as much, but just like many electrical appliances they've failed on me numerous times, my GB, GBA, Xbox(partly), 360 and one of my PSP have died. I can't really sell Xbox games cause most of them are worth less than $10.
My solution then is to reduce spending and only buy things when I can get as much discount as possible.
Dargor
Member
Wow, even I have to leave you a slowclap.gif intention here lol
Sola Scriptura
Member
A generalization here on my part, but one I think nonetheless holds true for most:
Do you plan on marrying, having your own family, and living a balanced life?
If so, keep only the games that mean the most to you personally, and sell all the rest.
Do you plan on marrying, having your own family, and living a balanced life?
If so, keep only the games that mean the most to you personally, and sell all the rest.
Marty Chinn
Member
Did you and your grandpa share in the hobby together and had a relationship that involved that or did he just leave it to you in his will and you had no connection to it at all? It makes a pretty big difference on the meaningfulness of it.
I don't plan to give my games to my kids only after I pass away; I plan on sharing, playing and experiencing it with them if they have interest in doing so. I'm not going to force them to play and I'm going to let them find their interests on their own, but I will make the option available to them and will take part in their experience. If they love it, great; if not, no big deal.
What they do with it afterward is all on them. They want to keep it because they've become a big gamer too, that's fine. If they have no real connection, they're free to sell it knowing that some of it will be of good value by then and they can use the money for their needs.
It's not about some long yearning for them to appreciate and like games the way I do. It's giving them the opportunity to enjoy it if they want to. I look at it being no different as my movie library which they're enjoying the hell out of and I share their experiences with them. In a way it's like seeing it for the first time again watching how they react and enjoy it. That's worked great and maybe having these games available for them to play will work too. I've already experienced my youngest beating TMNT arcade last year when he was 2 and he enjoyed the hell out of it.
try again
7DollarHagane
Banned
Yeah like totally don't have interests or weird hobbies unless you plan to be a loner loser who probably smells bad
Laws00
Member
A lot of my 8-32 bit games hold a special place in my heart. i could tell you guys all stories of how i got most of them.
i like my collection but at the same time space, money and thriftyness come into play. Mod chips, and back up cds have been instrumental for me.
That being said I still have a lot of games. 200 ps2, 150 ps3, Xbox360 300+. I was just buying things that I wanted when I was a kid. It's fun to relive the past but I wouldnt want to live in.
2 of my friends told me you dont need to buy everything you see and that maybe i need to go on the show hoarders or something. At the same time I agree and disagree. I'm in a better spot then most of my friends and I think that they see me buying these things frivolous. This is my main hobby. Its something I enjoy and I like to share with people. I have the income for it (currently). I only buy what i'm interested in and i spend maybe $300 a year if that. More if a console comes out (looking at you switch).
i like my collection but at the same time space, money and thriftyness come into play. Mod chips, and back up cds have been instrumental for me.
That being said I still have a lot of games. 200 ps2, 150 ps3, Xbox360 300+. I was just buying things that I wanted when I was a kid. It's fun to relive the past but I wouldnt want to live in.
2 of my friends told me you dont need to buy everything you see and that maybe i need to go on the show hoarders or something. At the same time I agree and disagree. I'm in a better spot then most of my friends and I think that they see me buying these things frivolous. This is my main hobby. Its something I enjoy and I like to share with people. I have the income for it (currently). I only buy what i'm interested in and i spend maybe $300 a year if that. More if a console comes out (looking at you switch).
I wish I had the cash to get all the Dreamcast shit I used to own. I'm collecting what I can, but the sting from selling my shit when I was a kid still hurts. I only cared about getting newest shit back then, and had no sentimentality. Seeing how much games like a Power Stone 2 cost now makes me feel so dumb 
I quit buying old games as well. In the online storefronts there are shitloads of affordable (cheap even) classics to last me a lifetime and I tend to only buy titles when I am planning to play them now. Even when my digital library is only temporary, I don't see the option to buy old games cheap dissapear. There is more than I can choose already, so I tend to pick on basis of availability and pricing in regards to retro gaming.
Some exceptions here and there, but I don't see myself actively collecting games anymore.
Edit: I am not getting rid of my collection either btw, especially the games that I hold dear in regards to my childhood. But my collection is still manageable.
Some exceptions here and there, but I don't see myself actively collecting games anymore.
Edit: I am not getting rid of my collection either btw, especially the games that I hold dear in regards to my childhood. But my collection is still manageable.
Laws00
Member
My dad has coin collection, and my mom has purses, and jewelry. They both know me and my sister don't care about their collections
A friend of mine who criticized my collections and found out i had some valuable things was like, "you know you have things worth money right?" Ya no duh. When i'm on my death bed i'm just going to sell things or better yet even i'm just going to destroy everything so no one can have/touch it. lol
RadarScope1
Member
To anyone inspired to sell stuff: PM me if it's NES, SNES or Genesis!
Joey Jo-Jo Jr
Member
I am married in my 30s and I have a "collection" of old games. Mainly arcade style games for Dreamcast, Saturn, ps1 ps2 etc. I have quite a few of them and I like being able to pick a pick up and play game off the shelf and play it on the original hardware for half an hour.
I don't feel guity or ashamed about owning them. They are games that I enjoy more than the vast majority of modern games.
I have not linked them in my mind to any traumatic events or the end of some young love that I pine for.
I don't know... maybe I just like playing a certain type of game from a certain era to relax in the evening after work/various other responsibilities are taken care of.
If anything I sometimes consider selling my current gen hardware etc. Modern gaming doesn't really cater to my tastes anymore.
This is an insightful article about a man named Ben Kuchera, but it might as well be about his pet rock collection for all it says about games. I feel like his wife might get more from reading it than most gamers, although I sympathise with her having to read her husband airing dirty laundry in public on a supposed gaming website.
To be honest I found the last line distasteful.
Just read like a totally passive agressive dig at his marriage.
I don't feel guity or ashamed about owning them. They are games that I enjoy more than the vast majority of modern games.
I have not linked them in my mind to any traumatic events or the end of some young love that I pine for.
I don't know... maybe I just like playing a certain type of game from a certain era to relax in the evening after work/various other responsibilities are taken care of.
If anything I sometimes consider selling my current gen hardware etc. Modern gaming doesn't really cater to my tastes anymore.
This is an insightful article about a man named Ben Kuchera, but it might as well be about his pet rock collection for all it says about games. I feel like his wife might get more from reading it than most gamers, although I sympathise with her having to read her husband airing dirty laundry in public on a supposed gaming website.
To be honest I found the last line distasteful.
Just read like a totally passive agressive dig at his marriage.
