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[13ruce]

Given the parallel structure of the beginning and ending of the article, I assume that this is a pretty serious cry for help. I hope Ben is able to get the mental health support he needs. Writing can be good catharsis but I think ultimately ongoing trained mental health support is going to be the better option.

Agreed i have ADHD and some OCD myself and as a child and teenager i was helped alot in those regards so much that i don't even need the medication anymore.

Some people are a bit in shame to call for help or afraid to accept it but honestly seeking help or accepting is always the best especially with Mental Health issues. Support from other people can really change/help you for the better.

 

[Nydius]

Interesting read and I can relate. My late father always pushed the notion of collecting things to be happy on the family. He used to say "Everyone needs a collection". He collected coins and stamps and guns (

Spoiler

and porn on VHS

). He pushed me to collect baseball cards and was constantly goading my mother into finding something to collect.

After he died in 2005 and we were left with the damn near herculean task of going through all of his shit, it dawned on me that what my father called collecting was really just hoarding. We ended up getting rid of almost EVERYTHING my father had accrued and then, over the years, turned to getting rid of all the collections he pushed on myself and my mother. After my mother died, it was surprising just how much stuff she had accrued even after the purge of other stuff - an entire shed full of yarn for crochet projects she never got around to doing and several rooms of little farm pig statues, for example.

As a result, I became largely anti-stuff by my mid-30's. I catch myself thinking, from time to time, about buying things I had in the past - video games, movies, old pen and paper RPGs (looking at you, 2nd Edition PARANOIA), toys - but usually catch myself in time to ask myself why I'm buying them. Usually it's not because I plan on using them but, like Kuchera, it's because I'm longing for nostalgia or hoping buying something I once had good feelings for will rekindle those feelings. Case-in-point: I argued with myself for a couple days over buying a second hand PS3 and I tried to justify my purchase by saying "Well I have PS Plus so I'd get the full benefit of the service if I buy a PS3". Ultimately I knew I wouldn't really play it again. All it would do is become a money sink where I buy old games at ridiculous prices (compared to the same old third party games on Steam) just to have them, not to play them.

Even now I'm looking for ways to streamline my stuff because I'm tired of feeling attached - physically and emotionally - to things.

 

[Vark]

I don't understand the appeal of collecting games outside of having a copy of something to play. Just hoarding isn't healthy.

For me it's a cross between displaying a trophy of my hunt / find and the lie that I tell myself that I may need it for reference for my career (which used to be true but now youtube and the internet is a thing). Occasionally it's something I want to play.

 

[LegoArmo]

I, instead, want to get rid of as many of my belongings as possible. Everything is a reminder of a past that I don't like.

 

[galvatron]

Honestly, it just makes me think I don't want to be like the author.

Yeah, from that excerpt I really don't relate...then again I never sold any of my old games, so when I buy an old game it's new to me.

Still, I've been tempted to cash out of the physical game collection since my time is limited and the profits are real in Neo Geo, SNES, and genesis.

 

[entremet]

Yeah, from that excerpt I really don't relate...then again I never sold any of my old games, so when I buy an old game it's new to me.

Still, I've been tempted to cash out of the physical game collection since my time is limited and the profits are real in Neo Geo, SNES, and genesis.

Is Genesis expensive these days? I know some are, but I remember Genesis stuff being rather decent. Of course, these things change lol.

NES, SNES, TG16, and US Saturn, on the other hand....

 

[Beartruck]

I have a collection and I do play it fairly often, but events in my life recently have made me decide to clear away the excess bullshit. I gave away my spare trinitron to a young gaming couple, and sold my old Mac with all the books and disks. It gave me enough space to centralize it all to one room and give the SO their own space, which they deserve.

I've got a bit to go though. The more I look around the more waste I see. Whether its games I could play on an everdrive, amiibos I never opened, or systems I never touch (my dreamcast), I've still got plenty I could do without.

 

[Straight Edge]

Been selling my collection on ebay over the last 10 years. I'm down to just SNES, DC, and NeoGeo stuff now.

 

[Papo Swing]

It might be controversial, but I think the chase for stuff like this is a bit stupid because it is for physical content that many times is readily available in a digital format.

I love(d) those games but I can still get to them. I don't feel like I need to play them in the original setting. I can be more understanding of special editions that are really limited( not just older stuff), but even then I don't get why it is so important to have something to display and gather dust.

I used to buy every special edition and in some cases I still do, but what I have really gotten better at is not holding on to stupid stuff for long.

The way I've done it for a while is that I buy whatever special edition version I like and I display it for a while until I get another or I get tired or they get to be too much or I need money and I just sell em. They usually get sold at a fair price for someone else that might have missed it can have it.

This has made me not accumulated crap that will gather dust, it helps me fund my future purchases because I can sell stuff I just don't care about anymore. Sometimes putting some sort of emotional value to things like these is harmful.

Been selling my collection on ebay over the last 10 years. I'm down to just SNES, DC, and NeoGeo stuff now.

I've been doing the same and even with recent stuff. It has helped me buy into the new gens. Like when PS4 and Xbox one were about to come out I sold a few in a batch. One of them was Earthbound. I sold EArthbound on Ebay for $200. Someone paid me $200 for a game that is readily available in a digital format. That led me to lower the entry price for both PS4 and Xbox One combined to like around $200 for both systems some games and accessories after selling the stuff.

I've also upgraded the Xbox one once by selling other game and stuff and the original launch x1.


People need to be more intelligent with money on these kind of hobbies. I am not saying don't have that one item you love, just don't aim to have them all.

 

[Neff]

Buy and keep what you love, without uncertainty or regrets.

 

[Sectorseven]

I sold my games a few years back and it felt very liberating, and fortunately we live in an age where you can just download whatever you want to play.

 

[entremet]

It might be controversial, but I think the chase for stuff like this is a bit stupid because it is for physical content that many times is readily available in a digital format.

I love(d) those games but I can still get to them. I don't feel like I need to play them in the original setting. I can be more understanding of special editions that are really limited( not just older stuff), but even then I don't get why it is so important to have something to display and gather dust.

I used to buy every special edition and in some cases I still do, but what I have really gotten better at is not holding on to stupid stuff for long.

The way I've done it for a while is that I buy whatever special edition version I like and I display it for a while until I get another or I get tired or they get to be too much or I need money and I just sell em. They usually get sold at a fair price for someone else that might have missed it can have it.

This has made me not accumulated crap that will gather dust, it helps me fund my future purchases because I can sell stuff I just don't care about anymore. Sometimes putting some sort of emotional value to things like these is harmful.

See that's the thing. Most of this is available, albeit via questionable means.

Collectors these days are motivated by the physical objects It's why manuals and boxes sometimes sell for a bit alone.

The collector market is not about just having these games as digital bits, but having tangible objects you can touch and display with booklets, manuals, and the like. Think Vinyl where the huge canvas of the record covers is part of the appeal.

 

[galvatron]

Is Genesis expensive these days? I know some are, but I remember Genesis stuff being rather decent. Of course, these things change lol.

NES, SNES, TG16, and US Saturn, on the other hand....

Generally, not so bad as what you listed , but considering I picked up things like MUSHA and Castelvania: Bloodlines for $10-$15 CIB when everyone was clearing them out, it seems like selling might be the smart thing to do.

And what you said above in another post doesn't really apply to me...I don't display my stuff, so I really own them just to play them 100% accurately. I used to be a "normal collector" as a kid, but my mom losing a ton of the game manuals and boxes for my nintendo stuff while moving made it easy for me to just let it go as paying to get the cardboard back just seemed silly.

 

[The Greek Freak]

When I'm done with something I used to sell it. Now I'm too busy and give it away.

Neighbor kid was so excited to get my 360 stuff a few years ago. So much better than the few bucks I would have gotten or it getting dusty in my basement.

 

[Dabanton]

I'd gotten rid of most of my old consoles and games over the years. Then when I was moving countries I had a long serious look at what I wanted to take and what I could give away.

Ended up getting a big zip bag with CD sleeves and putting all the games and DVD's and Blu rays I wanted to take with me. Rest of it got taken to the charity shop as I doubt I'd get much for them.

I'm all about that minimalism life now.

 

[Glass Shark]

I don't own a single physical game and it feels amazing.

 

[Raven117]

That ending....

HAHAHA, holy sheet!

Ben, take that money and go to marriage counseling ...or find some help in other ways.

But if it is...your 20's will look like a garden party with a divorce with a kid involved.

 

[Kadey]

You owned nearly 200 consoles 0_o

Who you think kept the OG What I bought threads going?

Just some of my handhelds.

 

[jacobeid]

I literally just got back from Ikea with plastic storage units to organize my collection better for storage lol. I also purchased a GBA SP last week after selling mine off years ago, which I definitely regretted.

I definitely did decrease my collection though, and now everything either has monetary or sentimental value. Two 34-gallon bins holds everything; not too bad at all.

Edit: Holy shit at the picture above me.

 

[entremet]

Who you think kept the OG What I bought threads going?

Just some of my handhelds.

I remember your posts in the monthly pickup threads years ago. Epic stuff lol.

 

[Bruce Springsteen]

I can't get myself to sell ANY old game and console

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

I've gone through several stages of collecting. When I was younger and jobless I would sell games as soon as I thought I was done with them so I could buy new ones. When I first got a paying job I started "collecting" in the sense that I didn't sell off games I liked so my collection grew. I still sold off mediocre games, etc. Around 25 when I got married and moved into an apartment with my wife I sold a lot of stuff off. Stuff I actually enjoyed but I just didn't have the space and I thought I was "moving on" with my life, etc. (Bullshit in retrospect) Sold most of my big-box PC games, the Genesis, N64, etc. I was only keeping the current, modern stuff (except for NES which I've never stopped collecting). Fast forward about 10 years and I've gotten back in. I'm not really a huge "collector" per se, but I do enjoy retro gaming quite a bit and like to have all the old systems and play them on a CRT. I have a small collection of good games for each of them, but I in no way want to have a complete set or anything even close to it. My entire physical collection (boxed PC games included) is less than 1000.

Video games are more than just nostalgia or disposable entertainment for me, it's a true hobby, something I research and learn about. I enjoy knowing the history, reading the books, and playing the more obscure games and systems. I have no interest in sports, cars, or other things most people enjoy, so this is what I do and I'm quite happy with it. My wife is super into quilting and spends a good deal of time and money doing that just like I do with games and we get along great. I'm pretty lucky all things considered.

 

[Griss]

I love digital ownership because it removes the temptation of hoarding and becoming attached to possessions. I like the fact that I really don't own anything I don't use regularly. I could pack up all my shit in 3 large boxes and move back to Ireland tomorrow.

I remember being mad when my folks threw out my new and SNES games without my permission, then did the same with my N64 and GameCube games (but not my novels or CDs, as it's just games that are evil mindrotters. But now I'm honestly happy that they freed me from that mess before I could get too attached.

Games are for playing, enjoying, moving on and one day remembering, hopefully fondly. Not hoarding or worshipping.

 

[LincolnSixEcho]

I unloaded my pretty big GameCube collection last year. Used it to find a GTX 1080. Had some great stiff in there. All three big hitters and some of the more niche stuff. I had also given my GC a custom red paint job.

 

[gdt]

I got rid of 97% of my physical collection years ago. Was liberating. For games i actually wanted to play again (not just keep, but actually play) I rebought on pc/digital.

 

[smurfx]

Applies to me. At my peak I owned 4K+ games and nearly 200 consoles.

I sold a lot, I gave out a lot. I still have a lot I want to get rid of. It's not easy when people only want a thing here and there but I just want to get rid of it all at once instead of piece by piece. Don't have the time or patience for it.

you can throw those games this way kadey.

 

[xDUMPWEEDx]

As others have stated, if your intention by collecting is to fill the void left by prior trauma then you are going down a dark path.

I was collecting a few years back, but my goal was to get the systems and games that I DIDN'T have and play what I missed out on. An example would be the 3DO and Jaguar. I read about them in magazines for the few years they were relevant and wanted to play them at the time, but I never got the chance to. If I had a PlayStation back then, then I would buy the Saturn now and play exclusives, etc.

I never bought the consoles and games that I grew up with for nostalgia's sake.

 

[jasminlovesyoux]

I absolutely wish I still had every game I've ever owned. However I pretty much created a condition with myself where I'd only keep all my Saturn (first console I ever purchased for myself) and Dreamcast (best gaming years of my life) collections. Other than those, I don't get attached to anything. Having that many games to take care of is a challenge , and I gotta say when I move places it's a lot easier to maintain. Many of the games from my past are just memories now.

 

[Chakan]

Nobody wants to be like anyone who works at polygon.

ROFL.

 

[muu]

I do need to do this to my collection of dating sims and idolmaster CDs. Doesn't feel right just getting rid of them for no money, but the effort to actually try and sell them seems daunting.

 

[entremet]

That ending....

HAHAHA, holy sheet!

Ben, take that money and go to marriage counseling ...or find some help in other ways.

But if it is...your 20's will look like a garden party with a divorce with a kid involved.

I didn't really read it like that lol. It's clear that his previous collecting days echoed another stage of his life, one he can't go back to. But he doesn't regret it.

 

[msdstc]

I'm sure many of us have felt this very same feeling. There was a bemani (rhythm division of Konami) arcade in Rhode island called TGA. It was 20 dollar entry fee and free play all day. We would pack a car and drive 2 hours down and spend morning to night there. I only took a handful of trips, but honestly I would say those were the best days of my life. The bemani community was massive at the time, mostly for DDR, and we were so connected. The malls, outdoor arcades, etc there would always be multiple people you knew there. TGA represented that time the most in my memories. A lot of my closest friends would go with me. Some of them I haven't seen in nearly a decade.

When I got a little older I reconnected with a troubled friend. He had fallen on tough times, was recovering from a 2nd suicide attempt, and trying to get clean from the hard drugs. I started trying to bring back what we had, breaking out the old collection and updating myself on the new mixes. They had just opened a new bemani arcade in the same spirit as tga. We were excited to go and see what we had been missing. I remember walking in my friend was so elated. He told me it was like we were 14 again. I remember seeing how happy he was and it really did for a few fleeting moments feel like we stepped through a Time Warp. We were surrounded by the games we loved and people who were as passionate about them as we were. I popped in some quarters and played the newest mix of my favorite game. It was fun. I went to meet up with my friend who was a drummania virtuoso. He was rocking out already breaking a sweat. He turned and looked at me and he said wanna head out? Yeah man let's go.

I know it's super dramatic, but there are times in life where we are able to put back the pieces and rebuild certain elements from the past. The fact is, more often than not the past is the past for a reason. We get older, people drift apart, interests change. You're chasing a feeling not the content. Once you figure that out it makes it easier to go after what you're looking for.

 

[Producer]

that author doesnt seem like hes stable. Not even trolling

Anyway, i like having my collection to play it. Dont really care about displaying

 

[TheEndOfItAll]

Why would... I can't relate to this.

I buy old games that I have never played before, for the purposes of playing them.

I don't know that he literally believed that, but he probably felt like replacing the games would make him feel whole again. And part of being whole again, for him, was his girlfriend living in his home.

 

[Freshmaker]

I generally don't regard my games stuff as a collection. If I find I haven't played a system in a year or so, I tend to sell it off.

I've unloaded a TG-16+CD, an Atari Jaguar plus games, and a Neo Geo AES plus games over the years.

 

[Glix]

I live in a tiny apt in BK and all my stuff is boxed up at my parents house on Long Island.

They are currently in the process of putting the house on the market. I don't know what to do. I'm really conflicted and bummed. A pile of boxes in the corner is shitty and takes up space we don't have. I haven't hooked them up in years, but it is comforting to know I have them.

Nes, snes, dreamcast, genesis, saturn, 2600, master system, psone, pstwo, xbox, gamecube.

All working, lots of games for all of them

:-(

 

[Augemitbutter]

meh, i'm buying more selected retro games, not less. focus on what's important for you, ignore the rest. i'm not hoarding junk so i'm fine.

Nobody wants to be like anyone who works at polygon.

oh shit, we're already done here.

 

[dragonyeuw]

Oh cool, another 'collecting' thread

I've been curating my library slowly, and frankly its been a liberating feeling. BC is becoming more and more important to me because the 'if you want to play an old game, just keep the console' is becoming less desirable as time goes on. I don't want it hooked up to the TV, nor do I want it collecting dust in the closet hanging around for the odd occasion when I may want to play something. Right now, the PS3 is in my 'do I NEED this' category because most of the games I'd want future access to have have 8th gen remasters, or a Ps4 followup( I don't need stardust ps3 with the ps4 having its own version, for example) and I'm looking at the Xbox One as a console that's taking care of any BC itch I may need for multiplat titles. The few PSN titles like Street Fighter III that I'd want to keep are expendable if the Xbox live version ever gets on the BC list( I understand Ultra Street Fighter 4 was added this week).

 

[Stoze]

I've never really caught the collector's bug thankfully. I just buy lots of video games for the experiences they contain.

Same. Especially within the past few years, I own like 2 physical games for PS4 and now that I primarily game on PC everything is digital and mostly bought on sale/bundles. I've also never purchased a collectors edition of anything.

The downside is I'm not going to make much when I decide to "get rid of my past". I don't own any rare games worth over like $80 and don't have a lot of them.

 

[BennyBlanco]

I want the least amount of physical media possible these days tbh. I have a small but good blu ray collection and a handful of ps4/switch games. The only old stuff I hung on to is my gold cart ocarina of time and a cd wallet full of dreamcast games.

Honestly the stolen collection doesn't feel like the central purpose of this article. It's too bad Ben never got over that ex.

 

[Raven117]

I didn't really read it like that lol. It's clear that his previous collecting days echoed another stage of his life, one he can't go back to. But he doesn't regret it.

No way. Look at the parallels. This article really isn't about game collecting.

I noticed that she started wearing a t-shirt between the shower and the bedroom.

That's how these things begin. You build up a small barrier between people, and the tiny intimacies of living together fall away.

Then to.

Besides, I'm a married man now, with kids. Everything is fine, right? I can let go of the past. I decided to write this story in the shower this morning, as I slipped on a pair of sweatpants before heading into the kitchen to make coffee.

Then of course, there is this from the Polygon comments from Ben himself.

Ben Kuchera Senior Editor, Opinion
That detail was not an accident, and some things are not OK, to be honest.

 

[Sesuadra]

I have 16 handhelds, 12 consoles.

But I've started sorting everything. For example I sold my black Xbox. My crystal limited edition is enough. And I started selling games I really don't want anymore. I also try to sell two of my four Japanese 3DS handhelds..I'm good with one for normal use and one pkmn Center limited Edition.

But on the other hand I reaaaaaally want an analogue NT mini and a legend of Zelda with box/map/etc in mint condition. I'm good with owning a system and 5-10 games for it that I really like and not much more .
That's something that changed from my past when I wanted "everything".
I think this mindset I've now is more healthy. I collect, but I don't collect like a maniac.

My wife is cool with it and actually just played some super Mario all stars on my SNES.

 

[13ruce]

Who you think kept the OG What I bought threads going?

Just some of my handhelds.

Damn you have enough to last several centuries if not more amazing collection tho! And honestly if you still own alot later they will be worth more than what you bought em for.

Do you play on any of them or is it pure collection wise? If you do you do never have to worry if one breaks you own enough to last your whole life anyway

 

[DocSeuss]

It starts out all emotional and good, but then kinda spirals and makes you wonder what's wrong with the writer, which I don't think was the intended effect.

I'm cleaning out my apartment since I can't stay here any longer. Getting rid of stuff is hard; I'm very comfortable with a 'nest' around. I always gravitate towards mess. It feels comfortable. As I'm cleaning stuff out, I'm asking myself questions like, hey, did I really need these game cases for PC DVDs that came with a code? I've only ever downloaded them. I don't need these around.

I'm not averse to having a great library of stuff. I like libraries. Always have. Used to volunteer at my local library all the time. But I'm not gonna buy collector's editions of things, I'm buying digital when I can. It's been really useful in my work to be able to pick from a vast selection of games to reference/write about/screenshot/etc.

That awesome Gamestop trade deal let me transform most of my collection to digital, but I still have a big plastic box and one 14" cube cardboard box full of physical games.

 

[gaiages]

Have you offloaded a huge collection either voluntary or not?

https://www.polygon.com/2017/7/12/15958318/the-5000-decision-to-get-rid-of-my-past

I had a huge game collection back in the day, probably 800+ games or so, but due to a messy break up with an ex I lost most of that collection. But, it did teach me that I really didn't NEED all those games cluttering everything up, especially physically, when many of the better titles are available in some digital form. Also not to waste time on shit games or ones I don't like because I spent money on them.

Nowadays I only have the latest consoles and my backlog sits at about 80 games. Yes that's still a lot, but I'm not afraid to stop playing and sell games I don't like at a drop of a hat either, and tend to only buy things on sale unless I really want it day one. I also sell any game I wasn't like "omg soooo awesome" after beating it, so my collections stay slim when I catch up on the backlog.

It's helped a lot with the finances... though ironically I make more money than I did in the past when I was on a collecting spree, lol.

 

[entremet]

No way. Look at the parallels. This article really isn't about game collecting.



Then to.



Then of course, there is this from the Polygon comments from Ben himself.

Ah, didn't check the comments. I rarely do these days since they are mostly crap. I thought Ben was going more the radical honesty route of writing, something you're seeing more these days.

 

[Dr. Zoidberg]

For example I sold my black Xbox. My crystal limited edition is enough.

I absolutely do not need more than one device that plays the same games (natively). For example, I have an Atari 7800 so I have no desire or need for a 2600. It's redundant. Similarly, I keep a single GBAsp for all my Gameboy needs. No OG Gameboys, GBC, etc. Buying up variants and shit is when it really turns into a "collection" instead of a bunch of old games you happen to enjoy playing.

 

[eliochip]

Really nice read.

I can't help but relate a little bit. The only real game I had that I shared with an ex was Destiny and I sold that game soon after breaking up. It's not a bad game but I wasn't playing it and It just served as a visual reminder.

The kooch should do more blog style psychological observations.

 

[chrominance]

Given the parallel structure of the beginning and ending of the article, I assume that this is a pretty serious cry for help. I hope Ben is able to get the mental health support he needs. Writing can be good catharsis but I think ultimately ongoing trained mental health support is going to be the better option.

Wait, what?

I mean, I see an implication of something personal going on in his life (that honestly feels pretty TMI to me but hey whatever) but I don't know how we jump from that to mental health issues?

 

[Papo Swing]

See that's the thing. Most of this is available, albeit via questionable means.

Collectors these days are motivated by the physical objects It's why manuals and boxes sometimes sell for a bit alone.

The collector market is not about just having these games as digital bits, but having tangible objects you can touch and display with booklets, manuals, and the like. Think Vinyl where the huge canvas of the record covers is part of the appeal.

And I get that, but like with everything, there are certain limits before it kinda becomes an issue like the story in OP.

So I don't see why there can't be a balance. Keep your few really rare items, but don't go hoarding everything.