I guess this article makes me somewhat glad that I realized at a young age that my old games were worth money to buy new shiny games with, and ever since I have been buying and selling without any real collecting aside from a handful of games and a recent interest in playing GBA games again (because I love the GBA era). I find big collections of things to be a hassle, especially when moving and what not. Still, I am always impressed when I see a good collection someone has though. So hats off to those that do and enjoy it.
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The $5,000 decision to get rid of my past (Polygon Opinion)
- Thread starter entremet
- Start date
ThatStupidLion
Member
Im currently in the middle of taking inventory so i can offload my collection that ive amassed since atari. Ive been teetering on the edge of sellin g it all for a while and i think im finally coming to terms woth being able to let go.
godofcookery
Member
I have been getting rid of my older games, voluntarily, for some time now, even slowed down buying new ones. After moving between so many locations I realized just how many would stay in boxes for months getting no use, so I decided to get rid of them in various ways.
The article is a pretty dark read, and it has an ominous ending too.
The article is a pretty dark read, and it has an ominous ending too.
Raven117
Member
I mean, it was honest? (Maybe I'm not understating what radical honesty means).
Regardless, that was not an article about collecting games. He is dealing with something (obviously) and it might be that his wife is having some issues with something (or him perhaps). Don't know...other than you don't get all worked up in the shower thinking back of your 20's broken heart, to go write an article immediately paralleling what happened in your 20s ....and tying it to a game collection that was stolen once....now being rid of again...and then throw it up on Polygon.
I'm torn between this feeling and wanting to keep stuff of sentimental value and history.
But video games? Mass market stuff which, especially if digital, has no real value I can't replace? Not worth the space.
entremet
Member
There's been a trend in internet writing to add more honesty and vulnerability. Kuchera seemed to be echoing that.
ultracal31
You don't get to bring friends.
Good read as I've came to the same realization as well years ago.
I saw it as a void that never was fulfilled so I just sell my older games as a vendor at local comic cons.
I saw it as a void that never was fulfilled so I just sell my older games as a vendor at local comic cons.
Raven117
Member
Ah, gotcha. Well...seems like he did that. Hope its all okay, specially with a kid(s) involved now.
chrominance
Member
You might be a few years too late on that one.
Also, having now seen Kuchera's comment to his own article, um, yikes. I feel bad for the guy, but also man, I hope he has someone to talk to besides the internet.
Raven117
Member
Yeah, if you are looking for a little comfort in the comments of Polygon, then things might be pretty damn dire.
TheEndOfItAll
Neo Member
The way some things are worded in the article makes it seem like he had seen a therapist at the time, and may need to again.
entremet
Member
Interesting. I'll read later, but Medium is full of this stuff now lol.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I had sold every console I had on launch since the SNES/Genesis up to my 360/PS3/Wii. Mainly because I updated the last 3 consoles to better models and got a used Wii for a few games. I started buying imports of games that I wanted to play from time to time and they aren't worth much.
I do however own a few costly games that I will not sell.
The thing is. I bought and sold a lot as a teenager. I even had a stage where I'd get $20 from a game and I'd buy things I shouldn't. Going from having nothing and then one night saying, "man, I use to own Final Fantasy" or "I use to own Vagrant Story" was enough for me to buy it and put it somewhere. I like things, I like shopping, but I'm not a super buyer.
I own over 1,000+ digital games and content online. I'm not a patient to this problem.
I get it. Then I get why we own things to begin with. I played Halo with a guy I was best friends with through high school. I don't ever play MP and he use to always be at my house playing it. I use to play some things alone without anyone. I guess it never bugged me.
I usually buy a new game and I mean brand new. The game where there's a brand new OT opened about it. I did buy the majority of PS1 RPG's that cross my mind, but that's something for me.
I get away from family and work and I can play or admire what I have. It's small compared to what's out there, but it's still there.
My wife gave me crap about my 2 imported Sega Saturns and 1 NTSC Saturn. One of my Saturns was busted and needed a new spindle. She thought I was dumb for keeping it. Well it's a different model than the other. The grey versus the white. I had to give it to a coworker because why keep something that can't be played?
They're physical objects, but still. We have many ports of classics games and some aren't coming to a collection.
I objected against selling my stuff because I want that copy of Xi Jumbo 1 and 2. It won't net me hundreds of dollars and I bought the Japanese PS2 and Super Famicom for a purpose. There was no ex lover or friend involved.
Maybe I'm hiding anger for keeping some things, but aren't we all? We could all throw something away if something bad happened.
I do however own a few costly games that I will not sell.
The thing is. I bought and sold a lot as a teenager. I even had a stage where I'd get $20 from a game and I'd buy things I shouldn't. Going from having nothing and then one night saying, "man, I use to own Final Fantasy" or "I use to own Vagrant Story" was enough for me to buy it and put it somewhere. I like things, I like shopping, but I'm not a super buyer.
I own over 1,000+ digital games and content online. I'm not a patient to this problem.
I get it. Then I get why we own things to begin with. I played Halo with a guy I was best friends with through high school. I don't ever play MP and he use to always be at my house playing it. I use to play some things alone without anyone. I guess it never bugged me.
I usually buy a new game and I mean brand new. The game where there's a brand new OT opened about it. I did buy the majority of PS1 RPG's that cross my mind, but that's something for me.
I get away from family and work and I can play or admire what I have. It's small compared to what's out there, but it's still there.
My wife gave me crap about my 2 imported Sega Saturns and 1 NTSC Saturn. One of my Saturns was busted and needed a new spindle. She thought I was dumb for keeping it. Well it's a different model than the other. The grey versus the white. I had to give it to a coworker because why keep something that can't be played?
They're physical objects, but still. We have many ports of classics games and some aren't coming to a collection.
I objected against selling my stuff because I want that copy of Xi Jumbo 1 and 2. It won't net me hundreds of dollars and I bought the Japanese PS2 and Super Famicom for a purpose. There was no ex lover or friend involved.
Maybe I'm hiding anger for keeping some things, but aren't we all? We could all throw something away if something bad happened.
7DollarHagane
Banned
Lol too true. Ben kuchera is terrible tho.
Everything in moderation. This seems like yet another way he went too deep down the rabbit hole in an unhealthy way and now can shame people who do a thing responsibly because he couldn't be responsible.
Buying everything you were interested in wasn't even that bad back in the late 90s early 2000s because it was all dirt cheap and you could play it and enjoy it.
These days everything is a fucking commodity and "valuable". Fuck that. I buy Saturn games because I love the system not because I want to make money. I play that shit.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Oh man, that ending. Took me a minute to connect the sweatpants in the bathroom to the start of the article. That little bit of into makes the entire article really depressing.
Hope everything works out.
Hope everything works out.
Attack You
Member
I think my physical collection will top off around an even thousand. I constantly sift through it and sell off redundancies. Anyway, it doesn't feel like a home to me unless there are games everywhere. I do keep them organized, at least.
I've paired down my collection a couple of times and I'm considering doing it some more. Getting top dollar for your stuff is time consuming and frustrating so I'm only doing it in small batches.
Everyone opening up the carts to check the boards is fun. Collecting is a pain in the ass now thanks to all the fakes out there. Glad the only old stuff I still want is so obscure nobody would bother faking it.
Haven't regretted any of it yet.
Everyone opening up the carts to check the boards is fun. Collecting is a pain in the ass now thanks to all the fakes out there. Glad the only old stuff I still want is so obscure nobody would bother faking it.
Haven't regretted any of it yet.
chrominance
Member
Yeah, I don't think personal essays will ever go away, but the era of sites focusing on personal essays (and paying contributors to write them) are gone, and that's at least in part because people have moved on somewhat.
It's a super interesting peek behind the curtain of that whole industry, though. Well worth reading the article.
chrominance
Member
Oh come on, this is too much. Where does Kuchera shame anyone, or even imply that game collecting is bad? The piece basically has nothing to do with game collecting as a hobby. Did you even read the piece?
Chittagong
Gold Member
I gave all the rest of my game collection to GAF a year or two ago. Now I only have digital games, and buy the occasional NES or Super NES game I really want to play.
Feels good man
Feels good man
JeTmAn81
Member
I'm not sure that was meant as a comment on his current relationship. After all, he didn't say he put a shirt on.
AppleSeason
Member
Nostalgia fueled collecting is not that bad, though. Until I stopped in 2010, I was just trying to get back what I was forced to sell back in the day. I may have sold most of my collection after moving, but the small stash of snes and Gameboy games still makes me happy.
I would like to find the last games I'm missing, but I'm scared of how prices have gone up in the seven years since I stopped.
I would like to find the last games I'm missing, but I'm scared of how prices have gone up in the seven years since I stopped.
Marty Chinn
Member
I look at my game collection as a library and history of games. I tried to get at least all the key important titles that are meaningful to the history of games as well as the ones I like. I've amassed quite a library over the years and no regrets one bit. But I don't view it as simply something for myself; I view it as something that I can share with my kids should they be interested and they will have access to this library of games that covers most of the history of games. I already see this paying off in my movie library which includes having every Disney and Pixar film in it which they now enjoy. As they get a little older, they may explore the games too. Being able to give them access to all that and to share it with them makes it more meaningful to me than just hording it all for myself. If they don't care for it, no worries, but at least I gave them the opportunity.
AtomskEater
Member
I've sold off some games to make ends meet or be able to afford new stuff, but I probably won't ever dumb most or all of my collection. A lot of the games I have I enjoyed very much and they are the source of fuzzy memories.
I used to be big on getting collector's editions until I noticed that I'm always afraid to ruin the items it comes with so I never use them (following a traumatic childhood event where I wore Lucia's pendant for months on end and it got scuffed so I retired it).
That said if I was in "I owe money to the Don" levels of trouble I would sell everything. Can't collect games if you're dead!
Also thieves can fuck off.
I used to be big on getting collector's editions until I noticed that I'm always afraid to ruin the items it comes with so I never use them (following a traumatic childhood event where I wore Lucia's pendant for months on end and it got scuffed so I retired it).
That said if I was in "I owe money to the Don" levels of trouble I would sell everything. Can't collect games if you're dead!
Also thieves can fuck off.
Adam Prime
hates soccer, is Mexican
Well written article. Nothing in there resonated with me personally, but it was well written, you can tell it was from the heart.
schwabdizzle
Banned
Was the $5000 decision the engagment ring?
Agreed. In the past (due to a minor twitter incident, which to be honest was hurtful), I'd normally immediately ridicule him. But this was an honest piece that's not about video games. The fact that he wrote this makes it seem like he's trying to move on from something that has been attacking him for some time (comments seem to hint at a bigger picture). If that's the case, I hope this brings him peace and allows him to use his strength as a writer to a greater degree and bring him further success.
I have a large VG collection. While I don't really use it right now (retro stuff), I know my kids may be more interested as they become teenagers and I will decades from now. Fortunately my stories attached to my collection are all positive, so that makes me think about not taking it for granted.
SafeinSound
Member
I'm so glad I've never done this for anything. I've bought items that I know are rare but then flipped them in a couple years.
Dr. Zoidberg
Member
I hate to bring this up but thinking about it now one reason I have a collection of old games is ethical. While it's true that for some systems it's entirely possible to "go digital" for most of the major games (PC, NeoGeo, Genesis, etc.) there are always some games that aren't available digitally and some systems aren't sold digitally at all. I love emulation and have no problem with it. I'll buy digital versions if the original games are stupidly expensive. But I don't really like using emulation to play games I don't currently own one way or the other. The point here is not to judge anyone, but to explain another reason why I own and keep old games.
Tawney Bomb
Member
I sold off most of my collection years ago now. Started rebuying games, but mostly digital and only when I get the itch to play them again. I miss having a huge collection, but it's nice to not have to worry about it too.
He specifically mentions at the end that he's happy someone else will have this collection and be able to enjoy it in a way that he couldn't for personal reasons. This article is only about video game collections (or collections of anything) on a very superficial level. You're shaming him right now for his collection.
I don't know if I think hoarding and collecting are the same things. I've stopped collecting video games because it just became "stuff" to me, but I have my own passions I pursue and I think it's good for people to surround themselves with things that make them happy.
Overall, I really liked this piece. The emotional journeys we take after "coming of age" are very important.
whalleywhat
Member
hydragonwarrior
Member
No, inbetween moving my dad dumped the following (without letting me know):
- entire collection of vhs and dvd's of anime
- all of my SNES collection
- all of my PS1 collection minus some precious PS1 games I had on me
- all of my older gaming collection including Master System
- ALL of my older gaming magazines (RIP Gamefan, EGM, Nintendo Power)
I would gladly pay 5k to bring all that stuff back.
Haha I absolutely hate his actions and will for a good long while, but i get why (he didn't want stuff to clutter up the new home) and thought it was junk. asldfjaslk;jf
- entire collection of vhs and dvd's of anime
- all of my SNES collection
- all of my PS1 collection minus some precious PS1 games I had on me
- all of my older gaming collection including Master System
- ALL of my older gaming magazines (RIP Gamefan, EGM, Nintendo Power)
I would gladly pay 5k to bring all that stuff back.
Haha I absolutely hate his actions and will for a good long while, but i get why (he didn't want stuff to clutter up the new home) and thought it was junk. asldfjaslk;jf
Steeped in a Sea of Games
Member
Kuchera is (or at least was) a pretty big asshole, so it sort of doesn't surprise me that he'd be airing his family's dirty laundry in public. Can't tell if this is a cry for help or some way to get internet pity points. His past makes me think it's to help him look like the victim. Whatever. I actually forgot he even existed until I read this article.
'Why are we still here? Just to suffer? Every night, I can feel my copy of Super Mario 64... the longbox of Resident Evil... even my ex in a white tank top. The games I've lost... the girlfriends I've lost... won't stop hurting... It's like they're all still there. You feel it, too, don't you? I'm gonna make them give back our past.'
Don't do this.
Your kid won't care. My kid prefers playing my raspberry pi because he doesn't like to look for the cartridge to play TMNT or Sonic. Otherwise, he'd either play the Wii, or Xbox. Both of them because he doesn't have to put a disk in, most of the time.
They don't care about about the "history of videogames." They just want to play. If anything, you'll get irritated because you keep your games in fantastic condition, while your kid won't understand how scratchable CDs are, and to not touch your game manuals, cartridges, and controllers right after eating BBQ and fried chicken.
OrbitalBeard
Member
Don't collect for your children, because they aren't likely to ever care about playing your old games. Collect for you or don't collect.
A normal reaction to any Ben Kuchera article.
My thoughts exactly.
I've been getting games forever and just held onto everything. Turned into a collector because I never got rid of my stuff. Since 90% of my games are the copies I've had for ages, I can go back to those times and it feels good to revisit them. Like every Halloween I play Super Castlevania. It's like popping in my childhood. In saying that, I don't get stuck which seems to be a problem for some collectors. You can never get a time back, but you can revisit those memories and have fun killing Dracula and remember how it felt for the first time.
TheBryanJZX90
Member
Or maybe a dad deciding to put on pants because his kids are around is a different mental process than a girl deciding to put on a shirt because she isn't in love with her boyfriend any more, goddamn
Maybe. Not really indicated by reading his own comments to the article- he said that detail was deliberate.
I don't normally read any of just stuff though so I don't know what he's like.
StrongBlackVine
Banned
I sell 99 percent of my games which is love physical. The only thing I keep are steelbooks for the most part.
Merriweather
Member
I sold off a considerable chunk of my collection a few years ago when we had to downsize from a house to an apartment. I just couldn't justify bringing it with me so it could just sit in a box and never get used.
Selling it was a pain in the ass because the independent game stores that buy older stuff don't want to cut you a check.
Selling it was a pain in the ass because the independent game stores that buy older stuff don't want to cut you a check.
hououinkyouma00
Member
Man, that was way darker then I imagined being from Polygon.
Im right there with him though. I used to like owning things, having things on a shelf and going wow I own a lot of games, thats awesome. Then two things happened,I went through a major depression that almost ended with me committing suicide and because of that I read the Fumio Sasaki book Goodbye Things: The New Japanese Minimalism.
I came out of that book realizing that those games on the shelf that I had spent so much money on was partially just me having something to show other people how much I love games. The thought of getting rid of them no longer bothered me because the memories and experiences of those games are what matters and they dont leave with the box on the shelf.
The Last of us will still have that impression on me, I will still remember suplexing a train, I will still remember crossing into Mexico. Those memories wont leave with the boxes.
And it wasnt just games, I did this with movies, and books, and cables, and furniture, and even some of my figures. I downsized everything I own, besides furniture everything I own can fit into my car and if I needed to move tomorrow I could. If my apartment burned down tonight, theres nothing I couldnt replace (luckily I have renters insurance).
Thats not to say I dont buy games anymore, my best friend gave me her 360 so Ive bought some games for it, but total I own 20 physical games spread across ps1/2/3/4, Vita, and 360. I own a single Kallax 2x2 storage cube with the top two sections holding my movies and books. Most of the games I own are digital now. Ill still buy some physical games of games I know I wont want to keep.
I will never downsize to Sasaki levels, but I now own far less things, far less things to occupy my brain, far less things to distract from the things I enjoy. Im happier now without these things.
Im right there with him though. I used to like owning things, having things on a shelf and going wow I own a lot of games, thats awesome. Then two things happened,I went through a major depression that almost ended with me committing suicide and because of that I read the Fumio Sasaki book Goodbye Things: The New Japanese Minimalism.
I came out of that book realizing that those games on the shelf that I had spent so much money on was partially just me having something to show other people how much I love games. The thought of getting rid of them no longer bothered me because the memories and experiences of those games are what matters and they dont leave with the box on the shelf.
The Last of us will still have that impression on me, I will still remember suplexing a train, I will still remember crossing into Mexico. Those memories wont leave with the boxes.
And it wasnt just games, I did this with movies, and books, and cables, and furniture, and even some of my figures. I downsized everything I own, besides furniture everything I own can fit into my car and if I needed to move tomorrow I could. If my apartment burned down tonight, theres nothing I couldnt replace (luckily I have renters insurance).
Thats not to say I dont buy games anymore, my best friend gave me her 360 so Ive bought some games for it, but total I own 20 physical games spread across ps1/2/3/4, Vita, and 360. I own a single Kallax 2x2 storage cube with the top two sections holding my movies and books. Most of the games I own are digital now. Ill still buy some physical games of games I know I wont want to keep.
I will never downsize to Sasaki levels, but I now own far less things, far less things to occupy my brain, far less things to distract from the things I enjoy. Im happier now without these things.