Video Game Inflation - Prices then and now - Minor Rant

[Pikmin Overlord]

I tell ya, I never thought I'd see the day when old NES and SNES games would cost more than many modern games. I don't remember being able to walk into a store during the '90s and buy brand new SNES games on clearance for $20. Is it just me, or do modern games seem far more disposable?

[Dan-Fu]

At my Fred Meyer's you can walk in and at your right are the electronics and they have a big bin full of $10-$30 games that are fairly decent. So I see where your getting that from. The person I got those boxed Intellivision games from, got Donkey Kong for $4 from a sale bin.

[wiggy]

I tell ya, I never thought I'd see the day when old NES and SNES games would cost more than many modern games. I don't remember being able to walk into a store during the '90s and buy brand new SNES games on clearance for $20. Is it just me, or do modern games seem far more disposable?

There was an awesome bargain bin at my local Woolworth's when I was a kid.  I purchased many a game from that bin

So, I would say no, that's not the case.

[sadikyo]

^^^ Yeah - that's kind of what I was saying earlier.  There are a few outliers, but for the MOST part, the games are pretty cheap.

I took the data for SNES games from videogamepricecharts as of today, and if you take out the systems, accessories, and the powerfest and campus challenge items, you are left with 725 game entries. 

The average price across all remaining games comes to $13.79, and that includes some large items that shouldn't really count, like MACS Combat Simulator and Starfox Super Weekend Competition.

Of those 725 entries, 634 are less than $20, 523 are less than $10, and 384 are less than $5.

Now I know this data isn't perfect, and the amounts aren't always exactly spot-on, but it's really the best data we have out there on current rates.

Basically, I'm backing up my thoughts with the best actual data I can find.

[wiggy]

I was referring to brand new game sales though, not used values.

[sadikyo]

Ah I see -- guess I was just referring more to the main thread and the displeasure with retro game inflation -- pointing out that for the most part, it isn't that bad.

[AO007]

To be fair, you can get most of the SNES' best games(No Earthbound isn't one of them) for less than $15-$20 each.

Still, Super Mario World demanding $10 is suspect anyways, when Mario Paint can be found for 1 cent before S&H charges. :x

[Pikmin Overlord]

While those statistics are interesting, they are not necessarily applicable to the individual because everything is so circumstantial. Everything that I find seems to be rather inflated, and if I were to compile all of those prices I encounter and come up with an average, it would probably be higher than $13.79 per unit. Aside from that, when I buy a modern game today, I get it brand new with the case and manual and whatnot. If I buy an SNES game for less than that, I'm very likely not getting it with the box and manual.

Just out of curiosity, if one were to remove all worthless SNES sports games from that data, what would the price per unit then become? Not everyone may be in the same boat, but I know that I certainly wouldn't pay $13.79 for NHLPA Hockey '94.

[sadikyo]

I see what you're saying.  For example - for me personally, I am mostly interested in RPGs, so the "average" price of games I am interested in is probably much much higher.

But just for the hell of it, I took out all the games listed by VGPC with a category of "sports, baseball, basketball, wrestling" etc., and was left with 572 games.

Of those 572, the average price was $13.49, with 490 games less than $20, 388 games less than $10, and 263 games less than $5.

(Disclaimer: The "Average Price" probably isn't a good indicator anyway --- the Median Price of the above list is only $5.50.  With such a large number of items with a wide range of prices, the average isn't really that interesting.  The median is much more meaningful).

I'm not really trying to prove much here I suppose, hehe.  It really just boils down to supply and demand, and the free market.

There are tons of factors that affect both sides of the market equilibrium.  Rarity, popularity, "nostalgia factor," potential for future profit - these are just a few factors.  And while I wish people would actually buy games for enjoyment, I think what we have now, that didn't really exist before, is a huge market for speculation - people buying games to resell later, or buying with the hopes that the value will increase over time.  The internet has made it SO easy to research prices, easily access the items, etc., that it wasn't really something people did as much back in the day.

Unfortunately, I have no more right to buy a game on the open market, than someone who wants to snatch up 50 copies of a rare game to hold on to them and sell slowly to increase the price and make a profit.  I would agree with most people here that it sucks that there are so many people doing that.  With certain games being so rare, it is actually possible for 1 person, or a very small group of people, to influence the entire market for a particular product.  It is much like a diamond cartel holding diamonds and selling them in small quantities to keep prices high.

There isn't really a big point here - I'm just letting my brain flow - I think ultimately it just boils down to one of those "deal with it" or "life isn't fair" scenarios, because there will always be people who in our eyes are into gaming for the wrong reasons, and people who screw things up for everyone else.  But in that sense, I don't blame the OP for 'venting' as he mentioned, because it is disappointing sometimes.

[Pikmin Overlord]

Statistics are fun!

You bring up some interesting points, sadikyo. Personally, I'm OK with paying a little extra for the less common games, because it makes sense. Unfortunately, it seems that many people have made a business buying/selling/trading games, and I think that's where a lot of the inflation has come from. If you treat something like a business, you're going to be concerned with making a profit, and that means selling things accordingly. I was at a flea market last Sunday and I saw a fellow from one table walk over to another table, buy the three Game Boy games that were there, and take them back to his table to sell them. I'm certain he was selling those for more than he paid for them.

I guess it's the natural order, though. Even friggin' POGS had a period where they were collectible and some were more valuable than others. I can only hope that the video games market eventually travels down a similar road and I am able to snatch up all the games I want to play for reasonable prices.

[madrocsz]

There are a few other factors for inflation as well, at least when it comes to online shopping on ebay. Assuming your selling a video game for a buy it now price, ebay takes 13% off to total sale price and shipping price, not to mention any listing fees. Thats flat out ridiculous in my opinion. That said, many people compensate for that by jacking up the price. Also too shipping costs have been getting higher and many people don't know cheaper ways of shipping. Then paypal takes their %.

To your point, not all games are expensive, but as I mentioned the shipping concern, a game can be worth 7$ but someone will list it for 7$ with 4$ shipping, to me this no becomes an 11$ game and well beyond what I feel it is worth.

Game prices are crazy like the stock market, while I collect older stuff I also keep up with current systems and its nuts to see a game come out for 60$ and in two week five different places will have it for different prices and promotions. Used game sales a a bit more tricky on newer titles simply with all the online passes and packed in DLC.

I enjoy the market management, its probably my biggest draw to collecting as I have managed some amazing deals simply by doing research versus just going to purchase it for full price. Its just when I try and collect some older items I constantly have this sense of "well, I better get it now, 2 months from now it will be twice as much" and its rather annoying.

[wiggy]

There are a few other factors for inflation as well, at least when it comes to online shopping on ebay. Assuming your selling a video game for a buy it now price, ebay takes 13% off to total sale price and shipping price, not to mention any listing fees. Thats flat out ridiculous in my opinion. That said, many people compensate for that by jacking up the price. Also too shipping costs have been getting higher and many people don't know cheaper ways of shipping. Then paypal takes their %.

I prefer selling on Amazon.  WAAAY less headache.  Plus, eBay buyers are a complete pain in the ass. If it's not there in like 5 days, then they get all bent out of shape.  I just had one person exclaiming that they were going to file a claim if the item didn't arrive the following day.

It would have been 7 days on that following day, which was a Saturday.  I have a handling time of 3 days included in my listing, plus I can't ship it after 2 pm on Saturday (and he bought it well after 2), plus I obviously can't ship on Sunday.  I shipped Tuesday.  Still within my 3 business day handling window and I still have to deal with his pissed of PMs and threats.  He can't even file a claim until it's been 2 weeks.

Also, eBay now dictates what you can charge for shipping if you use their pre-filled info crap.  I sold 8 PS3 Sharp Shooters and 10 PS3 Active 2 games.  On every one of them I lost money in shipping costs.  

As an example, the Sharp Shooters were listed for 22.99 with $6.00 flat rate shipping, no matter what service I offered.  

Here's the breakdown for each of these transactions:

Sale price: 22.99
Shipping Cost: 6.00

Total: 28.99

eBay insertion fee: .50
eBay final value fee: 2.99
eBay shipping fee (this is bullshit by the way and wasn't how it worked years ago): .73
PayPal fee: 1.43
Shipping: 6.00
+ Shipping difference (avg): 3.00 (shipping via USPS parcel post varied, obviously.  The difference ranged from about 7.50-12.00)

Total fees (including postage due): 14.65

My net: 14.34

That's 62% of my listing price.  Complete horseshit if you ask me.  The shipping BS is what really fucked me.

I paid 10.76 for each (which includes sales tax).  That means that I made a measly 3.58 for each of the 8 that I sold.  Here's the kicker.  There's one that's on its way to Arizona and has been stuck at a Pennsylvania sort facility for over a week now.  I may just refund the transaction just so that I don't have to deal with all the BS that will likely come from it essentially being lost in transit.  If I do, that means that I will have made 35 motherfucking cents on the whole deal.  Now I remember why I stopped using eBay to sell about 7 years ago.  Fucking bullshit.

So, as far as sellers hiking up their prices, you can probably see why now.

OK, I'm done ranting.

[gru3som3rick]

Holy crap Wig, selling through eBay sounds like a NIGHTMARE. I was considering selling some extras I have through eBay, but SCREW THAT! I feel for you on that sharpshooter mess.

[wiggy]

It sucks sooooo bad. It used to be affordable and painless. They even make it a pain in the ass to post your own hosted images now. I can never get my photofuckit images to show up. It got too big, bloated, & corporate. I'll stick with Craigslist from now on.

Speaking of, I love how varied CL pricing is. Sometimes you find deals that are almost too good to be true, other times you find a loose, yellow-as-hell SNES with chipped corners for $450. No joke. There's a local listing and the guy insists that he sees them go for "500 or more without the box and 1K+ with all the time."

One word: Douchenozzle.

[gru3som3rick]

It sucks sooooo bad. It used to be affordable and painless. They even make it a pain in the ass to post your own hosted images now. I can never get my photofuckit images to show up. It got too big, bloated, & corporate. I'll stick with Craigslist from now on.

Speaking of, I love how varied CL pricing is. Sometimes you find deals that are almost too good to be true, other times you find a loose, yellow-as-hell SNES with chipped corners for $450. No joke. There's a local listing and the guy insists that he sees them go for "500 or more without the box and 1K+ with all the time."

One word: Douchenozzle.

I see this day in and day out. There's a guy on there selling a loose copy of Conker's BFD for $250, which is INSANE. I just recently bought a near mint Dreamcast with 1 Arcade stick, 2 controllers, 2 memory cards, and 15 games (which included PERFECT copies of MvC 1 & 2, Soul Calibur, Power Stone, and many other gems) for $25. You're not kidding when you say it varies.