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| Another problem with game collecting is
that games are most valuable when they remain in shrink-wrap.
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To help keep
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Because price is currently not an
issue--most old games aren't worth anything yet--the biggest issue
facing collectors is usually space. Like any collectible, computer
games are worth more in the original box. Unfortunately, they are a
lot bigger than baseball cards, and if you want to keep them in good
condition, you can't store them in an attic or basement. Also, due
to their digital nature, climate control is a must. My collection
takes up one large, nicely organized closet, plus two footlockers.
You also need a way to keep track of all those games (especially
the ones that are packed away, rather than proudly exhibited in your
living room) so that you don't buy duplicates. Many software
collection databases on the market can help.
Another problem with game collecting is that games are most
valuable when they remain in shrink-wrap. But that's no fun, because
we want to see what's inside. Serious collectors already have two
copies of every game: one to play and one to keep as a collectible.
You can also shrink-wrap your own games to protect them. Buy a
shrink-wrap machine or ask your local software store to use or rent
theirs. By the same token, be careful when someone says a game has
been shrink-wrapped. Ask if that means factory sealed or reshrinked.
You can usually tell the difference by the quality of the shrink,
and often there is a small hole in factory-sealed shrink-wrap.
You have to focus to be a collector. Some people have the space
and money to collect all games--PC and console--but most people will
want to zero in on a particular area of gaming. There are lots of
areas to choose from based on how specific you want to be. You can
pick a specific platform, such as the C-64, or select a particular
genre, such as strategy games or even real-time strategy games.
Other possibilities include choosing a particular publisher,
developer, or even box type--the Electronic Arts' flat box games are
some of my favorite items to collect. (If you've been around the
block a few times, you'll remember the days when EA used to sell
games in nine-inch-square, flat boxes that looked like small record
albums. EA also included pictures and biographical information about
the developers.)
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