What point does a hobby turn into a collection?

[nickfil]

When you HAVE to own a copy of Shining the Holy Ark and overpay for it and then never play it because you can't be bothered to hook up your Saturn...so that makes me a collector and an idiot because I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

Ha. I'm right there with you.

[h8b1llg8ts]

A collector has a list of all the games he wants bothon his desk and on his Blackberry ...

[AppleQueso]

I think the hobby turns into a collection when you refuse to sell items you are totally done with.

Yes. This is the aptest way to distinguish a hobby from a collection.

Think about it as commodity value and fetish value. The commodity value is the item's actual utility from use, and the fetish value is whatever utility that item produces simply by being there. A collector is all about the fetish value.

Of course, I've got to point out that collector and hobbyist aren't mutually exclusive ways of enjoying video games.

I don't know, I stopped selling games I was done with because I almost always regret doing so in the future and want to go back to them.

Is that so wrong?

[dedalusdedalus]

I don't know, I stopped selling games I was done with because I almost always regret doing so in the future and want to go back to them.

Is that so wrong?

Ain't nothing wrong with that.

That's the same reason I hold on to more games than a rational person should. I sold my PSX collection when I was younger, and it cost me a lot of time and money getting it all back.

[shaolin242]

..when u buy games you have no intention of ever playing.
..when you buy sealed games and have no intention of opening them.
..when you have multiples of each console, still in box.
..when you have to explain why you have 5 virtual boys all sealed.

[AppleQueso]

To answer the question seriously, I'd say that when you start becoming concerned over boxed vs unboxed, greatest hits vs black label, the condition of the manual, etc, then its crossed over into collection territory.

I'd say for most game collectors, it's a bit of both.

[Dakinggamer87]

I think the hobby turns into a collection when you refuse to sell items you are totally done with.

Yep, well said I couldn't agree more.

[nikon_62]

I can't say if I consider it a hobby or a collection but maybe both. I buy games I know I don't have time to play. I always assume one of these days I'm going to be unemployed or get some time on my hands to play through a chunk of them.

As it stands I play about a tenth of the games I buy.

Finish remodeling the house. Finish online BA degree. Make another 20k annually then gaming. Yup I don't think I'm ever going to get far enough in that list for gaming to be top priority but if I ever do I have stacks of games waiting for me.

[DerekG52]

I think the hobby turns into a collection when you refuse to sell items you are totally done with.

Totally agree with this, at least when referencing gaming. I got into a buying kick recently of PS3 games, so I set trophy goals for myself before I splurge again (ie have x number of trophies, or obtain % number from a game).

[BlackDS]

when you have to explain why you have 5 virtual boys all sealed.

Why does that need an explanation?
That makes perfect sense!