How did some games get so wildly expensive?

[AppleQueso]

I can understand games with limited print runs can end up being costly in the future, that's not necessarily what I mean. I'm talking about games that YEARS after they're out of print suddenly skyrocket in price.

Look at Shantae here:
http://www.videogamepricecharts.com/gam ... or/shantae

Over the past two years it's gone from a not cheap $30-40 to an astronomical $140-160. How does this sort of thing happen? Misadventures of Tron Bonne also seems to have recently leaped from being an already pretty expensive $60-70 to being worth nearly twice that.

Not to mention stuff like Final Fantasy VII, which enjoyed pretty inflated prices of as high as $60 or so until recently, despite being the second best selling game on the entire console.

So yeah, how do these sort of things happen anyhow? What causes such insane shifts in demand that people are suddenly willing to pay so much more than before?

[noiseredux]

awareness plays a role. I mean, the more people that find out about Shantae means higher demand, but same supply.

[AppleQueso]

i imagine stuff like awareness does indeed have an effect, but I have trouble grasping how it can cause a game to jump five times in price.

[noiseredux]

that Shantae example does seem a bit extreme. Anyone wanna sell me a copy for $40?

[AmishSamurai]

Shantae is the easiest to explain- a sequel appeared in the public eye out of nowhere, was very well-received, suddenly everybody wanted to play the first.

FF7 (and Earthbound) are expensive because fanboys.

No idea how Tron Bonne got where it is now.

[Flake]

Tron Bonne had a really small print run, just like Legends 2. Scarcity is to blame there.

[AppleQueso]

I remember seeing Tron Bonne in bargain bins

why oh why didn't I grab it then

[Opa Opa]

Shantae is the easiest to explain- a sequel appeared in the public eye out of nowhere, was very well-received, suddenly everybody wanted to play the first.

Kid Icarus has gone up as well.

[CRTGAMER]

Its the bloody Internet. Double edged sword of finding that elusive game at jacked up prices. I don't rely on VGPC to buy a game, it only tracks the common sources. An inexpensive chance at swap meets, thrift stores and yes even Gamestop.

Perfect example is look at Gamecube Phantasy Star, a huge price disparity.
http://www.gamestop.com/Catalog/Product ... t_id=35651

[final fight cd]

Tron Bonne had a really small print run, just like Legends 2. Scarcity is to blame there.

what is the small print run? a few hundred thousand? and are print runs even released to the public?

i also think that popularity of "collecting" has a role in it as well. plus, i think that people like to buy expensive games just to say, "look, everybody, what i own!" so simply put, demand goes up with less people selling, as somebody else has already said.