The VGA is BS

[Hobie-wan]

So I've tried not to go post by post and rebuke every point, but since it's been repeated, I can't not reply to one factual inaccuracy.

Autographs do not force a grade to 70 or lower. See for example the current auction for a Twin Snakes signed by its creators (item ID 140921262206).

FWIW, the 70 is mentioned in their own FAQ.

http://www.vggrader.com/faq.aspx#autograph

According to that auction, it was signed in 2004. Perhaps that was not VGA policy to keep it 70 or less when it was graded.

[o.pwuaioc]

So I've tried not to go post by post and rebuke every point, but since it's been repeated, I can't not reply to one factual inaccuracy.

Autographs do not force a grade to 70 or lower. See for example the current auction for a Twin Snakes signed by its creators (item ID 140921262206).

FWIW, the 70 is mentioned in their own FAQ.

http://www.vggrader.com/faq.aspx#autograph

According to that auction, it was signed in 2004. Perhaps that was not VGA policy to keep it 70 or less when it was graded.

That ebay link is all the more reason to not trust VGA at all.

"The game was opened only once in order for Kojima and Shinkawa-san to sign the inner cover, since they would not sign the shrink wrap. The game discs have NOT been played, nor has anything else been touched. The extremely high 90+ Gold rating from the Video Game Authority confirms this. In fact, 90+ is the highest rating I've seen for a copy of the The Twin Snakes on eBay."

So it's been opened and it still received a 90+ Gold?

[theclaw]

No. Since it was opened, VGA rated it on the "qualified" scale. Look closer.

[LBJeff]

I'm pissed I didn't think of the idea sooner than whoever is running the VGA scheme. Send me your games, i'll make a subjective observation, throw a number on it, charge you a shit ton and not have to spend a dime.

[GSZX1337]

I think the VGA is a bit outrageous, but they're a legitimate operation as far as I can gather. I remember seeing comic grading back in the early 2000's and thought it was kinda stupid. The VGA is the same only with games. The lads at VGA really struck gold here by tapping into a fairly new and flourishing market.

As for the VGA raising asking prices on retro games, that is simply not happening. If the VGA never formed, these same jackasses would still be asking for ridiculous prices on their games, and sealed games would still carry a heavy premium. This shit's happened before the VGA and will keep happening even if the company goes down in flames. The only thing the VGA has really done in this respect is show how far game collecting has come and how much money is involved.

[k.vlaros]

I can think of two changes to their grading policy, at least that were explicit and public. First is the introduction of the +/- grade. I agree with a previous post that said there's typically a split in going price between gold and silver level games. The other change was the qualified grading. On this relatively recent point, I agree their website needs updating and elaboration since there is now an important workaround* to the "max 70" line, at least for games with cover art sleeves. My guess is qualified was introduced for older boxed cartridge games that were still new and unplayed, with excellent condition cardboard, but snags or tears or completely missing shrink-wrap. In these cases, a qualified grade (if the submitter simply removed the remaining shrink-wrap) would come out higher than the standard grade with the wrap on. Qualified games do appear to sit longer and sell for less.

*except it really is still consistent with their purpose so I almost hesitate to call it a work around. They aren't appraisers or signature experts. They basically offer three services in a grade (which comes out to roughly 50 bucks for the slowest return rate): authenticate that the seal is genuine, encase the game for easier handling and display and additional protection, and quantify the exterior physical condition of the game and/or verify it is unused.

[Retrodude]

I think Sealed collectors aren't fair to the people who PLAY GAMES

I have to agree with this

Why wouldn't that be fair to people who play games? If all you're doing is playing them and don't care about collecting, then flashcarts should suffice.

That's not the point. I have an NES flashcart as well as a Game Boy emulator on my DS, but I still like to have physical copies of my favorites so I have the option of playing the real deal if I so choose. It's also nice to be able to just pick up a game or two that you haven't played but perhaps you've heard of it and kept it in the back of your mind (and that goes for any system I have, not just those two).

All that said, I've met "collecters" who seem to take great pleasure in the fact that they're turning it into a hobby for elitist snobs and pricing gamers out of the market. That, to me, is just wrong on so many levels. I can see paying a premium on stuff thats actually rare and hard to find, but the way stuff gets overpriced when it's nowhere near rare is just ridiculous and this should not be happening.

[Opa Opa]

I totally "get" sealed collecting. I even used to collect sealed games. I don't do it anymore though, and in fact steer clear of sealed games altogether because at this time I would just open it, and I don't think that's fair to the sealed collecting community.

I think Sealed collectors aren't fair to the people who PLAY GAMES

Oh, come now.

The retro game-playing community is not affected by sealed collectors.

Used copies of Chrono Trigger SNES: ebay link ~ 19 listings

New copies of Chrono Trigger SNES: ebay link ~ 2 listings

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Sealed games are not hurting the game playing community. Are those two sealed copies going to ruin someone else's chance of playing Chrono Trigger? No. There are plenty of used copies of just about every game to satisfy the people who want to play.

[Retrodude]

Used copies of Chrono Trigger SNES: ebay link ~ 19 listings

Thanks, Opa. I think that proves my point. The rarity guide at digitpress.com lists Chrono Trigger as a 3, which is "not so common in the wild, but fairly common on the internet". And yet, the lowest listed price for a loose cart is $85 BIN. High demand or not, if that's not gouging, I don't know what is.

[Opa Opa]

Current market value isn't gouging. Rare or not; the price is what it is.

edit: and if you check sold auction listings you'll see that it has gone for under $70. High BINs don't tell the whole story.