Racketboy Featured in an Ars piece on Rare Games Re-Issued

[racketboy]

Ben talked with me yesterday in preps for this piece -- he did a nice job:
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20 ... eases.html

[noiseredux]

a good read.

[corn619]

I think rare games reissued on downloadable services is ok, but I like owning the disc. I think disc verisons of reissued games will lose value temporarily, but will go back up once a download is no longer available. Did Panzer Dragoon Saga or other rare games lose value because you can download the ROM or ISO? No it did not, because downloads don't come with cases, booklets and artwork. I as a collector want this stuff with the game, something downloads don't offer. I find it fun and authenic playing games on the original hardware, it takes me back in time. Loading up SMB3 in a real NES is like reliving my childhood, playing a download on the Wii...not the same feeling I'm afraid. If they make Virtual Boy downloads on VC theres no way it will be the same experience as the original console. Downloads don't resell to easily either. So when I want to sell my SMB3 cart complete with book, instructions and box good luck selling your downloaded copy. You can't sell a download because the download is locked to your account, and your account is controlled by the console maker therefore its worthless. People may think they own downloadable material but they don't, for the most part they lease it. I don't trust companies in control of my digital content. I must have downloaded Tetris about 4 to 5 times on my cell phones now all the same company might I add, was that game transferrable? No it wasn't. People may disagree with this statement, but I don't care. I love old consoles and games taking up space in my game room. Call me old school hence why I like to this website. They can't make every rare a game a download so I don't let it bother me. I collect games to have a awesome game collection, not fill my wallet. Good article though Racket.

[Mozgus]

Liked it, and I agree.

[RadarScope1]

Just read it - didn't know it was going to be there but I saw it when I hit Ars today. Nice!

Totally agree with everything that was said/written. I love owning the original game, manual, hardware and controllers. But I'm thrilled that games are finally getting to the point where classic titles are readily available to new players who've never experienced them before. If you love the game, it's worth having the disc.

[MrPopo]

I've always felt that collecting for the sake of collecting is a stupid idea. The whole point of a video game is to be played. Similarly, the point of a towel is to be used to absorb water, not to just look pretty on the bathroom wall. Thus, I feel that the rereleases devaluing the original versions to be a good thing, as they make it easier to get the original version.

I agree that the original version is always preferred. Playing on old hardware brings me back to my childhood. And there's also the fact that a game was originally programmed for a specific piece of hardware. Playing it on said hardware is the intended experience of the developers.

I do appreciate having more than just the cart/disk. I always am willing to pay a (reasonable) premium to get the manuals and the maps that came with a game. That stuff just helps to enhance the experience. I am less enamoured with the original boxes, though, as I am in the process of casing all my carts through the Cover Project anyway, as well as moving my jewel case games into DVD cases.

[Curlypaul]

Interesting article. I'm surprised that the value of reissued games has really altered at all since the kind of people that would pay the top price for a mint Ikaruga are the kind of people that want the original packaging as well as the gaming experience. If you are just after the game to play then you could already download the iso for free and play it anyway.

It cool that people that have never heard of these games might just download them and play them, so many people talk to me about games lately but they all fall into 2 camps - the brain training/wii fit bunch or the COD/Grand theft auto bunch. Neither of which would know a thing about Rez, Ikaruga, JSR, Nights etc

@MrPopo - I agree that games are meant to be played and I have no interest in buying retro sealed games, but then I look at the number of games I own and have never played and then go out and buy more just cos I see a bargain and I cant help but admit that there is an element of compulsion there.

I think this urge to collect things is very very odd, and its present in a lot of use to varying degrees. I know someone that suffered a brain injury and afterwards he started to collect carrier bags and dead lighters - he must have had a few hundred dead lighters under his bed and apparently thats quite normal for someone with his type of injury.

[Ramatut4001]

Great piece.

[aaron]

I've always felt that collecting for the sake of collecting is a stupid idea. The whole point of a video game is to be played. Similarly, the point of a towel is to be used to absorb water, not to just look pretty on the bathroom wall.

my ex-wife used to flip the fuck out if i ever used the "decorative" towels to dry my hands, so the "just having it to look pretty" mentality applies there as well.

but yeah, i agree, i do feel collecting for the sake of just having it is kind of silly, though i have to fight myself on this quite a bit. sometimes i'll catch myself wanting to buy a game just because i think it's going to be rare or something, not just because i want to play it. i'm the same way with sequels, i have to have everything in the series, not just the second or third. it drives me nuts sometimes.

i just spent 30 bucks on three games that i will probably hate but i know my son will love to play. two of them were platinum hits games, which i wouldn't have been caught dead purchasing a few years ago. i'm to the point now though where i feel like it's just silly and they're meant to be played and enjoyed, not just looked at and enjoyed.

[khyrox]

Great piece, and on one of my favorite sites too!

I enjoyed the mention of Panzer Dragoon Saga... one of my all-time fave console RPG.