Sealed Games: Shame, Greed, and Hesitation

[nightrnr]

Didn't know where to post this so here it is:

Okay, I think I have voiced my opinion on collecting sealed games before (Ones you can't buy no mo') It's a tragedy.

However, at risk of exposing myself as a hypocrite, I'd like to reveal that even I have some sealed games in my collection (more than I care to admit).
I might make a list soon and shock the world with it.

I never intended to have them on this scale, I just never got around to them (yet) and didn't see the point in opening them before I was ready to at least investigate the manual (if not play the damn thing).

But now, in this crazy obsessed world that we live in, I find myself in a conundrum. Do I sell off some of them and re-buy opened copies (because I did buy them with intent to play one day)? Doing so would help fund my future collection and I wouldn't even be out anything (except time, time I could be playing). But of course, this would fuel the madness that I despise.

Or do I do the noble thing and free the games so that they can fulfill their purpose in life?

Of course, there are a few games that I have no real reason for opening:
Marvel vs. Street Fighter (for example) I have a couple copies of for Saturn. I bought a sealed copy once because it was a great price and I love the box-set artwork. That may be the only time I have broken my code and got a game truly because it looks pretty on my shelf. I'm not going to open it, I have a gamer copy for that.
((( I'm sure I just lost 50 respect points right there ))).

Then there's the wonderful world of flash carts:
I played through Etrian Odyssey for DS on a cheap flash cart a while back. My sealed copy was bought a couple years before. Don't ask me why I decided to Download and play it that way, but there's no point in tearing it open now (even though I plan on keeping it).
--and there are other games that I've done this with too (part of me kind of regrets opening Ninja Five-O, and I really shouldn't care. I feel shamed to feel shame).
Oh, and Tron Bonne; a small, weak part of me screams at me sometimes saying "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE ? But in the end, I think I'm glad it's over with.

If I have a means to have my cake and eat it too (I always hated that expression) should I open them? Or should I preserve what I can for some lunatic collector with cash to burn?

And Finally, I plan to copy some (more) of my disc-based games for digital use, what with the inevitability (and at best uncertainty) of laser/optical failure. And yet, I hesitate to open that copy of Brave Fencer Mushasi (again, for example and no you can't have it )

I think the only reason that I even buy sealed games is because they are/were not much different in price at the time (new games get clearanced quite often) and because I usually want something in nice shape and complete.
I guess they are fun to open too. Why deny myself the pleasure when the occasion arises?

So that's my deal. I'm not sure why I posted all that and I'll probably just continue to open my games as I need them (and as it should be). But let's hear your thoughts on the matter (assuming any of you read through my rambling and even if you didn't).

Feel free to list all your discontinued sealed games too. It might be fun to hear what everyone has stashed away.

[AppleQueso]

Oh no not another thread about sealed collecting

[nightrnr]

Oh no not another thread about sealed collecting

Show me to the other ones. I couldn't find one that I was happy with.

I'll even destroy this one if it's too bothersome.

[dsheinem]

I know we've had threads...

Basically they just boil down to: Open it if you want. If not, don't. Sell them if you want. If not, don't.

[AppleQueso]

Oh no not another thread about sealed collecting

Show me to the other ones. I couldn't find one that I was happy with.

I'll even destroy this one if it's too bothersome.

nah

i'm just being pithy

carry on

[darsparx]

Well admiteddly right now if I do buy any new games they stay sealed but for good reason because while I do want to try them out I have way too many old games to play and catch up on even if I do toss a newer game in that I may've gotten in the past few months if i can(though freedom wars and fire emblem awakening are glaring at me begging to be played....and the urge is really really strong to pick them up off the shelf o_o)

[ZeroAX]

Just sell them and buy opened copies. You are not hurting anyone, if nothing else you are increasing supply while lowering demand (since you don't care about sealed games) going against what you don't like. And it's a bit hypocritical to talk of repetetive threads when we also allow many people to make new threads about games that already have like 4 threads dedicated to themselves

[Purkeynator]

I have sealed. Copies of Smash Bros Melee and Pikmin 1&2 on Gamecube among others. Been thinking now is a good time to sell them and pick up used copies.

[irixith]

Open them. The older the games, the better. Video each one, and then post them to Youtube. That way you can hear the collective screams of all the people who nonsensically collect sealed games, and hopefully the collective screams of those collecting the even more nonsensical VGA graded sealed copies.

If anyone wants to collect boxart, there's plenty of it on the internet in high resolution to print and display whatever way strikes your fancy.

[AppleQueso]

If anyone wants to collect boxart, there's plenty of it on the internet in high resolution to print and display whatever way strikes your fancy.

If only retro games came on vinyl