By Ranken Today, there are more video games being released than ever before. This boom has resulted in an explosion of retro video game collectibles as well. With the recent booming interest in vintage gaming, investors have taken notice and are starting to look at vintage gaming as a new potential investment sector. Because of this increased demand, many people now want to get involved in vintage gaming as an alternative investment instead of just casually collecting games or playing them for fun. This guide will give you the inside scoop on how you can start investing in retro video games as an alternative investment and potentially turn your collection into liquid savings that last longer than you will.
Why Invest in Retro Video Games?
The primary reason why many investors are taking the plunge into vintage gaming is because it is a much lower risk investment. Fewer games have been released in the past, making it more likely that the value of your collection will increase as demand skyrockets. This makes them a much safer bet than video games that are still being released today. Furthermore, retro video games are also starting to become collector’s items. The scarcity surrounding these games and their unique design also makes them a lucrative investment opportunity when compared to other types of collectibles such as comic books or action figures.
Important Factors When Investing in Retro Video Games
There are many important factors when investing in retro video games. Some of the most important aspects to consider before investing in retro video games are the condition and rarity of the games in question. The condition is largely determined by what type of console they were originally released on, so you need to be careful that you’re buying games that have an acceptable level of quality. Rarity is also key to investing in retro video games and can vary wildly depending on how popular a game was during its original release. Additionally, many investors will want to consider whether there is a chance for future value appreciation when purchasing a game. For example, if a particular game has been out for decades but hasn’t seen any significant value appreciation, it might not make sense for potential buyers to invest in this game because it would likely be more profitable to wait until the price has increased significantly.
Understanding the Value of a Collection
Before you jump into buying retro video games, it’s important to understand what type of value the collection can provide. There are a few different types of value that a collection can bring. Some are primarily monetary and some are sentimental. A monetary value is determined by how much the item would be worth in its new condition if it were sold on eBay or in a game shop on the open market. For example, an NES game with a high demand would likely have a higher monetary value than an NES game with a low demand because it’s more likely to find another buyer for the NES game on eBay or in a store. A sentimental value refers to the emotional impact that certain games had on people. This could be based on how well-loved or loved certain games are within your family or friends circles, which is why some retro collectibles are personable and others aren’t worth as much as other items such as sports memorabilia. Aspects like rarity and condition can also affect an item’s monetary value and sentimental value. If something is rarer than others, it will likely have more monetary value because there will be less available copies of them out there.. An item that is in better condition has greater sentimental value because it’s likely to hold more memories than other items that may be less worn down over time.
How to invest in retro video games as an alternative investment
First, you need a list of games that have the potential to be worth significant money in the future. This can be done either by using a price guide or by doing your own research and finding out what games are in demand with older gamers. Once you have compiled this list, find out how much these games typically sell for on the secondary market. Once you know what the current value of your game is, compare that price to the cost to purchase that game new today. If the cost is less than what it would take to buy it new, then you may want to invest in that game as an investment instead of collecting it now.
Unofficial Gaming Collectibles
The key to investing in retro video games as an alternative investment is to purchase unofficial gaming collectibles. These are items that are not officially licensed by the game developer but were made by private collectors or fans of retro games and have been brought back into mainstream popularity through word-of-mouth or on a niche website. The best way to find these unlicensed items is to stay in touch with your favorite vintage gaming websites. Those sites will often post where they get their product and what the price ranges might be, as well as what other collectors are selling it for so you can get an idea of the current market value of the item. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to make an educated decision about whether or not this type of investment is worth your time and money.
Developed Gaming Collectibles
Much like other collectibles, you have the potential to turn your collection into liquid savings. One way this can happen is by developing your own line of items. This is a popular option for many people who start collecting games and want to take it one step further. For example, two companies that are well-known in the retro gaming market are Funko Pop! and Nintendo. They both manufacture figures of retro video game characters that are highly sought after in the collectible marketplace. Although they typically release these items as limited editions with very low production numbers, they still sell out quickly and steadily with increasing demand. There’s no telling how far these products could go in value if they were continually produced year after year instead of being limited edition releases.
Game-Specific Investment Strategies
The best strategy in investing in vintage video games is to find a particular genre or game that you are interested in and focus on purchasing only those games. This strategy is better than trying to collect everything as it will allow you to buy less, but still get a diverse collection. For example, there are many collectors who want to buy only Nintendo games, but this is not going to be the most profitable investment strategy since Nintendo does not have the most retro games released. Collecting new releases can also be problematic because of limited supply and high demand, so it’s better to stick with older titles that are more readily available and have more consistent demand. Another game-specific investment strategy would be buying only retro titles at a certain time of year. These collectibles tend to go up significantly in value around Christmas time, so if you’re planning on investing during this season, it might not make sense for you to buy anything else besides Christmas-themed items like consoles, controllers, or figurines.
Where to Find Retro Gaming Deals
“Retro gaming is a great investment because the prices of these items have increased more than 20% in the last year.” – Jason Cipriani With so many options, it’s hard to know where to start. However, you can go on auction sites such as eBay or Amazon and search for “retro gaming” and “vintage games.” This will help narrow your search by type of game (arcade, home console, etc.), platform (Nintendo, Sega, etc.), and make/model. Other places to find deals are in game stores such as GameStop or Gamestop. These stores also offer different forms of payment that make them ideal for purchases like this. You may even find old-school games that are still in boxes or unopened at these locations. Besides browsing for deals online or in store, there are some other ways you can score retro gaming collectibles. It could be anything from visiting garage sales to buying from charity auctions.
