Video game prisons, where rare games get a life sentence.

[Quackula]

There aren't really any game stores around here except Gamestop, so I haven't been to an actual store that sells classic games except the likes of Goodwill and thrift stores. But, I have seen plenty of flea market vendors who charge like this. And the worst part of that, is that since they're mostly all outside, the games are just destroyed by the sun after a season of being out there every week for 6 months or so. And I know some have set there much longer than that. I don't get it at all, mark up a decent condition game to double its value, bake it in the sun for a couple years so the label is totally faded and the plastic gets brittle, but never lower the price? I don't get how they pack them up and put them back out every week without realizing how stupid that is. For the hundreds of trips those games have made to the flea market, the extra weight has had to of cost them more in gas than they'll ever get for the games.

yeah I hate that shit. I remember going to a flea market this past year and seeing a copy of Sakura Wars So Long My Love in *pretty good* shape for $20. I asked if he'd take $15, and I mean -- haggling? Nope. He literally snatched it out of my hands as if I were a thief and basically told me he didn't even want to do business with me. Nice right?

Wow that's rude. I mean geez, does this guy (and people like him) not realize that haggling is part of the whole flea market experience? If you don't want people to try and haggle, then don't open a flea market booth.

[Nightowljrm]

I can't remember the place in general, but during my senior year in high school, my class went to watch some debate in the Dallas/Fort-Worth area. The retro gaming place in the mall was so grossly over-priced, a lot like the way the OP mentioned, but not that bad. I do remember seeing Dragon Warrior II for $50 though. *sigh*

[Vectorguy]

I hate places such as this, or ANY vendor that doesn't belong in a certain setting just to make money.  For example, I read an article in my local paper once about a guy who sold sci-fi merchandise at expos but wasn't into sci-fi at all.  He said people would start talking to him about favorite sci-fi show episodes of theirs and he had no idea what they were talking about, admitting in the article he was just in it for the cash.  I've been to local record conventions here too and knew of a guy who sold bootleg cds and such.  Too bad he actually made money too since I saw him there for years, yet whenever someone was looking for a cd and needed the case to be opened up so they could look at one and possibly buy it, time and time again I heard him say "I don't really know anything about this band...".  Yeah, wonder why  Another guy sold guitar picks with band logos on them that were faded and wanted $12-25 for them (!).  The next show I went to he was gone, but a much more respectable vendor was there, selling not only much better looking picks, but for only like $5 each.  I bought a Primus one from him, as that wasn't bad.

So, yeah, rant from me here  This just sucks no matter where it comes from, just as long as it comes from people who don't care how they sell their crap (and I DO mean crap in this case!).

[Duke.Togo]

This thread really illustrates how you have to support the sellers out there that treat people right and love the hobby. Might that used 360 game be $5 more there than GameStop? Maybe, but they are the ones that will also have that game that you have been looking for forever put aside for you.

[Shadow Kisuragi]

This thread really illustrates how I should film most of my hunting at new flea markets. I had to stop carrying around my hard copy of my collection because the flea market vendors only in it for the money would kick me out of their stores, complaining that I was a reseller without even looking at what I had in my hand...yet, what are they doing?

I've also had really good experiences, as Crabby has seen - vendors that, even though they knew he wouldn't be back, still gave him a hell of a discount just because they knew he would take care of the games. Unfortunately, that vendor hasn't gotten much new stuff in, but I make it a point to stop by every time and look through.

[Hungrymoose]

Stores around here are mostly good and will haggle with me because the know me and I shop there a lot.  There are a few that have pissed me off though.  The worst was a store in Ohio when I went last Oct.  There were 3 guys in the back huddled around a laptop.  There were quite a few good things that I was interested in.  When I selected a few things that really were overpriced I asked about them coming down and they immediately said they couldn't.  One of the guys said the owner was not even there and that he sells most of his stuff on eBay anyway.  Well, I put my items back and left.

[SirConnery]

One day when I win the lottery, I'm going to open a local video game club. It will have a library with one of each game, alphabetized, along with the system with HDTV (or tube TV of that era). I will need to charge a monthly/yearly fee for members to access it. It wouldn't be exorbitantly high or anything, but enough to survive and keep new games coming in.

I'm actually surprised this hasn't been done yet on a massive scale. I'd gladly pay a monthly/yearly fee to go to a facility and access entire gaming catalogs.

[cverz2]

One of the goodwill stores close to me is a video game Prison.  I don't know who prices their games but it is absurd.  Found Mario Party there once ( 30.00 ), just recently went in there against my better judgement and seen a huge stack of Game Boy games.  I asked to see them and they were priced at 8.00 each.  I have a hard time believing they actually sell any games there.

OH Yeah!! I almost forgot.  They have had the same Atari games in the back of the store forever.  Priced at 5.00 each. All of which are extremely common games.

[VideoGameRescue]

ya thats pretty crazy when people try and get unreal prices for their games. What does holding these games prisoner do to help the store? If people arent willing pay the prices then your trade in will suffer. Why would I trade you my games when I wont be able to afford any of the games that  i do want.

[RetroRage]

I think some specialty stores or retro game stores keep the prices high on some rare games because they really don't want to sell them, they use them as an attraction to get people into the store.  One store near me has Flintstones Surprise at Dinosaur Peak and he wants almost $600!  I'm pretty sure he just likes showing it off and has no intention of selling it.