My sealed modern games, to defile or not (appraisals perhaps)?

[Warmsignal]

I'm not a sealed collector. But the idiot collector in me, is somehow bothered by the fact that I have plenty of modern games sealed. Games that are no longer really in print. Sometimes I wonder, are any of these worth leaving intact, and re-buying a used copy instead? I know some people believe that modern games will never be valuable, nor desirable in sealed form. But that's what everyone thought about classic games back in their day. Yes modern games have larger production runs, but still, few stay sealed.

Still I have a hard to justifying why I'd keep anything that I have sealed. Unless, the value skyrocketed so much that it would be worth selling off, just to re-buy a used copy and spend the extra money on more games. I know that I could have them VGA graded and probably sucker a lot of brain damaged people into paying 10x their worth, but I have no interest in making that kind of investment either.

Below are a list of my modern sealed games, all of which are original print unless noted. Yes I have a lot of unplayed games, don't judge -

Wii games

RE 4 Wii edition
Dead Space Extraction
Cursed Mountain
Alien Syndrome
Mercury Meltdown Revolution
Mario Kart Wii
Mario Galaxy (already played someone else's)
Mad World
Epic Mickey
Fire Emblem Radiant Dawn
Zack and Wiki
Deadly Creatures
De Blob
De Blob 2
Red Steel 2
Sonic Colors
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Trixy In Toy Land
Pikmin
Okami (with IGN watermark misprint)
Nights
Mushroom Men
Punchout!
Rayman Origins
Zelda Skyward Sword Collectors Edition (with Wii-mote)
Kirby's Dream Collection

360 games

Final Fantasy XIII
Final Fantasy XIII 2
Lightnight Returns
Resonance Of Fate
Oblivion GOTY
Star Ocean: Last Hope
Infinite Undescovery
Fallout New Vegas
Risen
Mass Effect 2
Mass Effect 3
Rise of the Argonauts
Fable II
Fable III
Fable The Journey
Fallout 3 (already played someone else's)
Dark Souls
Neir
Last Remnant
Tales of Vesperia
Skyrim
Kingdom Under Fire Circle of Doom
N3
N3 2
Stormrise
Otomedius
Tekken 6
Tomb Raider
Bionic Commando
Dark Void
Too Human
Banjo Nuts and Bolts
Catherine (with art book)
Velvet Assassin
Arkham Asylum
Sherlock Holmes Testament
Shadows of The Damned
Max Payne 3
Blades of Time
Prototype
Dishonored
Wet
Onechenbara
Quantum Theory
Golden Axe
X-Blades
Dark Siders
Hunted
Ninja Blade
Afro Samuri
Beyonetta
Fairytale Fights
Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
Enslaved
Sonic Generations
Castlevania
Just Cause 2
Wolfenstein
Duke Nukem Forever
Crackdown 2
Singularity
Bioshock
Farcry Instincts
Halo ODST
Halo Reach
Quantum of Solace
Rage
Metro 2033
Lost Planet 2
Vampire Rain
Left 4 Dead
Alone in the Dark
Dirt 2
Killer Is Dead

PS3 games

Tales of Xillia
Sniper Ghost Warrior
Heavenly Sword
Trinity Universe
Project Diva F

DS games

Giana Sisters DS
Tokyo Beat Down
Magical Starsign
Glory of Heracles
Nostalgia
The Dark Spire
Wario Ware DIY
Duke Nukem Critical Mass
Emily The Strange
Professor Layton Last Specter
Super Monkey Ball
Moon
Tornado
Dementium 2
Dokomodoka
Trace Memory
Izuna 2
Trauma Center 2
Rock Revolution
Animal Crossing Wild World
Fire Emblem
Left Brain Right Brain
Sonic Rush
Chrono Trigger
Super Princess Peach
Ghost Trick
Scribblenauts
Flower, Sun, and Rain
Legendary Starfy
World End With You
Mario & Luigi Partners In Time

PSP games

Class of Heroes 2
Loco Roco
Patapon 3
Jeandarc
3rd Birthday
Astonishia Story
Frantix


Not to mention I already have a sealed backlog of 3DS, Vita, and Wii U. I don't know why I do this to myself. I should just tear open every new game I buy, if I intend to play it right away or not. Otherwise I end up with a bunch of OOP sealed games, some of which become more coveted than others for their sealed status.

If anything here stands out as something I probably should not open, I guess let me know? Also considering games which may not be coveted right now, but likely will be some day.

[blcklblskt]

I never open games unless I'm going to play them immediately.  It seems stupid to open a game if you're not going to play it, especially when certain titles increase in value dramatically after their print runs are over (especially first-party Nintendo titles).  If you're interested in playing a game and the sealed price has skyrocketed, I'd sell the sealed copy and buy a used copy in its place.

Stuff like RPGs generally increase in value because they have lower print runs, but that isn't always a given.  Atlus has been steadily re-releasing their PS2 titles (I think all of the SMT games have be re-released at this point) which has decimated the value for sealed copies.  However, don't expect big, or even any, profit on most of your games.  Sealed game collecting is still a niche area for collectors, and many people don't want to spend the premium they demand.

Definitely keep the Fire Emblem games sealed if you're not going to play them.  I'd recommend selling them and picking up used copies as they are great games.  Every Fire Emblem game released in North America has risen in value (especially sealed).

[Shadow Kisuragi]

Honestly, if the price has already plummeted, you won't see a return later in its life. There are already $200+ games for the Xbox 360, and they never really dropped below $30 before steadily climbing, so you can take that as you will.

Project Diva F stood out for me on PS3, since we KNOW it had a limited physical release and it's in high demand.

[techwizard]

i agree with above, if it seems like a title that historically wouldn't sell for much (most annual sports games), then keeping it sealed won't help any. i usually go with what blcklblskt said, keep them sealed until the day you decide to play them. until that day there's no real reason to open them, and you can decide when you're about to open them if it's worth keeping sealed or not on a case-by-case basis (checking ebay etc).

[Duke.Togo]

I would agree with keeping titles sealed unless you plan to actually play them. The idea that no one will want to collect sealed games in the future is a bit silly. You may have to wait 20+years to see a real rise in demand and find out what is really a stand out collector's item, but there is no point in opening them for no reason.

[MaterialHandlerMike]

Very few games I leave sealed. The DKC: Tropical Freeze I just posted on Small Scores, was opened almost immediately. I have no intention of playing the game anytime soon beyond testing it to make sure it isn't somehow defective. That being said, "Collecting" games is very new to me and I may have small regrets in the future about opening games. In the meantime, its only money, and I can't take it (or my games) to the grave. Toys on the other hand...for the last decade, I have bought doubles if I want to open them.

[GamerNick]

I agree with Duke in the thought of keeping your games sealed unless you intend to play them right away.  I have a ton of sealed games mostly RPG's stretched across the newer systems and I have a lot of sealed older games.  So I am a fan of people who keep their games sealed.  So in the end it's your choice whether to open it and test the fates of the video game gods that it could eventually become rare oop or short printed games and then kick yourself in the proverbial ass later for opening it. Those are just my thoughts and you have a pretty solid list of games :-)

[MrWunderful]

I might be different then most, but I play every single game I buy- even if it is only for a couple minutes. You never know, you might find a new favorite!  None of my games are sealed.

[killerkobra]

I do the same thing dude. I buy new titles as they come out then forget about them, due to playing other games. Then when I finally remember I have them, they are like a year or 2 old. Some games like Mario's, Zelda's and Castlevania's I just leave sealed and buy a loose disc for cheap to play. These game series are my favorites so a sealed game for then is always great. I guess I'm just selective.

Some games I get as gifts. Mostly 360 games like Batman Arkham Alsyum and City for example, but I'm totally not a modern gamer for the most part so I just leave them. Not cause they will be worth money but because I just don't care.