Weekly Poll 3/02/08 - Stickers and black marker

[Tan]

Personally I try to avoid them as much as I can. I'm glad EB/GameStop has changed the stickers they use, they aren't nearly as overly-adhesive as they used to be. Well the yellow used game stickers anyway, the white new game ones still seem as bad as always. That of course leads into the whole sealed shrinkwrap versus "opened but new" debate.

I can usually get black marker off carts and even discs but boxes/cases are another story. I have a few Xbox games that were hard to come by that were bought from BlockBuster, a bit of work got all the marker off the discs and the cases I just swapped with a cheap $3 sports title.

I also notice a lot of sour eBay transactions where a stock photo doesn't show nasty stickers on the cartridge or box. Sellers know a turn-off when they see one but most don't care enough to clean them. I've also seen many collectors who have no qualms with writing or stickers on their games but it seems mostly restricted to those who don't care whether their games are CIB or not.

One time I had even seen an O2 game CIB that had blood and hair matted to the cover, nasty stuff. Murder weapon perhaps? I don't know. Needless to say I passed on that one.

[Cobra]

I will buy them but I would rather not. If there is a unmarked unstickerd version available at the time for the same price or a little more I'll get that one instead.

[Alabama-Shrimp]

if something is very rare or unusual or just cheap, i think a bit of damage or writing dosent mater espically of ypu can get it off, as for stickers most games new or old come white about 4 each it seams now but for the most part they seem to be the kind that dosnt leave stuff behind.

[NES_Rules]

Since all of my games come from the wild, there is almost always some kind of sticker or writing on them. So, I'm all too used to cleaning games when I bring them home.
Stickers are no problem if they are not on the label of the game. Rubbing alcohol will take them off any cartridge or disc. Stickers on cardboard boxes are usually not too bad if it's a fairly new sticker, anything older than 5 years has usually chemically bonded to the box, so I don't even try removing them.
Permanent marker is a pain in the ass for most games, if it's on a shiny game label, usually not a problem to remove, but nearly impossible to get rid of completely for some games.

If it's a game I don't have, I usually buy it regardless of condition (if the price is right too). Games that are valuable and have something I can easily clean, I'll buy them. Anything that is worthless and is worse looking than what I have, I won't buy.

[OatBob]

I always end up scrubbing the sticker goo off my carts anyways.  Its always a work in progress.  More recently, I've been replacing cracked jewel cases too.  The only ones I do care about keeping original are the sports games with the holographic league "licensed" stickers on them.

[Fuyukaze]

It all depends on the game, the type of stickers, and the condition of the game.  Carts, the label has to be able to be saved and in good condition.  If I believe the sticker will destroy or damage the front label, it better well be a dirt cheap copy of a game I dont have.  If it's CD and it could harm the CD, manual, or outside paper, not worth it unless it's a game I realy want for a price I'd be insane to pass on.

[PDorr3]

Stickers Ican deal with sometimes if they are removable (newgamestop stickers suck though). Marker is more of a pain, I only buy games with marker if it is very minimal, never buy a cart with someones name on it unless its dirt cheap.

[Tynstar]

Depends really. If the sticker or marker is on the label then no I will pass. If it is on teh cart it can be cleaned off.

[Sirgin]

Stickers usually aren't a problem. Even if they don't come off smoothly, white spirit will make sure the job gets done. One time though, I had bought this game in a store called "Extra Zone" (No idea if that exists in the states) and there was this fairly thick sticker on the back of it (completely white). Stupid me tried to remove it, turned out it was a security sticker with the metal strips thing inside! I pulled it off anyway (or what came off anyway) but that box looks ruined

[logical123]

Hmm... I vote but never posted. Well, I voted 'Yes, a bit of elbow grease and it's no big deal.', because to me, well, it is no big deal. I've had to scrub of some of the most disgusting carts before, and when you finish, you say to yourself 'I probably saved a buck or 2 buying one with stickers and stuff on it, rather than buying a mint copy'. Don't hear me wrong, I buy mint games too, but Elbow Grease is very expendable.