Collecting unique and hard-to-find pieces represents the highest point a collector can aspire to reach, the peak of an important journey in which they have invested passion, money, and time.
In the world of video games, in which the collectors’ sector makes use of all three of the aforementioned elements and a good dose of expertise and the search for exclusivity, consoles still constitute a thriving market of definite interest.
There are two distinct types of collectors when it comes to the console market: the category of purists, made up of all those who grew up with antique pieces that literally made video game history, Intellivision, Atari and Commodore 64 are just some of these sacred monsters, and those who instead have turned to less vintage retrogaming, if we can define it that way, the kind that includes machines designed for the arcade world: we’re talking about the NES, the Super Nintendo and the Sega Mega Drive, just to cite the most famous ones, at least as far as the mainstream market is concerned.
Dutifully, and yet, this separation does not seem so clear-cut: the collector, as such, does not limit himself to the object, in this case the video game console that made his childhood so unforgettable; on the contrary, he broadens his horizons by engaging with other enthusiasts, investing time in searching for other pieces, acquiring information about release dates, technical specifications, and the requirements needed in order to proceed with the purchase.
A few numbers, to clarify these concepts better: The Nintendo 64, the historic jewel of the Kyoto company, is sold today at prices that hover around 150 euros, while machines like the Mega Drive, with its Sonics, Out Run, and semi-unfindable pieces like the video game Ristar, boxed, far exceed 500 euros.
Numbers that take on an even more significant intrinsic value if we think that the console is nothing more than the basic piece to invest in for a collector: it will then be the video games, loose or sealed, that make the difference in the collection they will build and be able to take pride in.
Unother decisive factor that plays a fundamental role in considering oneself a careful collector is the issue related to regional compatibility: video games from a certain region, Asia, Europe, or America to give some examples, might not work on a console that was produced in another region, and consequently the market value could also change, and significantly.
Tutti these information for the purchase, or non-purchase, of a console sought after for years must always and in any case be taken into consideration: the birth of collector communities, which we have already discussed previously, thus becomes the deciding factor, in a sector so changeable and volatile.
The Games Market, a platform that provides users with a space where they can buy and sell products, is not limited to this: by analyzing market trends, product and console valuations based on condition and technical specifications, the site offers a series of useful tools, indispensable for every collector.
