I have solved the Earthbound mystery...

[Gameguy]

I just thought of another use for the DP ServBot, there should be voting buttons on every thread and if any thread gets at least 10 votes for "stupid" the DP ServBot can troll the thread automatically. If you can automate Garry Shandling too it would be perfect. I don't know why the thought just popped into my head. Weird.

[G-Boobie]

Gamma ray bursts are always getting blamed for inflated video game prices.

It's downright racist.

[Oldskool]

That explanation seems sound. I think you may be correct.

[PapaStu]

As a member of the Illuminati I have to completely agree with this statement. We've not had our hands in this at all. Nothing to see here. Please go about your daily business.

[RP2A03]

As a member of the Illuminati I have to completely agree with this statement. We've not had our hands in this at all. Nothing to see here. Please go about your daily business.

Wait... I thought you guys didn't exist.

[xelement5x]

All trolling aside my theory was that the spike in Earthbound sales was due to the release of Smash Brothers Brawl (March 9, 2008 in NA according to wiki) and the inclusions of Ness in that game.

Brawl was an extremely popular game on an extremely popular console, and Ness could be considered an "unknown" to many people compared to the likes of Mario, Link and Kirby. Players wonder about the "unknown" character and the game he's from and want to buy the game, demand can't keep up and prices spike and continue to stay artificially high even though there was a decent number of copies of the game produced.

[Tokimemofan]

All trolling aside my theory was that the spike in Earthbound sales was due to the release of Smash Brothers Brawl (March 9, 2008 in NA according to wiki) and the inclusions of Ness in that game.

Brawl was an extremely popular game on an extremely popular console, and Ness could be considered an "unknown" to many people compared to the likes of Mario, Link and Kirby. Players wonder about the "unknown" character and the game he's from and want to buy the game, demand can't keep up and prices spike and continue to stay artificially high even though there was a decent number of copies of the game produced.

Only thing I'd argue with is the words "artificially high", the fact is that the game is one of the most bizarre RPGs ever made. At this point I doubt $50 prices will ever return, I seem to remember Suikoden III did the same to the first 2 and while the somewhat more common one is back down to average prices for RPGs of that type, Suikoden II is still 2x higher than it otherwise would be. Dragonball GT Final Bout was another example involving a genuinely rare game and an anime/manga, and that was sometimes going to the $1300 range before the reprint and loss of interest in an otherwise mediocre fighting game. It is still about $80, a bit high but still.

[Aussie2B]

All trolling aside my theory was that the spike in Earthbound sales was due to the release of Smash Brothers Brawl (March 9, 2008 in NA according to wiki) and the inclusions of Ness in that game.

Brawl was an extremely popular game on an extremely popular console, and Ness could be considered an "unknown" to many people compared to the likes of Mario, Link and Kirby. Players wonder about the "unknown" character and the game he's from and want to buy the game, demand can't keep up and prices spike and continue to stay artificially high even though there was a decent number of copies of the game produced.

It's not really a theory at this point. It's pretty much fact that Smash Bros. boosts the popularity of the lesser-known characters/games. The new Kid Icarus owes its existence to Smash Bros., and prior to Marth and Roy being included in Smash Bros., practically no one in the US cared about Fire Emblem. Now we've gotten nearly every (maybe all?) Fire Emblem games since then. Pikmin also had a surge from Olimar's inclusion.

[Edmond Dantes]

Gamma ray bursts are always getting blamed for inflated video game prices.

It's downright racist.

Racist against what, incredible hulks?