a few questions for veteran collectors

[mailman187666]

I have only really gotten into collecting within the past year and a half or so, so I haven't been able to notice any trends as far as pricing and stuff has gone, so i have a few questions.

1. Has RPGs always demanded a higher price than other games?

2. How quickly did the prices go up for some of the bigger titles like suikoden 2, valkyrie profile, and Panzer dragoon saga?

3. looking back at how much prices for saturn games go for/have gone up by, can you foresee dreamcast following the same path?

4.how long did it take for prices to rise once they stopped carrying certain systems at retail stores?

thanks for helping me out on this one guys, looking foward to some of your answers.

[Kid Ice]

#1: I would say no, not until FF7 sort of "re-popularized" the genre.

#2: I don't know about the other two but PDS was pretty much instantly collectable. If you weren't able to get one at retail you could get it for 100-150 on ebay...same story now.

#3: I don't think Saturn games are worth that much. For $200 or less you can have any Saturn game you want. When did they go up?

#4: Surprisingly, I don't think a system's disappearance from retail is that meaningful. You would think once games disappeared from stores their value would shoot up, but that's not what happens. Most DC games are "worth" what they were a few years ago when the systems were still hanging around in stores. Ditto for Saturn...the games that were worth a lot in say, 1999, are still worth a lot now and the commons are still considered common.

[cyberfluxor]

1. Has RPGs always demanded a higher price than other games?

Generally, depends on rarity and demand. Most RPGs are high priced due to gameplay, length of play, and are usually the more collectable. (Guessing here)

2. How quickly did the prices go up for some of the bigger titles like suikoden 2, valkyrie profile, and Panzer dragoon saga?

I haven't been looking into prices for too long of a time but I'm sure they slowly go up once the rarity of a demanding game soars.

3. looking back at how much prices for saturn games go for/have gone up by, can you foresee dreamcast following the same path?

Possibly. There are already a handful of games for it worth a nifty amount, once a fanbase jumps on board and causes more demand you may see a price hike. Be sure to collect while the prices are low.

4.how long did it take for prices to rise once they stopped carrying certain systems at retail stores?

Well, systems constantly go down in price, especially once they go out of retail stores IF they have a new generation following. Expect the system to fall down to around $10-20 at some point and if people start buying them up expect the value to jump. When I first bought my Saturn 3yrs ago they were going for $60 around here, now they rest at $20-40 depending on location and quality.
If the system isn't getting a follow up by a newer generation machine then depends on demand again. You can get a GBC for $5-10, GG around $10-15, and NGPC $25-40. Just gotta watch for good buys sometimes.


Supply in demand is always a main player in older games. Things are worth as much as others are willing to pay, and if they want it badly enough the marketplace for that item can skyrocket.

[Trebuken]

I would agree with Kid Ice on the FFVII. It seems a good point. It was definitely in that ballpark.
Saturn Games did not increase in pricr for close to three years after it's demise. It was like everyone wanted them cleared out and then woke up and noticed they were now collectible. The Dreamcast had no real RPG love like the Saturn did/does and I dare say many casual gamers are still playing it, waiting for their moms to get them a PS2. Dreamcast games are on their way up in price, but not as quickly as the Saturn games went up...
The price of PS1 rpg's started climbing at the end of the PS1's main lifecycle (not the endless release of sports titles). Thwy capped a while ago then many went down last year due to reprints, Valkyrie Profile does not seem to have seen a reprint, though there is the PSP remake.

Later,
Trebuken

[PapaStu]

1. Has RPGs always demanded a higher price than other games?

As of the last few years yes. They've been a good driving force of the Out Of Print gaming market demand.

2. How quickly did the prices go up for some of the bigger titles like suikoden 2, valkyrie profile, and Panzer dragoon saga?

Valykrie Profile was hanging in the 30 range (even in GameStop/EB's ) for a long time. That ones gone up a good amount in the last 2-3 years since the PS has died, and especially since the PS2 is backwards compatable and still allows people to play the game. I'm ecpecting to see a bit of a price drop now that the PSP port is out. Suiko 2 really jumped when Suiko 3 hit and announced the whole backwards compatability thing with the memory card. It's never gone down (at least on ebay and its ilk) ever since.

3. looking back at how much prices for saturn games go for/have gone up by, can you foresee dreamcast following the same path?

I didn't think that alot of Saturn games were all that expensive, even now. Now on the DC side, the really good games have a good demand/price for them now, just like they did when the system was still alive. People wanted the Fighters, shooters and a few other quirky games then, and they still want them now. The prices are still pretty comparable now as to when the system died.

4.how long did it take for prices to rise once they stopped carrying certain systems at retail stores?

That totally depends on the system, the game and its rarity. Most of the PS stuff didn't jump once the games, or even the systems stopped being carried.