© Presse-citron.net © Robin Sabbadini
More than a fashion phenomenon, retrogaming has only been growing in popularity for several years, the price of certain console models or certain games soaring to new heights. With a little luck, a real fortune awaits you in your attic.
Retrogaming, or the business of nostalgia
We all remember the moment when we received our very first console, sometimes at Christmas, that moment of trepidation when we entered the video game universe that we will never leave never again after that. Many players are willing to pay a lot to experience this moment of discovery again, the smell of new cardboard, reading the manual before playing, and a retro appearance reminiscent of their younger years.
Video games having experienced real growth for what are now several decades, people who were children at the time are now adults. Their purchasing power is therefore accordingly, and the nostalgic fiber can make them spend substantial sums in this passion which allows them to relive the sensations of yesteryear by playing again with of old consoles.
Do you have gold sleeping in your attic?
If you are a game collector, you should probably know that all of this has a more or less significant value. Thus, the retrogaming business has grown in recent years, with old consoles offering the possibility of making ends meet, or even of building up a real fortune.
So how do you recognize a console or game with great potential value? Before you even begin your research, you will needcheck the status of your console or game. Is the console yellowed by time, in a sad state, is the game label half torn off? In this case, don't expect to get much out of it. The most valuable items are those that are complete in their box with their manuals, in impeccable condition.
You now need to identify what you own and estimate its value. To do this, simply take an average of the ads available on the sales sites that we all know such as Leboncoin, the Facebook marketplace, or even eBay. To be the precise price possible in your estimate, it is the latter that interests us the most. Indeed, eBay allows you to sort the ads, and in particular to obtain a list of items sold recently, which allows you to realize the true value of a console or a #8217;a game.
< /p>© eBay © Presse-citron.net
Let's take a simple example, if you are lucky enough to own a Panasonic Q (which is a variation of the GameCube released in partnership with Panasonic only in Japan), successful sales on eBay teach us that the average is around 1000 euros for a console in excellent condition with its original box and accessories. Special editions are also often popular, these being more generally rarer.
Thus, the very popular Nintendo 64 Pikachu edition sells on average for 500 euros complete in excellent condition, even 200 euros for consoles sold without a box, which remains a substantial sum!
How to buy a console or a game while avoiding scams?
Want to get THE game that thrilled you throughout your childhood? Okay, but be careful not to get fooled under the guise of retrogaming. Given that some listings can have completely crazy prices, we can only advise you to reuse the eBay completed sales trick to estimate the true value of a game or console. You will thus have every chance ofnot to be fooled by the prices of your coveted item.
On the other hand, you just have to be particularly attentive to details that only the most seasoned collectors will come across to identify. Indeed, copies of cartridges are appearing on sales platforms, counterfeits of which it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the real from the fake. There are still some tips that consist of looking at the cartridges from every angle to detect possible problems.
A new world record for a video game sale! A sealed Super Mario 64 just sold for $1,560,000 @HeritageAuction. Watch Sophie Duncan with the call. pic.twitter.com/grpeoJPxjy
— Tommy Noel (@TommyNoel) July 11, 2021
Take the example of a cartridge of < strong>Nintendo 64, fake cartridges will often have spelling errors on the back label, as well as a Nintendo logo that is not perfectly reproduced. You will also have to look at the connectors of the cartridge, if these are gold and white instead of gold and orange, there is no longer any doubt.
Also be attentive to the games which are sold as never opened, when the original plastic film has actually been removed, and sometimes replaced with generic film years later. Now all you have to do is search the internet to find your rare gem. However, don't limit yourself to the online world, since it is sometimes possible to discover impressive finds at flea markets and other flea markets.