What your take on Graded Games?

[proteus]

Number Six's post on complete sets got me thinking about the graded game market.  At first I thought it was pretty pointless, but I cant really say that because I own some graded comic books. Yet are graded games more like investments, like comics?   Is there really that big of a market for them?  I think I would rather just have a really nice opened collection of games I could play, but again this is coming from a guy that has comics I can't read. What are your thoughts?

[number six]

Ahhh the slabbing question.

I personally don't like it. I remember when it hit Baseball cards.. basically ruined the economy as NM was no longer NM, it was NM PSA whatever.

I find it even less useful when slabbing an item renders it useless. You can't read a slabbed comic nor can you play a slabbed game. I understand you probably don't want to handle your expensive Comics or Games often but it's still nice to know you can if you wanted.

Kinda same deal on sealed games. I like a nice CIB but I don't put much value on sealed as who cares? It's just cellophane.

That said, i have the odd game I never got around opening (or had extras of) which I definitely won't open now just because the value is so much higher still sealed!

[Niloc]

I bought a mech game for the original XBOX on Half.com for around $4. The seller sent me two sealed copies even though I had only ordered one, so I left one sealed. When can I expect to be a millionaire?

[lordtakuban]

I suppose it was inevitable since so many people are jumping on the game collecting thing (which really messes things up for me since I still have many things I want to get and the prices keep going up).  I also have a couple random sealed games that are unopened for whatever reason.  But I wouldn't likely have a game graded.

[number six]

I bought a mech game for the original XBOX on Half.com for around $4. The seller sent me two sealed copies even though I had only ordered one, so I left one sealed. When can I expect to be a millionaire?

Lol.. that's the funny thing. Certain games sealed.. worth a literal fortune. Other games? $5.

Rarity doesn't necessarily make the difference either.

When you get into weird collecting areas things get .. odd.

[number six]

I suppose it was inevitable since so many people are jumping on the game collecting thing (which really messes things up for me since I still have many things I want to get and the prices keep going up).  I also have a couple random sealed games that are unopened for whatever reason.  But I wouldn't likely have a game graded.

It's like first you get the game, then that's not enough so you find a complete copy.

Then you have a complete copy, but that's also not enough.. you have to find a sealed copy.

The final stage is, you have the sealed copy but now you need to know how 'mint' the unopened box and seal are so you have to send it off and pay a company $45 to tell you. Only then can you be whole.

[Niloc]

It's like first you get the game, then that's not enough so you find a complete copy.

Then you have a complete copy, but that's also not enough.. you have to find a sealed copy.

The final stage is, you have the sealed copy but now you need to know how 'mint' the unopened box and seal are so you have to send it off and pay a company $45 to tell you. Only then can you be whole.

Sure the game box is mint, but the slab and the saran wrap around that aren't mint - you should have slabbed your slab, to keep it mint.

[mcjeremy42]

I feel the same way about this as I do slabbed comics:  marketing ploy that turns your book/game into a dustcatcher.  Better to buy cib, and cheaper, and buy plastic surround boxes yourself.  Then you can at least open them and PLAY THE DAMN GAME!