ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

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neorichieb1971
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by neorichieb1971 »

I found another spelling mistake in an auction yesterday. So in traditional taste I bid on it.

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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Stevens »

BareKnuckleRoo wrote:
$660,000 for an incredibly ubiquitous game simply because it's shrinkwrapped. Stupid.
And the thing about stupid is it can't be fixed.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Blackfielding »

Bratwurs wrote:It's usually done to discourage anyone from buying for a certain length of time so the seller can restock/secure supply. I once asked some dude why he decided to jack the price up on his last thingamabob by 1200% (genuinely wondering if there was a sudden global shortage or extreme demand) and he said it was just so the listing wasn't terminated prematurely from running out. If someone actually does want to pay $300 for a bottle of V8, it's obviously worth someone's time to head down to the local grocery store until then.

Not the most sensible explanation but that's what I was told about these T shaped staples.


For some reason recently I started to come across a lot of unpleasant reviews on different forums about ebay auctions.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Thanks to this thread, I've been alerted to the existence of these Konami Live Online devices that basically are a controller with a small amount of USB memory that acts as a USB key when plugged in. All of the processing is done on the PC and it requires the internet to actually play any of the games (even after it's downloaded the assets for the games from the server) and people are still selling sealed copies of these awful things despite the fact that they're literally bricked. The servers went down in the early 2010's: https://www.ebay.com/itm/291377371317

You literally can't use it as a controller as PCs detect it as a USB key, and you can't play games with it because it doesn't come with any data for the games on the controller's memory, just the software to connect to the internet to download the assets. You're essentially purchasing a sealed plastic paperweight in the shape of a USB controller.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Ed Oscuro »

Thanks for the heads-up. I wrote a better post over in that other thread.

I recently looked up prices for some things that I hesitated to buy years ago. A $9.99 copy of Metal Gear Solid from Target in 2007...yeah, they're no longer in business, wonder why. A $29.99 GBA SP Pearl Pink from FYE which some employee pulled out of a hidden drawer. People are probably hoarding lots of these, but they're still not super common.

Who could've guessed the Philips CD-i 370 (which is actually a rebranded Goldstar unit) would be worth around a thousand bucks now? :mrgreen:
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Udderdude »

Talk about sticker shock.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by BIL »

Udderdude wrote:Talk about sticker shock.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Steep prices for an empty box nowadays! It's especially sad given the box maybe cost like 5 to 10 USD to manufacture per box, and I think most if not all of the PS2 games that would have used the keyboard, namely online games like FFXI, have had their servers shut down.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by evil_ash_xero »

Why is Over Horizon going for (around) 2000 dollars? It's more expensive than Recca and Gimmick. It's like Magical Pop'n territory.
What's the deal? I like this game, and would like to own it, but Jesus.
I don't think I'm ever going to own this or Eliminate Down. The prices are just insane.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Udderdude »

You're competing with over 9000 dorks who want to make a complete set of every NES and Famicom game ever released.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by BareKnuckleRoo »

Having to deal with the collector market inflating prices is a frustrating part of enjoying videogames. I don't collect games, I don't want one of every NES or SNES or GB game out there, I just buy what I know interests me and what I know is fun. But many times that intersects with what also happens to be rare, as there's a lot of really cool games that languished in obscurity.

The reality is that a big reason why emulation and repro carts are popular even with people who would prefer to go the legal route is because the people who'd prefer the real thing don't necessarily want to (let alone can't) spend a huge percentage of their yearly income just to afford a few games!

Over Horizon is really cool, but I'd be hard pressed to convince anyone it's 2000 bucks cool.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Sumez »

I have no idea when the "complete set" mentality started really infecting these collectors to the point where so many people see it as the whole point of collecting video games, rather than the awkward folly of the occasional eccentric. But man, it's seriously screwed up video game prices for those of us who actually have an interest in the games.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by orange808 »

If you're a person that impulse purchased and archived games when they were discounted and liquidated, it's all very amusing and lucrative. Many of these games aren't even good. You rubes.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by evil_ash_xero »

Ah, so it's people collecting the "whole set"?

That's nuts to want to buy ALL the games for a system. Even when tons of them are crap.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Udderdude »

Well, it's that and idiots dumping money into the market like it's some kind of investment. (Hi watagrifts!)

As for the ridiculous "Gotta catch 'em all" collecting mentality? I blame Pokemon. :p
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Bar81 »

evil_ash_xero wrote:Ah, so it's people collecting the "whole set"?

That's nuts to want to buy ALL the games for a system. Even when tons of them are crap.
Started with the Neo and those guys were the hardcore of the hardcore (talk about buying super expensive shitty games in commercial quantities). For the last 10+ years, the braindead trend of note is to collect all the games for a system. Have enough people adopt that trend and even common games shoot up in price and rare stuff just goes to the moon. Add in the WATA grift (on N64 in particular - the only system in history where the most common games are the most expensive) and the government handouts to pretty much every corporation and a whole lot of citizens over the past 10 or so years and it's no shock that with a lot of extra dollars flooding the market (thanks every US government since 2009) everything shoots up in price.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by GaijinPunch »

I remember a few "full collection" people on Assembler 15 or more years ago. They've been around a while.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Sumez »

Oh for sure, I remember it way back too. But like I said that, back then it was the occasional folly. There is more of a community for straight up collecting nowadays (as opposed to just calling someone a collector when they buy a lot of games because they like them), and you'd be surprised how often the immediate assumption is simply that the moment you label yourself a collector you have to chase the "full set" of something.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by drauch »

This sort of behavior turns collector into such a dirty word. When you "bring together things", like amassing stuff you like because you actually use it, by definition, you collect. But lordy, I hate the term anymore because of these fucklords. I dare call myself a collector of anything, due to the insinuation it brings. The paperback book market for various niche genres has really been flooded with this same mentality, especially during/after covid. It's all about completing collections, getting shit for the covers only, filling your fuckin' shelves with collectible flotsam and trinkets. The thing with games is, the rarer they get, at least you can emulate; with books, especially niche stuff, if some lovely library hasn't scanned it, it's just... gone.

#rantover, juuuuuuuuuust in time for me to put in this bid for the last Ngage game I need.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by neorichieb1971 »

Collecting whole sets isn't too bad when your 2000 titles from the end since you can buy all those FIFA 98's, Maddens and such (although I have to admit its not my thing).

I noticed recently in some video some guy was going for a Switch full set but then he bombed out when he had to order every limited run and all those types of things.

Collecting games has become more of a past time than actually playing games. I bet these folk spend more time on their phones worrying about value, collecting more than actually playing anything.

I've come to the conclusion what drives this mentality.

1) USA homes have massive basements or attic conversions so people in the USA have gigantuan amounts of room to fill
2) This is mostly a USA pandemic, I don't see many Japanese or European folk doing it (Because they have space limitations, like myself)
3) These types of people have nothing better to do and have quite a lot of money to burn.
4) The end game is to put some kind of social media bragging post/video showing it off.

I will also add that in the USA there are still 1000's of people doing yard and garage sales that don't even look up the worth of games if you believe youtube. Mint copies of games going for pennys on the dollar and being flipped for gigantic profits. If folk in the UK did that, I would make it my full time job as well. Unfortunately in the UK everything is based off of ebay no matter if its in a charity shop, yard sale or whatever. As soon as you ask for price its £100 for this, £250 for that....

And number 4 is where its mostly at folks. Without showing the world what you achieved there is nothing in it. Back in 2003-4 I had all 39 Euro Neo Geo pocket games in mint condition. I kept them for 2 years and sold it since I never played it. I got $1300 for it. I think just 1 game in that collection is worth $1300 now. Back then I lived in the USA and I had 2 rooms in the home that were completely empty with 2600sq ft.

This forum has become anti collector around 15-18 years ago so I am surprised these topics come up here. I have around 400 games in my collection and I add to it every now and again, but quite a few were bought in the early 2000's when you were talking about $30 here, $40 there.. Its become a different beast now with games costing 10x inflation.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by orange808 »

These aren't collections, they're shrines.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Rob »

I love eBay and crazy collectors. There are many things worth good money that most people would never guess hold much or any value.

A complete Switch collection is about the biggest waste of time and money imaginable. I can almost see the appeal for a system with a very limited library like the Turbo Grafx 16.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by drauch »

After my joke I decided to take a gander at ngage auctions on the ol' bay. Look at this shit.

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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Udderdude »

More like nRage, amirite?

I think it's important to check if any of these are actually selling at these prices, or if it's just wishful thinking on the side of the seller.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by Bar81 »

neorichieb1971 wrote:I will also add that in the USA there are still 1000's of people doing yard and garage sales that don't even look up the worth of games if you believe youtube. Mint copies of games going for pennys on the dollar and being flipped for gigantic profits.
Not sure where you're getting your news but that's something that hasn't existed for some time. Even goodwill is hawking its wares on eBay these days. The only time you see anyone "getting" a rare game in the wild without paying eBay prices is a fake clout post by one of the (many) losers of the internet.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by drauch »

Udderdude wrote:More like nRage, amirite?

I think it's important to check if any of these are actually selling at these prices, or if it's just wishful thinking on the side of the seller.
That was a sold listing. 28 bids.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by orange808 »

drauch wrote:
Udderdude wrote:More like nRage, amirite?

I think it's important to check if any of these are actually selling at these prices, or if it's just wishful thinking on the side of the seller.
That was a sold listing. 28 bids.
:lol: I'm rolling!

https://youtu.be/B9vIJHFtWPk

Where to begin?
Fucked up aspect ratios, vector graphics ported to a 176x208 screen, looks like some slowdown, and the gamepad appears too sensitive to play Tempest properly (or maybe it's the frame rate and latency associated with doing emulation on the N-Gage hardware.)

Tempest, Centipede, and Crystal Castles were okay arcade games in their day. None of them originally used a gamepad. Crystal Castles looks bad on the small screen and I question the N-Gage's diagonals. Warlords and Pong have aged like milk. They filled out the "masterpieces" lineup (Fuck! LMAO!!) with two Asteroids clones and a Missile Command clone.

The bonus Atari 2600 games are unbelievably shitty.
1. Air Sea Battle sucks.
2. I think they included Canyon Bomber to remind us that Air Sea Battle would be even worse if we couldn't directly control the vehicle and we could only shoot: the ground. (That dirt will pay for everything it has done! Time to get revenge on the ground! Bombs away! Look at the ground down there. It's so smug! Bomb it!)
3. Golf is horribly dated.
4. Checkers is just... checkers.

$700usd? :lol: Ha.
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Re: ebay (and other) auctions with insane prices

Post by neorichieb1971 »

Bar81 wrote:
neorichieb1971 wrote:I will also add that in the USA there are still 1000's of people doing yard and garage sales that don't even look up the worth of games if you believe youtube. Mint copies of games going for pennys on the dollar and being flipped for gigantic profits.
Not sure where you're getting your news but that's something that hasn't existed for some time. Even goodwill is hawking its wares on eBay these days. The only time you see anyone "getting" a rare game in the wild without paying eBay prices is a fake clout post by one of the (many) losers of the internet.
I see this shit all the time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21Y0a76-3fI - Like every single day someone posts a video of a grail they found for $10.

I went to FL on my vacations in 2019 and went in the stores and charity stores, I found nothing.. Nadda of any value at all.
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