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Stores Neglecting Old Videogame Packaging?
Thanks to GamerDad for its editorial discussing the poor condition of older console games sold by videogame stores. The writer notes: "Getting N64 games in any kind of reasonable [boxed] condition seems to be next to impossible... even more shocking is the state of their SNES and Genesis stock." He continues: "With SNES games, I can sort of understand that the deterioration of cardboard would leave you with just the cartridge and the manual eventually, but apparently the stores are now just throwing out the manual if the box is torn/useless. Even Genesis cartridges, sold in those hard shell boxes, are rarely found in their original packaging anymore. It's the systematic destruction of our gaming history." The piece concludes: "Is it really so hard to maintain a policy of keeping the product in similar condition to how it's traded in or maybe even stop accepting bare games altogether to give your customers more reason to take care of their games to retain value?" What's the solution, if any, to this problem?
It's not like you'll have to worry about stores instituting such a policy anyway... simple economics says that if there is a market for those bare games (there is), they will support that market. As much as I hate seeing the games without their original packaging (except perhaps the SNES, with possibly the worst game packaging of any system) there's not much you can do about it. Perhaps the stores could offer an additional credit or two for games with their box and/or manual.
Having gotten my own house not too long ago, I've realized how much space that stuff takes up. I've actually gotten rid of quite a bit of boxes, or at least broken them down and put them in storage. I'm glad there are places online like MobyGames and The Video Game Museum to document the packaging of these games. And if you're an Amiga fan, don't forget to check out the CAPS project, which is not only providing *exact* replicas of original disks, but also high quality scans of the packaging.
Yes, this isn't a problem for many NES and SNES games. Vimm's Lair has a large amount of scanned game manuals, although mostly only for the more popular games.
It isn't like the stores are getting games in good condition and delibrately beating them up; they get the game in the condition it is traded in, and if people aren't willing to buy it in that condition it isn't like they are being forced to.
I beg to differ. A little over a year ago I was on really hard times and I decided to trade all my duplicate GameBoy games with manuals and boxes down at the local GameStop in order to get some new games as presents for my kids. Imagine my horror as the guy behind the counter systematically pulled the games out of their boxes and threw the boxes in the trash and the manuals into a small shoe box where they keep manuals for people who are looking for them. (...and I've since discovered that most stores doen't even do this.)
If I could have afforded to, I would have taken everything back and tried to come up with money for my kids gaming presents some other way. As it is, it will be a cold day in hell before I sell anything else to one of these stores.