The Beginners Guide to Retro Video Game Collecting In 2022

The video game industry is an ever-evolving beast that’s grown considerably for over 40 years. With billions of cartridges, consoles, and controllers over decades before the advent of digital gaming, there’s still a chance that the retro game you’re looking for is out there, somewhere. That’s why Retro Gaming of Denver looks to keep these retro games in circulation. Supply comes from sellers looking to finally part with their retro games through Retro Gaming of Denver, and into the hands of those who wish to collect and preserve them.

Whether you want to play these retro games and consoles, or simply collect them, there is always a way to find them.

Do These Retro Games Have Any Value?

Before you get into the moderately pricey world of retro gaming, there are a couple of things you need to ask yourself.

• Do you have a place where you can display your retro games or consoles? What’s the point of having a collection if you don’t have a place to display them? Museums don’t have their items out-of-sight in drawers.
• Do you have the funds and effort to focus on retro gaming collecting? Collecting retro games takes the time and effort required for cultivating this interest. You have to ensure you’re ready for the commitment of building a collection.

Now that you know what you need to start a retro game collection and be on your way to becoming a video game collector, the next question you’ll have is whether these games have any value and where you start a retro gaming collection in 2022?

Well, you could be holding a rare game in your closet without even knowing. Take a look at the value of your game, one of the best ways to do that is to get a quick and real price quote from Retro Gaming of Denver.

The price of modern games, especially new AAA titles, are getting higher with each generation. New PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X titles release are much more expensive than they were in previous generations. Not only that, but many modern games are converting to digital-only releases, much to the dismay of collectors.

Many believe that with digital games, there’s little to no value, there’s also no rarity with digital games like there is with older rare games that are difficult to find. It doesn’t affect those who aren’t physical video game collectors. The average game who just wants a cheaper and more accessible option for video games appreciates the concept of digital gaming.

On the other side of the coin, collectors both love and hate digital gaming. For a collector, digital games are something that they can’t put in a display case. It’s not something that increases in value that will eventually resell. These games are stored on servers and don’t appreciate or depreciate in value.

The current state of the world, plus the availability of digital gaming, has increased the value of retro games, which is partially why collectors don’t hate digital games too much. After the COVID-19 pandemic, people had enough time to go through their old collections, clean out their attics, and sell their games to make ends meet during quarantine.

Some retro games, especially unopened ones kept in mint condition, have sold for millions. The retro gaming market is very lucrative if approached with a collector’s mindset. Someone who wants to get into the retro gaming market in 2022 should know that many of the game publishers from the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s are either not around anymore, rebranded, or have merged into other companies. Many of the games they’ve created are no longer in official circulation and are either sitting in someone’s closet or are making their rounds with sellers who are dedicated to keeping retro games in circulation.

If you think about it, more digital games mean companies will print fewer physical games, they won’t disappear entirely, so the value of any physical copies will still increase, especially in a collector’s market.

So, if you think retro games will not have any value or there won’t be any value in collecting physical games now in 2022, then don’t worry, the video game collector’s market will always have value. Despite the advent of digital media, gaming companies won’t stop producing physical copies. Game companies understand that not everyone has access to the best internet connection for streaming video games or downloading video games on digital-only consoles. People still want physical copies of games, if anything, to be able to re-sell the games once they’re finished with them or to see if they’ll eventually appreciate in value.

What Are Some Examples of Retro Games?

When we think of retro games, we think of older games, such as Super Mario World or Sonic The Hedgehog. However, you would be surprised what we consider “retro” now. When we opened the PlayStation 3 consoles under the Christmas tree, we didn’t think that someday, these PS3 games would be considered “retro”.

Many games that the recent generation had during our childhood are now considered “rare”. Imagine how much we blew on the cartridge for The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time or how many times we swapped the discs around in our PlayStation 2s, especially when we could only handle Silent Hill 2 in small bursts.

Where Can You Find Retro Games?

If you’ve read through this and decided that you want to get into retro video game collecting in 2022, then congratulations: You’re entering an exciting, and potentially lucrative, hobby. Much of the excitement surrounding video game collecting comes from trying to find retro games to either collect or resell. It’s a lot more difficult to find retro games now than it was before, but it’s not impossible. You can walk around thrift stores or pawn shops to see if you’re lucky enough to come across a game that someone didn’t know had any value.

One of the best ways to find retro games is through websites dedicated to keeping retro games in circulation, such as Retro Gaming of Denver. On Retro Gaming of Denver, you never know what you’re going to find as people sell their retro games and other gaming items, such as old-school strategy guides. 

Getting into retro game collecting in 2022 isn’t impossible, is a fun hobby, potentially lucrative, and a great way to display items in a collection that are sought out by many. Be the envy of your friends and other video game collectors, head on over to Retro Gaming of Denver, and start your retro video game collecting journey.