I would like to pose a simple question: have the general attitudes changed regarding sealed games collecting? More so in the last 2-3 years since the arrival of WATA and CIB grading?

Without any formal declaration, is it now generally accepted among games collectors? Or is it still seen as a niche market and forever will be?

As a side point, are people regarding WATA-graded CIB’s as a CIB game or part of a “sealed” game?

Was it ever not "generally accepted"? It's just the highest-end of collecting, financially speaking. I wasn't under the impression it was niche 3 years ago...maybe I'm misunderstanding what you meant.

I also don't quite understand the poll..why is having tried a few graded CIB's categorized as a yes for sealed collecting if CIB and sealed are not the same?

To me, it certainly feels more openly discussed than ever before. I just want to see how sealed collecting is viewed nowadays as opposed to several years back. Poll added!



 

I could agree with "more discussed" since probably more people are collecting sealed these days   The whole idea of it not having been "accepted" before is what threw me off.

I dunno really how to explain it. Which is why I’m posing the question in the OP I suppose.

Personally, I started collecting sealed games around 5 years ago, but I’m still actively collecting MIBs too. Back then, I had a lot of reservations in starting collecting for sealed games and there were tons of negativity towards sealed collecting and also towards the sealed collectors. So I guess in a way, I just want to read on current thoughts from lovers, haters and the neutrals.
 

Oh, well as far as the whole "games were meant to be played" argument against collecting sealed in general, I imagine some people will always feel that way. But that is just their preference. I wouldn't have thought that was ever the majority opinion to the point that sealed collecting could have been considered "not generally accepted," but I do understand better where you're coming from now.

Games were meant for you to do whatever you want to them. Keep them, play them, re-sell them, burn them, etc.

I do feel like more people are buying sealed games to get them graded and then re-sold for a profit.

I think there is a bit more of a focus on sealed now as a lot of money is involved, grading has definitely become more popular with WATA, and collectors mature and have more money and fewer games to buy. I don't really understand how some of these games sell for the price they do though. Sealed or not, it surprises me how many people can drop thousands and thousands of dollars on sealed games.

People who get angry or upset about sealed game collecting are an oddity to me who need to find better things to get worked up about. Don't see it as much these days, but definitely back when there was a boom there were tons of people on local forums and FB pages that would insult and get down right mad when people would talk about sealed games.

sealed collecting has had a stigma especially vga in local collector markets. im not sure if things have warmed up but i would say it certainly feels that way

I feel like it's a pretty mainstream thing to do. Personally, I think it is a bit silly, but people should do what makes them happy. That being said, I'm kind of the sealed collectors' nemesis because I open every sealed game I get my hands on. Gotta build that CIB database!

The real question is, how do I bust a game out of a VGA acrylic case without destroying it? Those things are tough!

Never was niche it was always the top of the mountain

Games were made by developers to be played, and to be sold for profits.
Games were produced by publishers to be sold for profit. 

If people wouldn't want to play games, no one would make them.
Their main purpose is therefore to be played. And to be fair, that also makes them collectible.
The games being collectible is a by-product of them being sought-after entertaimment options.
You might argue that they since have taken on a form of "artwork displays", but the collecting market for these games would be substantially lower if the games were never popular amongst people who played them in the first place.

You can have your hobby, which I presume is collecting and not playing, and please do enjoy it!
But there's no need to justify it by saying games were meant to be mainly collected and/or burned. That's just not true.
No one buys them to burn them, and if NO ONE wanted to play them, people would hardly collect them.
I'm not bashing collecting here, just trying to be reasonable.

On a complete sidenote:
We registered almost on the exact same date, and have pretty similar post count!

Companies pay devs to make games that will sell. Games are meant to be sold on the publisher end and they're made to be bought on the customer end. So long as games are being bought and sold, they're furfilling their purpose.

I partially agree, like I already stated.

But you're completely ignoring that most developers (not all, I'll give you that) actually WANT the buyers to EXPERIENCE the game they've developed.

The code on the cartridge holds value besides its monetary value, although I of course agree that the monetary value is non-neglible.

 

Judging by the amount of video games that are ACTUALLY PIECE OF SHIT I think most devs go for the paycheck then the user experience.

So you're just going to conveniently ignore all the games that are actually incredibly brilliant?
Mind you, we all know tons of games are total crap. No one said otherwise.
 

I think primarily, games are meant to be played. This is an absolute truth that is irrefutable. The issue we have now is the “collector”/“reseller” mentality that exists due to the age of the hobby. Gaming companies are aware of this “collector’s mindset” and are selling a lot more limited/collector editions than ever before, with the intent of luring people who enjoy displaying and/or profiting from a resell. 

Then there are the rebels who buy games to literally do “whatever” - bash, trash, burn, dismantling, use them as toasters etc. 


 

Well put, good to see i'm not alone. It's interesting how so many collectors and resellers seem to be sore when discussing these things.
 

Lol you're conveniently highlighting the 10-25% of games ever made that were not made strictly to beef a bottom line of some company. You live in this world where you believe the app store doesn't exist, where the GB, GBC, GBA, DS, Wii, ETC ETC don't exist or you somehow got so high you convinced yourself that those libraries are even largely playable. They're not. Half of every game made for every console ever is shit is was made just to receive a check. It's bonkers to think otherwise. The irrefutable truth is that dollar bills run the gaming industry and every good game is a perfect storm.

I think anytime you have a corner of a hobby that commands a budget that is MUCH higher than the rest of the hobby, it will be considered niche.

ya used to be niche for the OCD condition guys. Then the value rose a bit, mostly just on the rare stuff. Hell I bought common nes games like captain skyhawk sealed for $20 up until last year. But now the markets been taken over by speculators to grade and resell. So big turn off for me. The best is when these guys just makeup a price and let it sit on ebay for a year hoping it effects the value lol

Niche. All the way.

The mainstream collector is on Reddit buying PS2 games from Goodwill or Youtube watching Metal Jesus videos for hidden gem tips. Those guys would scoff at a loose Kickmaster because it's unreasonably priced, let alone sealed games "because games are meant to be played!". Still super niche, just a lot new interest and people publicly flaunting how many g's they want to drop on them sealed Nintendo tapes to diversify them portfolios.

The only time I buy sealed games is to have them to open them and be brand new in quality, and also assuming they're affordable. Not judging anyone who is into buying sealed games to let them sit on a shelf and collect dust, but I personally see zero point in that especially given that they are far more expensive than the game itself or even CIB. I just don't get it and never will. Unless I guess if you have money literally raining from the sky and can do whatever you want with it. But I have to budget, quite heavily I might add, and even if I wanted to collect sealed games they are far too expensive for me. But hey, whatever floats your boat.