Game Rave TV Ep. 4 - Video Game Authority Debunking
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2024
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This week Game Rave TV exposes the flaws, problems, and false truths in getting your video games 'graded' and 'secured' inside acrylic cases. The main focus is on the Video Game (Grading) Authority, but there are now copycats popping up here and there.
Bonus! Cutting Room Floor Notes:
a. Due to the video running long, we left out a segment showing that the VGA completely mis-graded several Pokemon Box sets. The Pokemon Box originally came in a cardboard outer box with a sealed inner game case, the GBA Transfer Cable, and Manuals. Multiple copies of VGA Graded versions of popped up where it is just the Inner Game Case (Sealed) inside the VGA Acrylic and it was not marked as incomplete. This becomes a misleading product and unfair to the owners or potential sellers.
b. Yes, there are "Sold" VGA games on eBay that fall into the "Broke Even of Higher" category, but they are in the very minority of results. There are also copies in the triple or even quadruple-digit sales. These latter ones, however, were not included in this video for several reasons. They are in the extreme minority, and just a few minutes of research show that the majority of these 'sales' are coming from the same 3 or 4 sellers (as proven by the photo style/background). Since eBay no longer shows the Winning Bidder ID, there is no way to research if there are 'inside trading' sales going on to provide a false sense of market value and actual gain.
c. At the time of this video, the VGA Site claimed they were "...running several weeks behind schedule...) - this means your item(s) sent in are now just sitting in some stranger's home/shop/location and runs the risk of being lost/damaged / etc or worse thanks to just lying around instead of being processed.
d. There is no 'face' of the VGA - that is, an actual person or persons representing the company. There is no one to turn to and complain or provide questions to. Various web forums and web-site follow-ups show they essentially let their 'fans' do the talking, which is bizarre.
e. We left off eBay images of people who had taken Currently launched games and slabbed them. Like, Super Mario Land 3D is $40 new, in minty condition anywhere you go. There was a Slabbed copy for $999 on eBay. W H Y?
f. Our favorite WTF VGA Grade? An NES Adapter for $12,000, Seriously people. Seriously.
g. This issue has gotten so bad that people who have graded games are now leaving the graded item in the plastic bag that it's shipped from the VGA in. Essentially presenting the viewer with a game in shrink-wrap, inside a case that is 'shrink-wrapped'. I can not wait for the first Graded Graded Video Game Auction to Show.
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Late, late Update. Probably should have done this years ago. The combination Namco 1 / 3 was proven true through multiple sealed copies. I have it photos of the sealed copy here:
game-rave.com/?p=8624
They should have some professional integrity and say, "look the game you've sent is worth absolutely nothing, you'd be wasting your money getting it graded".
But I don't see the point in preserving modern games. Not only is it pretty common for a game to sell a million plus copies nowadays. but if everyone is doing it and they're all prestine, then they're worth fuck all. Same thing happened to the Beanie Baby craze a few years ago.
The valuable items are the ones when people didn't think about collecting them, they'd treat them like crap, throw away the boxes and manual Etc. so there's less of them of a decent quality. and games released at the end of a console's life are the only true valuable ones as no one bought them.
I never knew about them not being air proof though, that's insane. What about water seeping in too?
But the condensation excuse is bullshit. You can easily fix that by injecting the box with gas. It's how double glazing works! If the box is never meant to be opened, then it's not a problem.
All I see the box being never possible to re-open is them being neurotic that someone will swap the games out for something less/more valuable and them not seeing a penny of it.
*****
Do they have a British division or are people that dumb to send stuff to America to be graded now?
Vercusgames
I didn't think about batteries, the acid in them will easily rot through cardboard and thin plastic. and all you can do is sit there and watch.
Vercusgames
remove them from VGA boxes?
Vercusgames
I've had it blow into my mouth when I cracked open an old battery compartment once.
stings like hell when it gets wet.
I'm so glad that I found this video, and I'm now subscribed to your channel. I agree 100% with you, and you also enlightened me to even more facts that I didn't realize. The other thing that sucks about vga graded games on Ebay, is that it drives up the price of non graded games as well. For example, Up until a couple months ago, a complete boxed copy (not sealed) of MUSHA for the Sega Genesis went for around $200. Then I saw a "vga graded" sealed copy show up on there for $1500, and suddenly the price of all copies has tripled. Now, you cant touch that same complete copy for under $600. I had planned on eventually buying one for my collection (to actually play it), but now it's been pushed out of my price range, thanks to everything that you just explained. It's ruining the retro collecting hobby for people like me, who enjoy having the games to play, not to put on display like a baseball card.
Glad you liked the video! Welcome to the club! :D Bring your friends and slurpees, we're for the common good and all things variants. Don't forget to check out Game-Rave.com for all good things too. :)
I definitely agree with you on the whole "authority" part. Like how the hell do these people, who we can't even see the faces of might I add, have more of a say in qhat something is "graded" than any one else? It's ridiculous. As far as some of your eBay examples go, quite honestly those people did not set up their sales properly, and screwed themselves over as a result.
if it's not the authority who else would it be?
I am 10 years late, but this is now one of my favorite videos of all time. Super informative and broken down perfectly. 100% agree with all of these points.
A viewer is never late, nor is he early, he arrives precisely when he means to. =)
The frustrating thing is there is an appeal to buying a game factory sealed. It's the next best thing to building a time machine, buying it off the shelf, and getting that new game smell as you pop it in and poke through all the manuals it came with. And there's no shortage of phony, half-functional repro carts on eBay, so it would totally be useful to have some way to verify that the copy is legit and shows minimal signs of wear. I dare say I'd pay exponentially more for such a thing.
But no. They're sealed such that they can never be opened without severely damaging the very thing you paid top dollar to get in immaculate condition. They aren't even good for putting on a shelf, between the big honking VGA banner up top and the nagging realization that the cartridge/disc isn't even visible and may as well not be in there. The sole market for these is people who think they can turn them around in a year and sell them for even more. They're assigned value for its own sake, and every time a vintage game is rated, the world permanently loses something that's already in finite supply. And that's friggin' depressing.
cbccadet: Thank you for the comment and the step forward!
The seller's actions help bring focus to the false sense of value; If the game had not been Graded (and the $30 Minimum Spent on the Grading) would he have shipped it otherwise? Sadly this particular action isn't just limited to VGA items, but the action does stand.
In fact there were a LOT of Auctions in the Completed Listing that were "Ended Early" at their 99 Cent listings, only to be found later as a unsold BIN of $100+.
I think that VGA grading games is stupid, but honestly if I ever came across a genuinely rare sealed game such as Earthbound or something, I would want to put it into a nice protective case too.
I agree with you 100%! Being a video game collector myself, it's becoming more and more difficult to obtain the more obscure title(s). When I do find one of these rare video game(s), they are literally marked up 100%+ the retail value because the video game has been "graded", it's just really ridiculous. :/
I'm glad you made it a point to go out and say that they're trying to make it a "throw-away" hobby. Speaking as a collector, I can't stand the amount of disposable media that's already out there. We don't need to wholesale add video games to that list. On a side note: while I do enjoy some downloaded games I think 1) they should be reserved for more rare games (in the case of re-releases) and 2) the prices should be more reflective of the fact that you aren't getting a physical copy.
Man, I hate how this video is 8 years old and it's still a thing! So frustrating! Video is good though. :) (Obviously not as good as your newer videos cause you've greatly improved since this one! )
You're too kind. I actually wanted to make a follow up to this as I completely missed a point that I wanted to make. Maybe next year.
Some good points were made, but this isn't a "pyramid scheme." Worst case, any rise in price is just cause and effect. As mentioned, many of these graded games aren't striking a large profit anyway, so pricing will eventually regulate itself.
The price is raised by the fact that you're $40 in the hole on top of the cost of the game. You can slap a game into a plastic case to keep it safe without having to send off to some stranger in an unmarked warehouse.
If i was a millionnaire, i would close the vga site, buy every vga, smash them out the fucking tombs and sell them properly to people who actually want them
I thought the video was spot on! I love collecting games and get that tingle when a rare game shows up (amazing tater for the Gameboy) for example. I managed to get hold of this week for such a cheap price it may make other collectors cry! Here's the thing, i want to play the game, touch the game, show people the game (if their hands are clean)! What use is it in a shite clear box to sit on a shelf and never be used. I store my games in the box protectors and they are great, and i keep all my carts separate and all my manuals separate. That way no need to keep opening the boxes to get the games and risk damaging the box and manuals. VGA is like "The Emperors new Clothes" (read the book)! They also say a fool and his money is easy parted. I just didn't realise how many morons have fell for this scam in the hope of scamming other buyers when they try and sell it on. Rant over!
I have a theory that this craze is a generational fixation on nostalgia. 30 something year olds today with decent jobs, no kids, no mortgage are finding creative ways to burn through money in search of a piece of their cherished childhood memories. While in and of itself is not anything bad, but spending exorbitant amounts of money seems like such a waste. How will the value sustain itself in 15 or 20 years when middle-aged generation Y's have moved on to more important things and the younger generations have no emotional attachement to retro video games of the NES, SNES, N64 eras? My will the buyers remorse kick in...
I never cared much for VGA graded items, but now that you have explained how the whole system actually works, I'm a little angry at the company now. It's pathetic what they are doing.
I literally only just discovered this grading idea yesterday, now there are a couple of "toys" i have I wouldn't mind getting done. But you've just said everything i'd be thinking when it comes to games or electronics!
If i have a game I no longer play, it don't mean it's time to grade it, it means it's time to swap it!
Great video btw!
Thank you sir! Welcome to the channel. Grab your drink of choice and hang out with us!
400 guys are poor, 26 are rich ...easy as that :)
Really well made and informative video! The thought that people are getting games graded just to sell them for exorbitant prices is just disgusting. I have a question for you. I'm looking to at least get a container, if not officially graded, for some PS1 and SNES games I have. I really only wanted it for display purposes and maybe knowing their condition.
If the games are still sealed with in the cases, can the "airflow" you mentioned really still affect/harm them? Thanks!
Well made video and sad that this didn't get more views back in the day.
Thank you! I am actually shocked it got as many views as it did.
Cont: They want to preserve something they care about, and have that "perfect" copy. VGA fills that niche, not because they're the end all, but they're the only ones trying to assign a standard to collecting mint sealed items. One person's mint is another person's scuffy, etc etc, Again, most people will consider this madness, and rightfully so, but there's a logic there. If you're going to shell out coin for something, you want the best, and the best brings more.
Granted, the guy isn't the best person to be presenting the information. He just doesn't have the "presence". However, his info is solid! I collect comics and grading is important FOR COLLECTORS. Cases must be hermetically sealed for protection. With a vent!!?? Good call on the sneeze-guard....lol. Im not sure the industry is old enough for this type of grading/preservation. Theres enough copies of Atari 2600 games to satisfy the needy. For those few who have more money than they need and want decorations in their man-cave; i guess this is okay. The comic industry goes back to the 30's (a little farther but heres where it gets good, Superman, Batman, etc. etc. etc.); games start in earnest during '78-'79. I understand wanting to maximize your dollar for your old games. I'd like to get a couple hundred for my complete NES Final Fantasy, SNES FF II & FFIII. But they are open and I've played them. Anyhow, good job bro. Good video. Your layout was nice and stated the facts. On the downside: you appeared to beat on the case which looks bad when you argue the book was accidentally damaged (I know a proper case would still have protected the book but most people don't since most haven't seen a proper case), have some type of animation of points you're going to address (with summation at the end showing how you actually did), STOP APOLOGIZING, FUCK'EM if they cant accept the facts and try to contact VGA for feedback on thes points AND what your graded item. Surely such an AUTHORITY wouldn't want a product graded by them appearing in such damaged condition. Their case is supposed to protect from exactly what happened. Later bro
Want to see the beefiest video game store ever! 22 years we have been doing this and we have been in Montana and the world hasn’t discovered the amount of crisp ....it won’t disappoint!
That sounds dope!! Do you have a website? (:
@@georgieofthejungle7530 toysvideogames.com and if you check out our RUclips page we have some videos, our web presence hasn’t been much and that’s one of the reasons the inventory is so beefy. Just marinating in brick and mortar undiscovered retail world
I'll be honest, I had to look up "numismatic".
I know somewhere I made the comment and fear of "video games being treated as stocks, currency, and investments", and your application of numismatic only validates that fear.
Problem is that people *have* graded $15 games to sell 10x their value (since, you know I actually posted pictures of it in the video). Unreal 3 PS3? Batman Beyond? Soul Caliber 2? It's being done, based on VGA's Promise. $40 SML 3D and asking $999 is just as 'wrong', too.
Do you ever plan to actually try to open this? I'm curious just how hard it is to open them.. so you can play with them.
Also, one last thing you didn't mention is that these sealed boxes don't stop CDs from getting scratched, so if the case gets shipped, it can also arrive with the disk inside scratched up
I actually already did open it - twice, actually! The VGA case, while sturdy, does have an Achilles heel where the back and top panel is glued to the front curved piece. A flat head screw driver and a hammer, with a few taps into the glue shatters the panel. I had taken photos of the process, but they were lost. :(
I then opened the actual combo back, and pulled the ruined Guide Book from it. I already have a replacement I bought separately to complete it once again.
Once I'm done with my temporary move and can find the case again among all these shipping cartons, I'll do a follow up video to show everyone the issues.
Thanks for the post!
Startyde: 100% True. I'm not the lying type. ^_^;; He was *really* concerned. You bring up a valid angle about the "Best Earns More", no argument there. I'll add this perspective:
a. Buy an item for $100 with Seller's version of the 'condition', or spend $7k on the exact same thing just because someone else slapped a sticker & case on it? The mistakes (Pok. Boxes, my MGS, etc.) don't equate a justifiable VGA Cost. It'd be cheaper to buy multiple ungraded versions and find your best one.
VGA is such a fraud. Absolutely useless rip-off, thanks for uploading this video Jason and ranting about it, I was just looking for such a vid. My hands once itched to grade one of my games, and thank muffin I never did.
Interesting video. I thought it was a tad biased however, in a negative sense.
I am new to the VGA Collecting "collectors market", which albeit is quite small, but I think is slowly growing. I personally buy the games - and yes, I am one of those people that spend in the 4 figure dollar range for a VGA game, purely for nostalgia.
I think personally what the VGA does is a good idea. I tend to purchase the retro games, ie: your Game boy, SNES, N64 games; and finding these classics sealed these days - in 2014 - no doubt is like finding a needle in a haystack. Now, when these classic gems get "gold level" grades from the VGA - obviously they deserve being priced accordingly (aka: the 4 figure amounts), due to their rarity. I pretty much pay for nostalgia. There are PLENTY of games - new and old - out there in the market to "buy and play" already - be it OP shops/garage sales/eBay for the retro games, or stores at malls for new gen games. So I don't think that's worth whinging over.
Point is, I think the games that warrant the bigger price tag deserve it. Why do people pay big bucks for classic cars? Same reason people spend the $1/5/10/20+k on a sealed video game - rarity, condition, and nostalgia. Your examples (eg: batman forever) deserve to be ridiculed and the prices they end up with at auction. The older games that are 15+ years old however, completely different story IMO :)
/rant. :p
Air (well, Oxygen for that matter) affects everything it touches. In this case (*rimshot*), it's the shrink-wrap. Once you seal something up in the case, all that air is now trapped with it inside. It's a slow process, but it will still matter.
The only way you'd be able to truly preserve something was if you vacuum sealed it in the case - meaning all the air is sucked out and then the case sealed. The only problem there is cardboard would buckle.
Hope this helps! Jason
Excellent all around. Well spoken. I don't quite understand what happened to your MGS, but the point still came across.
I understand your concerns towards the future of our hobby, that games are turning into investment vehicles and such. However, I believe you shouldn't be afraid since only the true niche market will be seriously treated as such.
Personally, I am happy to see the old classics and historically relevant items gaining more and more attention. Most high end collectors are good people who were raised around video games, this is an entertaining way they found to keep a connection with their young age.
GameRaveTV id like to thank you for this video, i run a small Australian Retro Gaming community and one of my members posted a link to this video, amongst a dispute about some current asking prices on VGA graded Mario 3 NES and Pokemon blue...(around 4 to 5 thousand the asking price was for each) naturally was a relief to watch your video and find you agreeing with what me and a few others were saying about VGA, with the nice factually information that even i wasn't aware of like the damage play guide and to top off the awesome underselling of the valuated was a laugh as well.
thanks again for the video
Thank you for viewing! I try and be educational and informal along with my not so witty banter. The net has enough annoying noise making and angry video gamers, I just want to be the one people can turn to. Bring your friends, we'll have a ball. :D
The main thing that annoys me about graded sealed games is the fact that the only thing they're really grading are the sealed wrapper and the box without any regards to the most important piece... the actual game inside. I have opened new games where the disc was scratched, the manuals (or other paperwork) have creases on them, or the Steelbook have scratches on them. These are defects from the factory. Grading the quality of the plastic seal and box are in no way a guarantee that the contents inside are of the same condition. I guess they're willing to overlook this because they will never see what's inside the box anyways.
If I were to ever pay thousands of dollars for a rare game with a specified condition, it is in my interest to inspect everything that comes with it... not just the wrapper and box.
Hey Startyde,
You're missing the point of the VGA case; it can't be opened. The person who spent $7k would have to destroy the case if he wants it.
Oddly enough, I'm going to assume this $7k RE sale is the same buyer who e-mailed me asking *me* to confirm the game *after* he made the (absolute dumbest) mistake (in his entire life) of buying it. He thought the Jewel Case was the 'First Print', when it wasn't, the Long Box was. He freaked, and last I knew he was asking for a refund. All true.
Your critique on game grading is even more relevant now with another company doing the same crap. Except this new company accepts loose games as well as sealed stuff. Hopefully the trend stays in its own niche market and doesn't impact the general gaming populace that just wants to play video games.
Thanks for the comment! I'm actually surprised this video is still getting hits and views. I missed a few things / poorly explained some stuff in this original video, I wonder if it would make sense to make an updated one.
@@GameRaveTV An updated thoughts video would be kinda cool.
Yeah we could just say "collectible" instead of "numismatic" but I like to use the term as a figure of comparison.
As far as people putting insane price tags on modern games or widespread shovel-ware, well, what more can we do other than laugh at their misfortune? These items won't sell high because there is no demand from concerned collectors. You know, people sometimes have misconceptions and do stupid things. VGA are aiming the vintage market but they can't refuse to grade a valid item so...
Very good segment. You just convinced me that this shit is stupid as hell. Glad no one I know has done something this pointless.
The scalpers are real. Very real. Lame.
Yep, though we found exampled of SC2 Sealed that were more than the VGA grading, so we left it in. You're the third person to bring this up, I'll need to annotate it. ^_^ Thanks for the reply and post!
I've always thought grading a game seemed like a scam. I dont want to pay money for someone else to handle my games so they can put it in a case and slap a sticker on it. I always wondered who decided these guys were "experts" at grading a game anyways.
Should be in a completely sealed case with nitrogen filled to keep from temp change. But What about newer action figures with Batteries in them? How do they keep them from not going bad?
I get the video, and I agree with a lot of it, but I disagree with the statement that all video games are meant to be played. Technically, yes, but if you had a mint NWC gold cart (only 26 exist), would you really want to plug it in and play it and wear on the conatacts?...
Nik School I would play the ever loving shit out it. Just like I opened and played my sealed NBA 2 Ball.
Nik School In fact, I'd play it so much just to counter balance the idiot who had the NWC cart dismantled and slabbed. Because nothing says reliving history like a broken apart video game stuck behind a sneeze guard.
Is the world championship cart really that fun? Are you going to have a tournament against yourself?
+jam08301 No, you aren't. But the moron was taking flash pictures of exposed EEPROM most likely rendering it useless.
What's worth more - a rare car that you'll never ever drive , but it would start if you wanted it to, or the same car except this one is impossible to ever get running again?
GameRaveTV you threw away hundreds of dollars opening and playing that mint game.
This was a very through video. I commend you on your ability to be well-spoken, clear, and to the point. Thanks for a great watch and I am happy to say I subscribed to you after watching this and look forward to more videos!
I have never graded anything I own (although I've been vaguely tempted regarding the first print issue #1 of 1984 TMNT I own) and probably never will. While I don't think grading had the as-large influence on ruining the comic industry as implied, although I will nod towards baseball cards, doing it for videogames is ludicrous. When the VGA first appeared I thought WTF. And nodded along to all of Jason's points because if I had been presenting, would have made exactly the same ones.
The only question I have is who gives them the authority, to call themselves Video Game Authority.
100% agree with you. Its a horrible horrible service that defeats the purpose of games in the first place. the plastic dust sleeves you talk about are much better way to protect games
This kind of nonsense already ruined modern coin collecting, and it's a shame to see it spread to other areas like this, particularly when it's a product meant to be used.
3. That statement is to generic and can be applied to anything. Collecting anything brings you entertainment; collecting stamps is entertaining to the right people. If you bought a car and left it trapped in your garage people would stare at you. Same applies here.
4. That's not a contradiction.I can *understand* toys trapped in a box because you can still see them (unless they are in a 100% cardboard box). You can't "see" a game unless you're playing it.
5. So why are they doing it? :)
Hey Mike!
Thanks for the uh...3 part comment...
7. $25 is base - if you item is worth more, you pay more. Hence the Big Scary Chart they have. That's before the available options.
8. VGA Tells you, as I highlighted, that your VGA Graded item will generally sell for more. I pointed out it doesn't. Doesn't matter what the game is, they're claims are generally false. Also Phoenix Wright is an amazing game.
9. Some of the rarest items in PSX are Sports; NBA 2 Ball, ISS Pro, Etc. Can't knock'em. :)
I'd say that VGA is best for those purely looking at their game collection as an investment.
If the refund part is true then that is epic. No one should throw around any kind of money without doing research, and no one should take the word of a snake oil salesman.
My point being, sealed game collectors (same with toys) are already an odd duck.
Problem with this video: The VGAed game was Soulcalibur II, and the Greatest Hits game next to it was Soulcalibur III. Two different games. Doesn't make your point any less valid though. Two thumbs up.
Firstly, I’m NOT butt hurt at all. But I look at it like this. CGC is a GREAT way to preserve comics. BGS is a GREAT way to preserve cards. That said, I feel like they were a GREAT help in those markets. Why? Simple your Near Mint card or comic may not be my Near Mint. So it puts to rest with a DEFINITIVE on what is Mint or not. Moving on to Video Games. Now I see it like this ONLY grade the sealed copies of a game or games you have more than one copy of. Never grade a game you intend to play. As I said it’s good to preserve your sealed games. But don’t buy games just to grade. Buy a copy to play, then buy a Sealed or CiB copy to grade. That way you have your playable copy & graded copy that years down the road will be worth money. In my case every graded comic & game & coins & paper money & cards I have will go to my kids when I’m dead & gone. Anyways that’s my 2 cents. I’m only man & I could be wrong.
People will pay for anything. The VGA doesn't care about how many people see through the scam, if enough people fall for it. It is sad though, that people continue to waste money on this. Same thing with coins.
How to VGA grade your item correctly.
Buy a new copy of the game, get it graded.
Don't waste your time grading these old games unless they are seriously worth a lot of money.
Example, 2010 - Graded Pokemon Heartgold sells for $190 completed. Could of bought it and graded it for around $45-50.
Also don't grade worthless games, stick to the bigger groups because there is a very small amount of people who cares for graded games.
great video GameRaveTV! your arguments make sense, i fully agree with you. this whole grading is bs and attracted so many money whoring speculants.
a friend of mine wasted a few hundred bucks to grade some of his beloved snes games by vga. he could have expanded his collection with that money.
was thinkin' about getting my RE1 in a long box for PS1 graded, since its still sealed. but now this is convincing me to not bother. seriously, all it is just "their" seal of approval. and as a gamer of almost 20 years, i collect far more than they probably ever have in their life time - so what makes them more of an "expert" than me? someone who's been collecting for 20 years vs. some "experts" who slap your copy of a game in some sealed box that i can probably get for a $1 else wear that still has "air flow" in it, with a generic sticker that states the grade of your game and/ or figurine.
nah, i think i'm more professional than them, because i know how to take care of my shit without their "authority and/or approval" and any respectable collector would know if something isnt going to be worth as much vs. some dumb ass mark over some guy wearing a set of doctor gloves to inspect.
who knows, maybe they are legit people, but no way in hell am i going to be stupid enough to mark up my game to like $5000 and pretend its going to sell.
Branden Lucero Let's say thing this way. If you sell the normal sealed game, you might get 600$. If you get it graded, you lose 85$, then you're not sure how much they might grade. Let's say it's a 80+ or whatever. Let's say you can ask 1000$ for it (in fact 915$ since you lost 85$).
Who's going to pay 1000$ for a game? They'd rather pay 600$.
A lot more people would pay 600$ for that game sealed as it is. If you get lucky someone might buy it. Very, very lucky.
And what if the game sits there for a long time? You just lost 85$.
grading isn't for yourself, it's for selling it to others. Other people don't know how much of an expert you are, there are many people that lie in the world, you could be lying, other people don't know that. Having one authority that has a consistent rule on grading lets buyers know what they are buying and give them more confidence to pay more for something.
you got a point joe, its the only sort of "label" ( i know it has no value in a way cuz who the fuck are these vga guys) that exists and prove to your client who live around the world that its no way bullshit, but sometimes it seem it is somehow. Now idk why vga dont just get to the step beyond and rayscan the thing to ensure about the authenticity and put a name of an expert on it who has an actual diploma, they would look more legit.
@@azhash3 it's been over 4 years since i wrote this comment. many sealed games and figurines later and my opinion sitll hasn't changed.
@@brandenlucero I definitely understand you^^ This subject is still very special and it doesnt seem anything moved since a while. I have a collection too and i dont plan on grading them, its quite useless for videogames even to resell them, when i resell something i take very good pictures and explain the "why" it looks how it looks and its good enought. I think im more able to spot a resealed games (for exemple gamecube or ps2) than a vga guy who packs 150 games a day. But i still understand that some ppl dont care or trust anyone too much and go for graded, i just feel its not worth it from their part but it happens obviously a lot on ebay.
VGA is pointless. Sealed games are already sealed, as long as you keep them out of direct sunlight and away from harm they'll always be in that condition due to the shrink-wrap. With trading cards it's fine since they are unsealed, thin pieces of cardboard. That said, after personally using a grading service multiple times I can say their grading can be pretty shitty. I sent in cards and one that had a noticeable spot on the back where the machine hadn't filled in with ink got a 10 GEM MINT.
How can there be ignorance? I provided photographic and screen captured evidence.
1. You can have a sealed game and not grade it. You can buy protectors that do the same thing for cheaper and don't require them being locked in a case via a 3rd party.
2. DId you watch the video? One of the first things I said was how toys and figures were being graded, and how it ruined all that too. :)
If it's something that's ACTUALLY rare (like Little Samson or Magical Chase), then that's fine, but the vast majority of games are NOT collectors items and should not be priced as if they are.
Glue holding the plastic wrap will wear down, from my own experience.. my GT1 japanese import sealed, which is 20 years old or somthing and kept perfect from day one.
High grade video games that are graded by a qualified authority like VGA will always command a premium over a raw ungraded copy of the same game. Everyone knows that auction data is inconsistent due to lack of exposure in a limited time frame. In a fixed price market place you will see far more consistent results. VGA is tough on grades and to get an 85+ grade on any game is not easy. Your raw sealed copies sitting on the shelf get a little scuff, a little wear from being handled, a few fingerprints and there goes your chance. You sell it and ship it, the item gets banged around, dropped..guess what? It's not protected. The grade you say it is is just an opinion like anyone else. It's not made by a qualified professional so why would anyone give you VGA money for some game you bought at retail a few years ago? The professional grade is absolute & agreeable. It is highly unlikely there will be a mistake. Professionally graded video games are pinnacle of video game collecting, bottom line. It is more for the collector/investor than you may realize or accept and that's just the way it is.
You have your milkshake, but are you drinking it?
grade them in the first place, thats the mistake.9) greatest hits SC - most dont want an 80 or 80+ of a last gen game. the grade immediatly tells the flaws in the games condition while a loose game wouldnt, hence why the loose may sell for higher. 10) you bought a damaged item when you bought a 75. Odds are that damage was already there when it was graded and itlooks like a flaw when the game was manufactured. EIther way a case can only do so much. Ex a life preserver does a good job preserving
How does one break into one of these vga cases? I bought a game that was graded, but, like any sane person, I want to play it: how do I extract the game without damaging the game?
Edit: You can't save the case, but the game would be fine. It's a prison - I took a hammer to mine and MGS was fine.
@@GameRaveTV you read my mind. I was thinking that a hammer would be enough to get the job done. Thank you for finding a solution
@@ErinGoBragh0930 If it helps - I used a flathead screw driver at the epoxy points, and hammered the screwdriver into it, cracking the case / epoxy. Just go slow and don't nail your thumb and the case will eventually crack.
You’re so clueless lmao
Great video i myself was thinking about VGA on some sealed early Xmen vs Street Fighter games i got. But too much money i think ill open them with my kids someday and enjoy them.
Copy and pasted, word-for-word, VGA's Site
a. "They will also protect your items by sealing them in hard acrylic to keep them in the same condition as when they were graded."
I sincerely hope the VGA hasn't touched any Satellaview games...
Really depends on the game. Batman Beyond...no. Magic Knight Rayearth on Sega Saturn....yes. Castlevania Dracula X on SNES....yes. Most games are meant to be played, but some are meant to be collected.
+Greg Coleman No. Every single video game is meant to be played. That's what they're there for. Find me a programmer who lost time with his family and was locked in a 6 month crunch time to have their work locked behind a sneeze guard and not be touched.
Cherished games (which is all subjective, someone out there loves Batman Beyond) are meant to be shown, suggested, etc. Unless you're applying decals to a VGA Case that say "In Case of Slow Release Schedule Break Case" they should never be locked away and treated like an investment.
So what´s the perfect method for preserving games? A little air but not to much or what? I always emagine a bunker to store all my Rare stuff.
I was trying to sell a few items on ebay when I noticed this grading badge on the case of some games so I did a little digging and came here. Anyway as soon as I saw it on ebay I knew it was some bullshit racket to allow people to bump up the value of a video game and justify it with some badge saying how rare and preserved it is.
Welcome Mr. Mad! Thank you for the kind words. You'd be amazed how many takes it took to get "well spoken" as the base performance. ;)
3)the purpose of a videogame is to bring entertainment, if one gets that entertainment from collecting then the game has served its purpose 4) slabbing- you contradict yourself, actionfigures are "meant" to be manipulated and taken out of the package to be played, same as videogames. Again, if you want to play buy a used copy which is often under 10$. 5) qualified is an opened game, and you are right in your opinion on it, but thats why no one really takes qualified serious. which you would
I'm a collector and I play what I collect. That's kind of the point of games, to play them. They aren't baseball cards or dolls. Second, anyone can put something in a hard plastic case and "grade" it. Games aren't jewelry or gold, there's no expertise in determining the quality and condition of a game, it's an opinion. There's no national or internationally recognized scientific or scholarly group, organization, association, council or board that governs the grading of video game material. It's a business that people pay into to feel prestigious about their stuff or that think it adds exorbitant value to stuff they sell.
great video. I can't wait for the games to start hitting lower prices when this bubble bursts. At least, the legitimately common ones, not the almost one of a kind super rare games. Common SNES games for 60+$? I don't think so.
So what is the best way to play retro games but protect the boxes??? I don't wanna spend a few hundred on a sealed game, open it, play it and have the box and manuals turn to shit over time.
There are regular protective boxes that aren't shams nor permanently sealed. I bought a bunch of long box protectors from www.videogameboxprotectors.com, even reviewed them, here: game-rave.com/psx_galleries/gr_longboxprotect/
They're really, really nice, and the seller has since expanded his offerings 10-Fold.
I would never pay money to grade it, i couldnt think of paying money for a sealed copy of a game and not play it!!!!
Except the closing argument is only 20% of the big picture. You paid money for nothing; you could buy a box of protectors for the same cost as one VGA case, and it would look just as shiny and not have that annoying decal, nor take up as much space. You could also get to it if needed.
Again, I have nothing against 'preservation' per se, it's grading that is pointless. It's trying to turn games into some sort of stock market / currency / investment, and that will only lead to terrible things.
Grading old video games is fine but anything at fourth or fifth gen and over doesn't really need to be graded.
I have zero interest in buying into the VGA bullshit! I agree with the PET box protectors for protecting games is enough imho. I store my box and manuals in them and keep my carts stored separately so i don't have to keep opening and damaging my boxes. My boxes stay in great condition and i haven't been over charged for the privilege!
I also don't need to be told how good the condition of my games are..........i know, i have eyes.
VGA grading is such a scam. If you want to keep a game sealed and preserved, great. But don't waste money sending it to these jack-offs. At least they almost never sell for the inflated prices people put them on eBay for.
In part, things on eBay are only worth what someone's willing to pay for it. I mean, when Hostess went belly up people were selling fresh packages of Twinkies for $5,000. If no one buys it, it's not worth much of anything. And if you want one of those cases opened, I'm sure I have a power tool for that.
Do you still have all of those unopened action figures from the 80's? I remember you had a whole wall of them way back when.
High quality flash carts and Optical Drive Emulators poke a giant hole in the "games were meant to be played" argument for opening items that have miraculously survived 30+ years without being damaged/opened. Buy a loose game if your obsession demands it.
That Metal Gear guide book mess is totally inexcusable. Did you ever contact VGA and ask them to compensate you for damages resulting from the design of their crappy plastic insert?
Nice presentation, by the way. I suck at even basic editing, lol.
Hey, genuine thank you for the comment and video watch - I'm actually shocked this is still getting views.
I completely agree with your cart / ODE comment, but the "meant to be played" goes a bit deeper than that. I keep meaning to do a follow-up video to this, but the concept has mutated and worsened far worse than I could ever have imagined.
If I may add a perspective to your "survived 30+ years", the statement falls apart with hardware. It doesn't matter if the 30 year old Turbo Duo is still "brand new" in a VGA / WATA case. The resistors are still going to fail and leak, the battery is still going to leak and destroy the board. What you then have is a graded "Double Schrodinger's Cat" - is the system really new in what would have been just a sticker sealed box? and - Are the guts of the new hardware still functional? As mentioned in the video, the VGA cases aren't sealed - oxygen is still getting in there. So all that got graded is the unseen, unfixable (it's sealed in a sneeze guard) march of time.
As for the Metal Gear scenario - it wouldn't have been worth my time - it was bought from a 3rd Party (who had the pics to prove it was fine before shipping), but more importantly - it proved my point - the cases don't do squat. That was worth what I paid for it.
Thanks for the compliments on editing, and a huge thank you for actually stating a discussion. These are where our answers and valid opinions are found. I welcome both. :) Welcome to the channel!
I can think of a few games that would totally be worth getting graded, but I dont see a point with common games. Unlesss a cheap game had a lot of sentimental value. but whatever, to each his own :)
I don't think alot of the listings that sold for less than FMV were sent to the buyer.For instance I was the person that won tecmo super nba basketball that you called out. I never got it and the guy tried canceling the transaction right after the auction ended. So I paid and then he promptly refunded my money back.
Yep, we caught that post-posting. However, after researching it we found non-slabbed ones New selling for $25 to $30, so I left it alone. :)
Thank you kind Giraffe Liker! And yes, I'm hoping to have GR TV run for a while. Trying to mix things up a bit. :D
I can't believe the morons who commented on your video Jay... keep up the great work... I learn more from your videos than any other youtube channel...and I subscribe to ALOT of them... thanks for all the great info my man!
Maybe this was already mentioned, but the greatest hits SC you showed was SCIII, not SCII.
That's generally considered a pretty poor entry in the series though, so I don't think that would have a positive effect on it's value.
Enjoyed the video! Was wondering if you can do a segment on Figurines and Statues and if keeping them mint in the box is actually a good thing. Also, I believe 17 of those dislikes came from Nintendoage. xD
Hey J!
I'm not much of a figures / statues person. The God of War one I won from Sony I had on display, and should once I glue his arms back on >_>. I opened my Transformers because I like posing them. Other figures, if they were in a completely clear box, I just leave them in there.
GameRaveTV Oh ok. Was hoping I find an expect on PVC figures and whether or not these figures actually need to "breathe" because of the material and stuff used to make them.
Btw, is it actually a good idea to keep games sealed in shrink wrap? If it is factory sealed and I want to keep it sealed, would it be safe from damage?
The shrink wrap will eventually wear over time. You could always buy a simple cover for it from www.videogameboxprotectors.com. I have their long box ones and they are awesome.
GameRaveTV dude i love that store. must have gotten close to $300 worth of protectors from them so far. and i still want to get 200 blu-ray protectors for my movies and plethora of recent PlayStation games.
Branden Lucero Lol, that's like more than what VGA graders pay for like 2-3 games that are sealed.
I like preservation, but we are talking about video games, not fucking Kryptonite that needs to be locked up in the Batvault. xD
Frankly though, I would buy those cases when i have the money. :-/
Came here from Digital Press and stayed for the excellent, well spoken commentary, subscribed.
You compared the graded Soul Calibur 2 with 2 sold copies of Soul Calibur 3, heads up. Point is still valid though with the other examples.
Argh! You're right. I did however recheck eBay after reading your post. A Completed Search for New SC2 reveals sealed ungraded copies selling for $25 and $30...so it' still good. No need for Annotation. :D
Hi GameRave, what is your opinion of graded Pokemon and Magic The Gathering cards?
Hello! Thanks for the comment. :)
Same difference with one minor important factor: You can still use a Pokemon / Magic card as it was intended even if it's stuck inside a plastic slab.
And like the graded games, they're value is artificially inflated. It's a piece of cardboard. It's value is only applied to it because of a need to own it.
No one's really asking my thoughts on graded Beanie Babies, you know?
@@GameRaveTV that's fair. You still have full access to the card, so you can actually appreciate it in a (near) identical way to a loose variant. Thanks for the reply!
Collect games, play, don't bother about all this shit, you wont grab your games with you when you are dead.
Excellent video, you earned a sub from me. I do think that this is becoming a very large problem with game collecting in general, I understand that people like sealed copies, but having a large, ugly and useless box just to say 'Hey look what I've got' to what is usually a youtube viewer base makes no sense. It drove up the price for Fire Emblem PoR on the Gamecube, people started putting graded copies on eBay driving the price up ridiculously, pushing other sellers to sell even none selaed copies online for much more than it was worth. Hawkers like that will kill collecting altogether. Gaming is dying either way unfortunately.
It's mainly the fault of greedy collectors, although if you watch 'Suntrust visits Collectable Grading Authority', the 'CEO' and owner of this small company and VGA website does state that his main goals are to both value an item.. and... to increase the value. He should have focused on talking about maintaining the quality of the items that are sent in instead - so he is not really helping the idea or argument that VGA is just an investment get rich quick scheme, even if it's not, which is a pity. In the video he seems genuine enough, unlike the fake smiles of the presenters :D
For those not wanting to show their collection off, cases of this sort are unnecessary. If they do want to show them off on display, or handle them often, they would be better off in just buying the VGA cases they offer (ungraded), or similar cases from another company. Those gathering games for long enough should be experts in their own right to assess the current quality compared to a new copy themselves. A small company that focuses on toys will not have mint conditions of every single title to compare to, although they won't exactly have a difficult job if most of what's being sent in is just a shrink wrapped dvd. A real videogame collector would not pay great amounts just for an opinion or shiny sticker from an admittedly struggling company that decides to expand to videogames to recoup costs. An acrylic custom case won't preserve indefinitely. For those that buy and sell VGA, if this company disappears, the value of sellers games will drop significantly. It won't help if another company takes over either with a more professional approach that is 'authorised' by the industry with far more massive media attention, although that wouldn't stop collector's from upping the cost of videogames.
To many people their games, old or new, are of unlimited value, and many love to find out that the price of a game they already own is of a high value, but due to VGA this value is not often realistic in terms of collectability. With sellers upping prices all the time after finding out what 'graded' versions of even the least collectable items can attempt to go for, this effectively turns the gaming market into a pyramid scheme, limiting buyer choice for those not on an unlimited budget. A market full of encased high priced items with content inside that is worth far less. Great. Those sellers aiming to simply get rich are not good for the reputation of the CGA company either. CGA's high prices (taking their cases aside) reflect what collector's will happily pay, but it is not really CGA's fault with those selling on ebay etc for high amounts. A game in a custom case may sell for more, just like an action figure would, but when you now see modern items being offered or selling on VGA for hundreds of dollars, it becomes a joke.
Few VGA sellers will likely buy high priced VGA games and eventually (in theory) there will be no non-VGA games left to buy. To quote another website on pyramid schemes '"Nobody's going to want to buy from us because everyone's trying to sell!"........ lol
Thanks for putting those slabbers on blast.
What's the name of the beat at the beginning of this video?
Benjamin Mcmillian Hello! That track is called "The Spice" and is performed by Ken Dejong. You can purchase it / hear the whole thing along with his other music here:
kendejong.bandcamp.com/track/the-spice-electronic
I remember seeing auctions like these and just thinking to myself...why?
if Sony/Konami puts suikoden 2 on psn as a digital download i think we all win
Masturbation for ego, you said it.
Totally agree! Thanks for making the video and making good points.