Graded Retro Games/Systems, Scam or Investment?

I'm sure some of you have seen those sellers on eBay, charging premiums for sealed retro games that have been "graded" by an arbitrary third party, then encased in a clear bag, before finally being firmly closed in an acrylic case. Apparently the act of bagging, sealing, tagging and labeling games is somehow supposedly raising the value of said games, sometimes by as much as 800%. Want a graded copy of Chrono Trigger (SNES)? Expect to shell out anywhere from $1000 to $6000, depending on grade. How about a more recent PS2 game? You're still looking at prices anywhere from $300 to $900, varying by game and grade. Even consoles are fair game, with an original sealed in the box Playstation 2 going for $1800. A graded Gameboy system currently trends for $1000, while a graded Sega Saturn will set you back $2000.

My big question is, are these games and systems worth such a premium? Sure, they don't make them anymore and you could argue that there is an element of collectability to them, in the same way that graded comic books appreciate in value, but does that justify such outrageous markups? At least comic book price guides exist to help buyers with purchasing decisions, while the price of graded games and systems, seems to fluctuate from seller to seller and day to day.

Do you guys see these games and systems as an investment or a cash grab?

I personally do not get my games graded or purchase graded games on ebay. The cost to obtain an item I can never use due to how far it's value will drop as soon as I crack the seal is ridiculous, and you're right, it's out of hand. I buy a lot of games, and own somewhere close to 3000 right now, and in all honestly I'm not a big fan of having a copy of a game that I am not able to play.

If you ask me, it's nothing more than a cash grab, especially when these items are graded below 90. The only items that would be truely worth grading are the super rare and obscenely hard to find items, like a sealed copy of Elder Scrolls Arena, I could see a 90+ graded Arena being worth $500 or so. But not an 80+ Sega Saturn.

I buy games to play them, not keep sealed so these auctions have never interested me.

Its not a scam. It's for rare collector's to get a chance to own a piece of gaming history in mint mint mint condition. I support it fully and will purchase a new ps3 to put up to save 10 to 30 years to make bookoo dollar by having it graded.

Personally, the value of a game is as a game. I have never bought a game I don't intend to play at least some. I do understand the joy of something rare/valuable, and when I get such a game I might consider it "part of my collection", but I still buy it to use it too

Same. I don't buy games just to stare at them and to waste space.

Here are my thoughts which I expressed in another thread pertaining to this.

VGA grading is one of the dumbest things in existence, as is most grading of any kind. It doesn't add any value to your product/game, absolutely none, don't fool yourself. They're not an authority on anything, it's artificial inflation based upon arbitrary factors and scores that mean nothing and no one is going to pay for. Grading is also a for profit industry, meaning they entered this market to make money off of chumps who actually think grading their games does something. On top of even this values get inflated even further because again, dumb people spend their money to get these things graded and attempt to recoup the costs of getting it graded by adding that to the price of the game and then some. You could have a $30 game graded and end up spending over $120 getting all of the "services" they provide and turn that $30 game into a $150 game for absolutely no reason, then of course you want to attempt making a profit because it's graded so you add $70 to the top and basically turn a $30 game into a $220 game because of nothing, it's still a $30 game, that other 'value' does not exist...

It's a scheme from top to bottom that only idiots fall for and push money into making those VGA clowns rich.

The only thing the grading methodology is good for is preservation, that's it, sealing the contents for preservation for lifetime collector's or museums, however you don't need them to do this, you can do this yourself....

God this nonsense needs to be eradicated from the gaming industry, what an idiotic cancer...

It's a notion I've never found too appealing. At least with things like cards they only serve the purpose of LOOKING at them (which you can do through those cases anyway), a game is literally made to be played. I've never heard of a game made just to be stared at in its box (unless it was so awful that just looking at the box was a better experience than the game itself.)

The concept of grading systems and games. This is for shelf collectors with no intention of ever playing the systems and games. videogames are a poor investment. Since many games do not increase in value over time. Some game that are "worth a lot of money" are not very good games. Cheetah men 2 is a example. It is unlikely many people will pay the price for this rare game.

If someone were to buy Uncharted 4 and have it graded and sealed. Waiting for 20-30-40 years for the graded sealed copy to maybe increase in value is not a good investment. If you want to make money invest in gold, or real estate. Stocks and bonds.

There are not very many people who are willing to play $15,000 for a copy of a videogame, just to place it on a shelf.

There is a finite limit on such people willing to buy graded videogames. So using videogames to make money is a bad investment.

But since it is a free country people can have their videogame systems and games graded. It is unlikely that they will ever sell and make their money back.

Hmmm.....never heard of that. I just buy games that I want to play someday. Conversely I will skip if they cost too much.

@nyadc; very well said, I agree 100%

I just emulate them. However anything is worth whatever someone is willing to pay for it. But in regards to collecting, it works for any such product. A car is made to drive but some people collect them mint just to stare at, games are no different. There are some rare games I would love to have complete in boxes such as old PC games, they had huge boxes that are something to behold for sure.

As far as i can tell, vga has been thoroughly debunked. Meaning that even if a graded game is worth more (although usually it isn't) the increase in value is based on ignorance, not a meaningful reflection of the value of the game. It's like paying to have your game cleansed of demons and then selling it to other equally superstitious people at a marked up price.