AES prices drastically drop or what?

[Capt. Lurker]

Is it just me or did the price and value of AES games fall out from under itself? Really now, I have been checking out the prices for like the past 6+ months and I have noticed the prices and values simply seem to be far less then back in the day.

Does anyone else notice this? Why do you think this is, the economy or maybe the fact that many of the games are ending up on other home console systems or as downloads for the consoles? Maybe a combo of both reasons?
I'm just a bit puzzled as I have always considered the AES games to hold a high value, however it does not seem to be this way anymore.

 

[madman]

It's because people are playing the games, thus causing fingerprints, insertion marks and other damage which devalues the games. If people stopped playing the games, they would maintain their value.

 

[aria]

I hope they do. While I can understand a handful of truly rare games (like any system) commanding exceptionally high prices, I think it would be better for the system.

 

[Praise the Lard]

I've watched AES game prices on eBay for years and all I've noticed recently is that it looks easier to get a "good deal" right now. I've not noticed any severe price drops on any rare/desirable titles but I have noticed _some_ auctions ending low (not horribly low, just low), which is probably just more a result of the global economy than anything.

If you can give some choice examples rare/desirable titles that were from a seller with good feedback, were properly listed, and still went low despite that then please list them off. I have a fetish for AES game prices. The only ones that come to mind for me were from somewhat shadey looking sellers.

Of course games that are available as NOS have dropped like a rock. There are so damn many of them and most people are either A) not terribly interested in those titles or B) already have them.

Lastly, I have noticed converted games not fetching quite what they used to. Less interest in conversions these days maybe?

 

[Xian Xi]

MAME. Most of the people that want to play them don't want to shell out the money for them so they resort to MAME. Fags.

 

[djjimmyjames]

The few games that are actually rare and mint will always hold there value. The rest of the games will fallow the same pattern that every non mint rare game does.

Less and less people will be interested in the Neo Geo as time goes on. Alot of people who have this game or that game wont buy more than one copy. I would say 90% of the people that play neo geo are MAME lovers. Its cheaper to own MVS.

The biggest reason, supply and demand. If SS2 was in high demand like furby in 98 a mint AES copy would be selling for over a grand. No one wants AES, no one really cares about AES. I see games sit on the forums for six months before they get sold. I know it sucks but the demand has dropped.

Last, I was talking to a few gamestop associates about the Neo Geo and one referred to it as an overpriced POS. Snes looks better yada yada yada. The younger generation I believe feels that retro is either lame or hip. I hate to say it but I think retro gamming has become a fad. Cant wait for this to go away, more copies out there to buy at cheaper prices.

 

[Koopa64]

I hope the Neo AES scene bottoms-out eventually, maybe I'll get a system and some games relatively cheap then. =/

 

[madman]

It'll be interesting to see what happens, I think the Neo Geo has always been a niche system, or at least a collector's system. It seems that more AES systems are sold in box than any other system such as a SNES/Genesis. Likewise with the games, but I think thats partly A) the huge price of the games, who would throw those boxes out and B) they are nice plastic boxes, not flimsy cardboard that is tossed away. It's hard for me to wonder if I'd have any interest in the Neo if I was 15 years old right now. The fact that I still see Ms. Pacman, Centipede and other classic machines still in use today gives me hope that the Neo will have appeal beyond someone seeking "retro" gaming. Some of the greatest arcade games and certainly a lot of the best 2D fighters were on the Neo.

In the short term, I think most of the interest will continue to be in the MVS. Carts are cheaper, easily available and consolized systems or converters can be found on the cheap.

 

[WoodyXP]

It could be the economy. Last October when I was selling the games I noticed I had to cut my prices ridiculously low to get any interest, and even then people haggled for an even better deal. The demand is still out there, for sure... it's just most people aren't willing/able to pay the prices we're used to seeing out there.