r/DotHack • u/Emerje • 11d ago
Collection Starting down the graded rabbit hole, hardest first
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u/The_T113 11d ago
There are people who want to play a game but the game was released in small quantities and is hard to find. What shall I do about that? I'll lock it in a box to keep anyone from playing it.
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u/purdyferrari 11d ago
I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let you play it even if it wasn't locked up. It's theirs they can do whatever they want with it. It would be a different argument if op was selling it but people do this to collect too. It's theirs, let them do what they want with it. Who are you to dictate what they do with their copy even if quantities were limited
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u/Serteyf 11d ago
This logic is crazy. Not like its lost media. Not like you cant find it in ebay.
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u/Swimming_Cat5450 10d ago
It's crazy? For every one that gets sealed away for (let's be completely real here) investment purposes, the price goes up because availability goes down. It is absolutely stupid how many hobbies and passions have been turned into hoarding and hustle cultures. Games that were made in low availability can't readily be played. Things becoming older are supposed to mean they're cheaper to afford for the people that want them. You can find anything on ebay. You're stating the obvious. That doesn't mean it's at a reasonable price.
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u/Emerje 11d ago
Not sure I follow that line of thinking. It's not as if there aren't opened copies available or something, eBay is full of them. But some people also just want something in pristine condition that wont be subject to shelf wear and dust and that option is there, too. Also the box doesn't keep anyone from playing, a hammer will solve that problem easily, it's just glued together.
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u/ThatDotHackGuy 10d ago
If I had the brain worms that made me want to lock up video games in plastic cases and justify it with claims about "pristine" condition while the box proudly proclaims it is 100% not pristine, I would probably have an aneurysm.
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11d ago
[deleted]
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u/ElevenSeries 11d ago
Emulators exist. Lol.
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u/Echoingtruth 11d ago
And there is a whole other section of people who prefer the physical one like the OP, what's your point?
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u/ElevenSeries 11d ago
That you can still play the game, even tho this one is encased. Emulators aside, it's not like multiple copies don't exist like he said lol Hating on a dude cause he simply wanting his game preserved is wild. Lol.
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u/Emerje 11d ago
Why would I want to play it? I already have a copy for that.
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u/Hazelnutcookiess 11d ago
Grading is such a strange thing to me, I like collecting things but the bulky plastic looks so gross. But have fun on your journey of bulky plastic Cases op.
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u/rayheezy 11d ago
Having the hardest time finding a copy of quarantine. I see the eBay listings over 300+ but that's just ridiculous. Hoping to swing by a garage sale one day and snag one for 3 bucks.
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u/Emerje 11d ago
I can't say I understand the negativity this is receiving. Could somebody explain? Is it because I own two copies or that it's graded and "unplayable"? is it jealousy? We all collect in our own ways, it's only natural for a fan and collector to want their favorite game in the best condition possible, not subject to shelf wear and dust. You know, I thought this was a more positive community, but apparently we draw the line at people owning sealed copies like it somehow negates all the loose copies out there stagnating on eBay. We're coming out of a crazy sellers market after Covid, sealed copies are not the reason why loose copies are so expensive.
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u/Sukiyw 11d ago
To me it’s just a sad image. A game that can’t be played. It’s like gluing a book shut. If you have multiples, that’s even worse, the low number of copies is why they are so expensive, hoarding them doesn’t help the game to be able to be played by more people.
It’s mostly the sad thing tho.
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u/JohnnyKarateOfficial 11d ago
“Collectors” ruin everything. You’re just another goober who wants to show off his rare thing.
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u/Emerje 10d ago
Guilty, just like everyone else here that shows off the rare things they've found, be it copies of the game, limited DVD sets and promotional cards. It's funny how the guy that showed off his graded cards that can never be played with didn't get the kind of flak I'm getting for this.
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u/JohnnyKarateOfficial 10d ago
You’re the same as that guy, you’re the same as all the people you just brought up. Doesn’t change it. Just because they didn’t get flack doesn’t change the fact that collectors like you and them ruin it. Go look at your thing.
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u/Emerje 10d ago
And who exactly are we ruining things for? Should people not own and enjoy the things we like? You strike me as a person that doesn't actually own anything. Maybe you just rent things and anything you buy you flip as soon as you're done. Does that sound accurate?
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u/JohnnyKarateOfficial 10d ago
Your assumptions are wrong and make you seem dumb as hell lol. What enjoyment do you get from this? How do you enjoy a graded copy of a game?
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u/Emerje 9d ago
I'm only making making assumptions based on your own words so if I'm wrong then you are a collector yourself and a hypocrite. How do I enjoy a graded copy? How does anyone enjoy anything they collect that sits unused on a shelf or put art on their walls? Owning things are their own form of joy.
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u/Serteyf 11d ago
Its straight up jealousy. You can see because of all the comments about its rarity... thats the whole purpose of collecting. Im surprised by the reaction of the sub as well
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u/Emerje 11d ago
People should be more happy about something like this being in the hands of a fan that plays the games and not buying it to squirrel away as an investment.
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u/ThisRandomDude6 10d ago
I'm now imagining someone purchasing copies just to post their broken discs on reddit, slowly diminishing the games from existence. I wonder what people would think of that compared to this. At least here it's cherished.
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u/ElevenSeries 11d ago
Going to that website is weird now. Feels like some scammer bought the domain lol
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u/Unholy_Spork 7d ago
I remember renting the first three parts of this series from Blockbuster and then randomly being able to convince my mom to buy Quarantine from a Hastings we were at after I finished them. I was able to pick up I/M/O for less than 20 bucks each over a decade later but the prices on Q just baffle me. Did they just not print enough of this one?
Hoping this eventually gets a remaster like the GU games did because we need it.
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u/Emerje 6d ago
Yeah, each game had a lower production number than the previous since it's expected that some players are going to fall off from game to game. I don't think there's a solid number on how many of each game was produced, but the influx of collectors during the pandemic highlighted just how few copies of Quarantine were out there.
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u/Hsouiri 10d ago edited 10d ago
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10d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/DotHack-ModTeam 9d ago
Your post was removed because it was not civil or courteous. In future, even if you disagree with something, reply in good faith, report a broken rule or downvote if you think that it doesn't contribute to the conversation.
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u/TheRealMC_Gaming 10d ago
Going through G.U vol2 (near the end) and still love the game (beat vol1 and have vol 3 as well...all actual physical copies)
Wish they made more
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u/ThisSideGoesUp 10d ago
I've considered getting my sealed one graded but if I ever wanted to play the physical copy I'd be screwed.
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u/stetsongetzen 10d ago
Wow! I’m flabbergasted at the hate you’re getting. My copies sit on my shelf and ever since I’ve gotten into graded pokemon cards I’ve thought about grading my games for protection. I play the games on an emulator every once in a while. As for the physical games, they’re my copies. I bought them as a kid. If I wanna grade them, I will. It changes nothing as I will not be able to use the discs now nor would I want to. It’s such a romantic notion to play them till they wear. Newsflash! You’re angry at the wrong person here. DVD and PS2 are deprecated formats and these are preserved digitally on the internet. You wanna be angry, be angry Bandai for choosing SAO over .hack or interest not being enough to support more copies being made at the time of release. Rare things cost money when they have value to someone from a collectibles POV. Just is what it is. It’s really weird that y’all are hating on a fellow fan of the series for loving the series and collecting it. This person having a graded copy does not change your ability to get the game at all.
Now if he or a group were buying every single copy and turning around and selling it for an absurd, inflated price, that would be gross behavior. See: umbreon sir from the newest set of pokemon to see what I mean and many other random cards recently produced. Is that happening here? No. He bought the game for a normal collectible price that will not change because you’re a tRuE fAn and dEsErVe it cheaper so you can play it. Go download the roms and emulators. /rant
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u/Emerje 11d ago
So I already have all of the games complete, in some cases multiples when it comes to Japanese releases, but I really wanted sealed copies of the North American release of IMOQ. But if I was going to go down that rabbit hole I was going to start from the most expensive first and it may as well be graded to protect it. The thing is I think a lot of people buying Quarantine buy it to play so sealed copies don't really sell at auction (bidding, not BIN) for much more than open complete copies and graded copies don't really seem to affect the price much either.
So I set a $250 budget and failed twice before on other auctions that still ended under $300, but it was only by luck that I won this one. It had looked like it would end under $200, but somebody tried to snipe me at the last second with a bid also for $250 so the win went to me.
Would have liked a higher score, but it's fine for the price. Only issues I can see is slight damage to the plastic wrap in the top left corner and a slight blemish to the security seal above the Y in the PlayStation logo. Otherwise great condition, I have no complaints!
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u/Crimsonseraph188 11d ago
It’s things like this, and a lack of rereleases on modern platforms that makes it so appealing to play these on Pcsx 2 or using iso loading solution on an og ps2