Re: [SWcollect] Digest for swcollect@googlegroups.com - 4 updates in 1 topic

[Steve Ramsey]

Hi all

I started collecting as a player (almost exclusively graphic adventures) but then became an obsessive collector. It was never about the investment, but the thrill of the chase. Boxes were obligatory and over 1000 games currently surround me.

I have made clear to my family that when I pass they need to access the spreadsheet on my pc and not just take them all to the charity shop.

I am though hoping that a local museum will accept them. Nearly every graphic adventure since they began would I hope be a worthy addition.

It is a tad annoying when re-releases diminish the unique nature of certain items - my original Full Throttle bandanna is a case in point - but it is what it is. It's also a cool bandanna.

I didn't know about the box protecting so thanks for that. I live on the coast and swelling in the boxes is an issue.

Cheers

Steve

On Mon, Jul 6, 2026 at 1:03 PM <swco...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

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• Hobby or Investment? - 4 Updates

Hobby or Investment?

John Romero <jo...@romero.com>: Jul 06 12:56AM +0100 Here’s a disturbing trend that is beginning: fans are making reproductions of their favorite games.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzybdE6ZvmE   This kind of activity starts to ruin the collector’s market.   Best, John --------------------------------------- John Romero jo...@romero.com Galway, Ireland

Agustín Cordes <agusti...@gmail.com>: Jul 06 12:04AM Yeah, very common in the VHS world. There's always an outcry about this sort of things, and collecting a *real* VHS has become a sort of gamble.   My stance on the topic is a bit controversial. Let's face it: the bunch of us able to afford and collect this stuff are privileged folks. Who am I to say someone else can't buy a faithful and way cheaper reproduction of the stuff I'm paying? For sure it's bad for preservation of the items themselves, not so much preservation of culture. Personally, I'd rather have preservation of culture.     ------ Original Message ------ From "John Romero" <jo...@romero.com> To "SWCollect" <swco...@googlegroups.com> Date 7/5/2026 8:56:38 PM Subject Re: [SWcollect] Hobby or Investment?     -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Software Collectors" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swcollect+...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/72741360-FF03-4DA3-B914-5F7BD3C3A470%40romero.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/72741360-FF03-4DA3-B914-5F7BD3C3A470%40romero.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer>.

Stuart Feldhamer <stuart.f...@gmail.com>: Jul 05 09:14PM -0400 “Fans” or “counterfeiters”?     Stuart     From: swco...@googlegroups.com <swco...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of John Romero Sent: Sunday, July 5, 2026 7:57 PM To: SWCollect <swco...@googlegroups.com> Subject: Re: [SWcollect] Hobby or Investment?     Here’s a disturbing trend that is beginning: fans are making reproductions of their favorite games.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzybdE6ZvmE     This kind of activity starts to ruin the collector’s market.     Best, John   ---------------------------------------   John Romero   jo...@romero.com <mailto:john@romero.com>   Galway, Ireland           On Jul 2, 2026, at 11:24 PM, Dirk Oliver Schulz <di...@mail.vintagegames.net <mailto:dirk@mail.vintagegames.net> > wrote:     Same here. Always was meant as a hobby.     I still might have gone a bit overboard in the early 2000s when I started collecting, caring a great deal about box condition (I guess some collectors might not?) and buying the same release a couple of times. And and some point, I just had to also start selling of the duplicates ... still sitting on too many of those. Also, moving about two years back, I had big plans for setting up my collection for display in our new home - strange how shelf content seems to decompress to twice its size ;) At least, I tried not to "double park" boxes anymore, and how just about a third of my collection is taking up more than a wall in our home offices. Also a happy owner of a Suspended mask (in questionable condition), but I never managed to get a hold of the Starcross saucer or a copy of Cornerstone.   http://vintagegames.net/public/museum/main_1.jpg   http://vintagegames.net/public/museum/main_2.jpg       Agustín, thanks for clarifying. Strangely enough, I ended up *not* collecting German versions of US-made games but often went for US and UK releases. Plus EGA vs. VGA or CD-ROM, but the biggest variety I do in fact have with earlier Sierra titles as you can see (King's Quest being at the top with all its many releases).   http://vintagegames.net/public/museum/sierra.jpg       Seems like more than one of us had to experience damages from water one way or another. I actually tried to put my games into my home insurance explicitly a collector's objects, but that didn't work. But regardless of financial damage, I am not sure if I would find the time to even put the core of my collection back together again. Some games I don't even see on eBay anymore, some just have completely inflated prices (and I am wondering if they actually sell at those).     My family has no real idea (yet) about the value of the games, but all the more reason maybe to downsize to what I really care about, keep than in good condition, and educate everyone about the value. Actually, though, I am quite curious what everybody thinks: will video games keep their values? I presume most people collect for nostalgic reasons, once we are gone, will anyone care about these games? Or will all this go the way of collecting stamps?     Dirk       On 7/1/2026 3:49 AM, Stephane Racle wrote:   Definitely hobby for me. I mean, I won't be sad if some of it appreciates in value, but like Ian said, I think that would only be a small number of items.   What I've found over the years is that I've enjoyed having, documenting, and archiving the physical items and even more so, learning about their history and origin - whether for the game itself or for the particular copy of the game. There are some really interesting stories to be told (hence why I decided to do the book).   Stephane       On 28-Jun-26 09:24, Jerry Kurtz wrote:   Hello,     When I got into collecting, it was for the love of the game(s).     Maybe 10 years ago, my basement flooded. Just a couple inches of water is all it took to ruin the vast majority of my Amiga, Dreamcast, and misc. collection and some C64 titles. I had stored some games in banker boxes. My mistake, for sure.     Insurance, saw the mess, cut a check for $5000, their max coverage, and I threw away what I would guess then was $25000 worth of games. It was heart breaking.     Now, we see games being graded, and some titles fetch 10x what we paid not even 10 or 15 years ago.     So, do you still treat your collection as a hobby, or has it become an investment?     If you pass, will your family know what to do with it, or will some lucky fool swoop in and snag a deal of a lifetime from your unknowing family.     I’m 50/50. I still have a love for the hobby, but my family doesn’t care. For me it’s a hobby, but when I pass, for them, I need it to be an investment.     At least, that’s what I pray for.     I don’t know if I’ve ever met any of you personally, but I do miss this group.     Jerry     -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Software Collectors" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swcollect+...@googlegroups.com <mailto:swcollect+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/CACtA3sik%3DOB%2B3e4sNq6i-dHXK722FozaWCEF%3DFDhJGb10xCGeA%40mail.gmail.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/CACtA3sik%3DOB%2B3e4sNq6i-dHXK722FozaWCEF%3DFDhJGb10xCGeA%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> .     -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Software Collectors" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swcollect+...@googlegroups.com <mailto:swcollect+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/3003c0d8-aa4d-42a1-950d-07df787fdcc9%40gmail.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/3003c0d8-aa4d-42a1-950d-07df787fdcc9%40gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> .       -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Software Collectors" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swcollect+...@googlegroups.com <mailto:swcollect+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/59c50a6b-b1a0-4d33-87a4-442c97f86f57%40mail.vintagegames.net <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/59c50a6b-b1a0-4d33-87a4-442c97f86f57%40mail.vintagegames.net?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> .     -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Software Collectors" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to swcollect+...@googlegroups.com <mailto:swcollect+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com> . To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/72741360-FF03-4DA3-B914-5F7BD3C3A470%40romero.com <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/swcollect/72741360-FF03-4DA3-B914-5F7BD3C3A470%40romero.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> .

Jerry Kurtz <jerry...@gmail.com>: Jul 05 09:26PM -0400 In that vein, although licensed, what’s the take on the Neo Geo AES+? Ultimate “fan art” or sacrilege?   Full transparency: I bought the elite bundle and the white console too.   I had a Neo Geo in the 90’s and co-developed “Knight’s Chance” for the platform with my (twin) brother a few years back.   Jerry       On Sun, Jul 5, 2026 at 9:14 PM Stuart Feldhamer <stuart.f...@gmail.com> wrote:

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