Collections you regret selling, collections you don't!

[tokyochojin]

I have been considering selling my Dreamcast collection (around 80 games as well as other bits and bobs, a full Official Dreamcast Magazine collection) to raise a bit of extra cash at home as the only games I regularly play are Crazy Taxi, Tokyo Bus Guide, Capcom Vs. SNK Pro, and Jet Set Radio. Part of me wants to relieve our flat of all the games and accessories that I have to just concentrate on my PS3 (and the PS1/2 games I have for it), and then another part is clinging to the memories. Anyway, I'd like to hear the opinions of those who have sold off collections and wish they hadn't, and similarly those who did and have no regrets, as i think it will help me make a decision.

[Colin]

I had a massive PC-Engine collection, and I absolutely loved it and it will always be my favourite system ever. To be honest though, I was barely playing any of it, it all became about the collecting. I just decided one day it all had to go, as well as a fairly big NEO-GEO collection and others. Don't regret it at all, it was just unneccessary stuff i was buying just for the sake of owning it and sticking it on my shelf. A couple of years back I owned around a thousand games and loads of systems, I now own six games. To be fair though, if I won the lottery, i'd probably start collecting again......................

[charlesr]

I sold my PS2 and DC collections. I wasn't playing the PS2 and I kept the DC and a few choice games that I still play every once in a while. It means I can concentrate on my N64 games plus put some decent time into new games. I was spreading myself too thin. Much happier now.

I'm not sure how much cash you are expecting but unless you have lots of J LE shooters and stuff, then it's not going to be that much and if that's the only reason to sell, then maybe you shouldn't because you might be disappointed in how much you get. But if you concentrate on purging the flat then you will be happy.

[speedlolita]

All of them.

[Neon Ignition]

I've done two purges in the past with a third underway having caved at various points and ending up collecting again. It's mostly habitual, fueled by nostalgia, but in reality it just takes up space. I find it's easy to think about some of the games you end up with and think "I love that game, I should keep it for when I want to play it". Que said game sitting in a cupboard unplayed for 8 years.

The Dreamcast is a big one too. So many memories attached to it but being honest most of its games are available via other formats in one form or another. For me, current gen and the PS2 cover almost all bases. It's well worth keeping the collection trimmed down and you'll find you don't miss them. 8-9 more months and my 360's going too.

[SUMIRE]

Not really a collection, but I kind of regret selling my AES Samurai Shodown 5 and Sengoku 3, but I suppose they were just sitting on a shelf and I did get a lot of money from the sales which paid for my TV which I actually use all the time.

[nakamura]

I sold my SNES collection and regretted it heavily so I purchased a lot of it back. However the games I have back are games I actually do play so it isn't just taking up space. I do own a lot of games and frankly I enjoy owning them but every game I now own is one I own to play at some point.

What I am trying to avoid is buying to complete sets. I used to have all of the PS2 Burnout games, now I just have Takendown and Revenge.

There still seems to be a stigma attached about owning a lot of games but owning millions of DVDs or CDs seems to be ok. I really don't see why. I like owning plenty of choice but that said I still keep it within reason.

[Colin]

Something interesting i've found after the clear out is i'm paranoid about owning too many games. Before I had my current PS3, I sold one with about 40-50 games and they were worth very little and I sold it all at a massive loss, which is why I keep the amount of games I have now to a minimum. I don't want the next gen to turn up and i'm sat with a pile of worthless PS3 games that i'll most likely never play again. I know it's different with retro as so much of it has value which shouldn't decrease, but my mindset has obviously completely changed.

[Skull Commander]

I have been down this road a couple of times. I sold my first Dreamcast collection then bought it all back a few years later. I have done the same with the Saturn, the Snes and the N64. Maybe the best thing to do is go the Charles route and keep the machine with the few games you play and thin the collection a bit. I have started doing that and it works for me.

[nakamura]

Something interesting i've found after the clear out is i'm paranoid about owning too many games. Before I had my current PS3, I sold one with about 40-50 games and they were worth very little and I sold it all at a massive loss,

I can see that aspect. Most of my games are worthless. A lot of PS2 titles I have picked up for ?1-10 over the last few years.

[sj33]

This isn't really a console-specific collection, but I partially regret selling most of my Resident Evil special editions to Shozuki! Including stuff like the GameCube Biohazard Collection. Still, it was basically just sitting on the shelf gathering dust like most collections end up doing.

I've basically come to the conclusion that less can be more. There's something quite satisfying about owning a streamlined collection with no chaff, containing games I actually want and basically just being more personal.

[speedlolita]

I own 16 games across 3 consoles now.

It's great!

[Howiee]

Funny, I shifted my Jap DC collection just before Christmas having toiled with exactly those questions. I haven't looked back, to be honest.

With the exception of Shenmue 1, there's not much on the DC worth having (to my taste, anyway) that isn't available on Xbox Live or can't be bought for another console. That, and the fact that I prefer the Saturn for 2D beat 'em ups, sealed it.

[MrKirov]

Sold the majority of my PS1/PS2 collection, my entire Wii and GameCube collection...

Didn't realise the value of some of the stuff I had and sold them for a pittance. Now I've spent the past few years trying to get them all back as I stupidly did it hastily. Gotten a lot of the stuff back after spending lots of cash, and find that alot if the stuff I had was both rare, and now has shot up in value.

Really regret doing my clear out, even if it was just sitting there. Be careful and don't be too hasty!

[briareos_kerensky]

I once had a large number of NES games, sold when I switched to a SNES. The SNES collection has been mostly sold during the 32-bit era when I switched to PC gaming and today I still struggle to rebuild them. After those I haven't sold any game and I just kept stockpiling, though not everything is getting the attention it deserves.
I'm considering switching my PAL N64 games to NTSC and if I ever do it (monetary constraints) I don't really know if I'll ever sell the PAL titles.
On the other hand, I've been recently building up (and playing!) a PC Engine collection...