How much are you willing to pay for a game in todays climate?

bottlejunkie

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How much are you willing to pay for a game in todays climate?

I thought with all the cheapo klovian threads I'd see where everybody stands.
With cabs at an all time high and deals few and far between how deep would you dig for that game you really want and what game is that?
 
I always try to be cheap, but then I go to an auction and overpay for a pinball in the heat of the moment.

The fixing is the fun part, so even overpaying for a broken machine is better than paying retail for flavor of the day.
 
I few years ago I wouldn't spend $650 on an LA Wacko. Thought it was too much. One popped up a few months ago for $1500 that required shipping & I pmd immediately saying I'd take it. Already sold so I missed out.

Said no to $650 one year then jumped at $1500 recently. Funny how things change.
 
I kinda wish $500 was the magic number (for more common games).
Maybe $1000 now for color vectors would be an OK price.

Glad I'm no longer in the market for more games. LOL
 
With cabs at an all time high

for the one off home collector the prices might be high.
But for the people who are into bulk warehousing of games, I think the prices are probably still what they were years back. anywhere from $150 to $750 for the standard machines, with exceptions above it for the more obvious high profile games.

$350 for a working game needing attention would be my own preference. I'd like to find a local pac or galaxian or ms pac in this range.

$500 for something that really caught my fancy. like a great condition Joust.

$750 and above is no longer in the designated budget which is why I don't have to worry about accidentally wanting another pin.
 
Interesting question. I'd probably just say $2K. The most I have spent in practice is $1750 for my Zookeeper. Naturally I am not counting pins.

However, now I actually try to stick below $700. As a consequence my collection gets more "interesting"/collector centric. For example a cheap Chrystal Castles, Stargate, and Rampage is more interesting to me than a mint Tapper, DK, and Major Havoc.
 
I have no magic number. It depends on the game and my desire.

I avoid auctions like the plague. Crap goes for 10x it's value, because the uninformed like the way it works. They don't care if it EVER works - they just want the eye candy.

With that said, I'm frugal. The right game (interests me) for a reasonable price, and I'll do it.

A few years ago, I had a real urge to find a Gottlieb Reactor. I cast around and finally found one on eBay. On the west coast.

I nabbed it, paid the shipping, and fixed it up and played the heck out of it. I was in around $2400.

Someone offered me enough money (I broke even, less the parts) to buy it, and it was gone. I kind of miss it, but not enough to get another one.
 
I kinda wish $500 was the magic number (for more common games).
Maybe $1000 now for color vectors would be an OK price.

Glad I'm no longer in the market for more games. LOL

I agree with this. I won't spend $1000 on a video game, it's just too hyped up.

I am also glad I am no longer in the market. I would probably have been turned off to the hobby at these prices if I was just starting out.
 
I agree with this. I won't spend $1000 on a video game, it's just too hyped up.

I am also glad I am no longer in the market. I would probably have been turned off to the hobby at these prices if I was just starting out.

My hope is that its a pop culture fad that will die out eventually, when that happens people will start unloading their games that they no longer deem cool and prices will drop.

Fingers crossed, I'll be waiting lol.
 
The average I paid for my collection was around $400 per game. The most I paid for one was $900, and the lowest one was free. I have all the games I want and have the room for since my bar is gone, so I have no desire to add any more right now especially as the prices go higher.
 
My hope is that its a pop culture fad that will die out eventually,

A friend of mine who has tons of games and storage of them touched on this the other day.
The biggest detractor long term is the lack of people to work on the original equipment, both monitors and pcbs. even now that is becoming a lost art around a place like this. Dokert's of the world aren't that common now.

There will always be a place for pop-culture for simple pixel graphic games, the primary colors will ensure that ie Pacman, Frogger, DK, etc.

From education perspective, especially related to the early 80s arcade games there will be long term interest because they represent the most rudimentary programming and hardware skills, rather than modern gaming development that uses automation tools. ie how did they make the berzerk maze generation so elegantly with minimal memory.

Where you'll see the transition is the comfort in alternate emulation experiences like the collections on consoles, or the retro things like the flashback series. kids are comfortable with that, they will be the parents soon enough. even I fall into it...I'd never pay 300 bucks for a frogger or eyes cabinet because I can order a $35 Pi online and have it in 2days along with a $5 NES style controller.
 
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Discussing prices on this forum seems so cliche now. Things cost more because of outside factors they can't control and people can't seem to accept that... or get therapy complaining about it (maybe?)

To answer the OPs question, when I buy a game I get a rough idea of the market value at that time and I try to get the game into that range to purchase. I gladly pay premiums when I've been looking forever or when a game is close/convenient. I value my time 100x more than my money.

Crazy prices on games don't bother me except in the sense that I start wondering what else I can buy for my collection. For example - I'd love an Ice Cold Beer or Zekes Peak. When I see what type of pinball I can get for $2500-$3000 I no longer want those games that badly. So crazy prices do impact my thought process in the sense that I just buy something I see as a better "value" even if I spend more doing it.
 
A friend of mine who has tons of games and storage of them touched on this the other day.
The biggest detractor long term is the lack of people to work on the original equipment, both monitors and pcbs. even now that is becoming a lost art around a place like this. Dokert's of the world aren't that common now.

There will always be a place for pop-culture for simple pixel graphic games, the primary colors will ensure that ie Pacman, Frogger, DK, etc.

From education perspective, especially related to the early 80s arcade games there will be long term interest because they represent the most rudimentary programming and hardware skills, rather than modern gaming development that uses automation tools. ie how did they make the berzerk maze generation so elegantly with minimal memory.

Where you'll see the transition is the comfort in alternate emulation experiences like the collections on consoles, or the retro things like the flashback series. kids are comfortable with that, they will be the parents soon enough. even I fall into it...I'd never pay 300 bucks for a frogger or eyes cabinet because I can order a $35 Pi online and have it in 2days along with a $5 NES style controller.

There a reason why I have repair parties over at the arcade expo in banning. Part of it is to teach younger people how to work on arcade machines. I taught a kid name zackery and jerid how to replace the sensor on pump it up arcade machine. They went above and beyond and I was proud of the work they did..

I could mame the 400 plus games at arcade expo but who would show up?

Would I spend 10k on the right machine for myself? No but I would spend that kind of money on an arcade machine that gets public exposure like the arcade expo.
 
While I haven't been in the market for any new cabs based on space related issues, $600 for a new multi-cart/motherboard combo? No Problem!

:D
 
Would I spend 10k on the right machine for myself? No but I would spend that kind of money on an arcade machine that gets public exposure like the arcade expo.

That is exactly the spirit that I admire in a good cross-section of the hobby right now.
The people with the above and beyond passion to create a positive family experience...carrying on a tradition or legacy.

The money never turns into a profit, but the experience it creates for others....Priceless.
 
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