It's never been about "supply and demand". This has been a calculated racket artificially manipulated by people who aren't gamers. You aren't the first to wake up from their dream...
All investing/collectable markets are scams. Any time there is a way to make lots of money, people will lie cheat and steal to get that cash from you. It's your job as an investor to not fall for scams and make the right moves. Money is a brutal game!
@@pleasuretokill yup! People get caught up in the nostalgia of it all and they just jump into the deep end without ever thinking it through. It was clearly a scam when mario 64 sold for 1.2m MARIO 64 FOR CHRIST SAKES! They sold millions of copies it isn't rare at all, even sealed.
So glad you covered this. I just watched your Wata unboxing video and was thinking "OMG has he seen the Karl Jobst video?". Best of luck to you man, you deserve it
That sealed fortnite you showed at 3:37 has sketch written all over it. I don't care what the grading is on it, who's going to pay $50k for a sealed copy of a game you can get for free RIGHT NOW. It's still in print! I did a quick ebay search, and granted this is a year after the listing shown here, and it's listed for 20k. Last sold was in May 2022 a sealed 9.8 A rating (so the same sold for 50k) sold for 6k via bidding. I think that speaks volumes as to the situation in graded video games.
There'll be a class action lawsuit against WATA because of the increased fees that they charge based on a games "value", a number they helped inflate by manipulating the market. That company is screwed.
I think getting such a common game graded is silly and people who buy them are inflating a market that shouldn't exist for common games. It makes sense for a rare hard to find games. I play games and don't really care for sealed games.
I would just hold on to it in that WATA case, just for the fact that if the allegations are true you have a piece of criminal history that in and of itself is a collectible. Leave it as is and wait out this situation. That’s just my humble opinion
Piece of criminal history..... along with the many thousands of other WATA graded games. It's nothing special. WATA needs to be booted. Confidence in their grading system needs to cease!
Patience is key here. Leave it as is and wait for the dust to settle. You have some sort of number in mind that would sway you to sell it so if that looks like it isn’t realistic then it is meant to be as a key piece of your collection. Good luck and thanks for the amazing videos!
Honestly I think that Wata and Heritage hurt collecting more just by existing. Due to them selling games for such high marks it just made collecting way harder. It just made the hobby more main stream which is kinda cool but now people know what they have and it just inflated the market.
People already knew what they have, a video game. But because of wata they're in the illusion that there video games are worth millions and that makes collecting way harder then it already was 🤑 😔
Why not just enjoy the game , playing the game knowing you can always come back to play it whenever is priceless already . Each game I got is like a portal to another world. I honor every experience. Why sell games for profit ? They love the money not the games...
@@hieinh Yeah but what I’m trying to say is since they sold a game for $1 million people especially at like yard sales and flea markets heard about it and now think that every game is worth millions.
At the end of the day the plastic case is a nice protection so I wouldn't open it unless you send it to VGA (and even then it would be better to let them open it). The VGA route sounds good to me tbh
Yeah, unless you plan to resell it, you might as well keep it as it is. WATA grading doesn't really mean much considering their atrocious grading record (giving incredibly high scores to games with visibly ripped shrinkwraps, etc)
@@whyhere4575 lol “the case could be made that people WANT to spend 2M on a worthless, mass-produced Super Mario cart” is an awful take, my friend. Better take: speculators want to part wannabe “investors” from their money, because it’s good business and once the hype dies down, move on to the next speculative bubble.
@@whyhere4575 if that was the case he wouldn't go and make update videos when his opinion was wrong and proved such. When dream cheated his run he made a followup after it was found to be the fault of his mod creator and Dream didn't actively know the mods were included. He also doesn't make blatant statements that what he is saying is true but likely.
@@joaosergiodearaujoneto4151 the highest graded early hangtab copy that there’s one known that high.. you just don’t understand condition and rarity. Stick to loose carts then.
You have a family and a future to think of. You are in a brand "new" business in terms of UA-cam and influencing. You never know when interest in your followers will change. Take the money and put into something for your future and your families.
I think it's much more morally sound choice to wait for the market to settle down before selling than likely rip someone off. I applaud the choice he's made and think this is exactly what collectors should be doing instead of taking the money and running. It will be much better for the hobby in the long term.
it's funny how the same guys are involved in all this...the guy who runs Heritage is one of the guys who bought the million dollar mario game it's all pretty shady when you have the auction owner driving the prices up by bidding ...I think a criminal investigation is called for
@@Alex-jk1dp The problem is that every game that gets sealed is one fewer game available to play. That drives up the prices. It doesn't matter much for the popular games that had thousands or millions of copies made.. but really affects the games that didn't get a lot of copies printed. Check out Arkista's Ring on Price Charting. The loose cartridge, which was $6 a decade ago is now approaching 10x as much.
@@misterkite I highly doubt that this really has something to do with most of the sealed games. Nobody in their right mind would open a valuable sealed game. Maybe for super rare games in general - but they usually don't have many sealed ones around. You usually find plenty of cartridges for sealed games. The price spike usually comes from youtube hype (let's plays) or a hot market overall. And I'd rather play a rom than opening an expensive sealed game or buying a $50++ cartridge.
I’d sell, no one in their right mind will ever pay those prices for video games ever again. The rich will be too embarrassed to pay those prices now that word is out. Think about the suckers who paid thousands for beanie babies? Ask 100 people who invest or collect video games if they will pay 30k for this game and 100% will say no. If they say yes then sell to that person today! Haha
Here we go with beanie Baby analogies. They were a crappy stuffed animal not backed by anything. The video game market will stay and have trends like sports cards and coins
When you talk about the manipulated market it makes sense when you say how so many people and friends are telling you to sell the game rather than a bunch of people that want to buy the game from you
Personally I would keep the game inside the case and display it like that. That way you know it has a pretty low chance of ever having the seal messed up or the box crushed by some crazy random accident. Love the content and definitely let us know whatever you end up deciding!
As a business owner for many years, my business mind says to hold it with the WATA certification. Once the alleged scam is over and decided, guilty or not, the game may bring double since you received it the same day the scam broke. Could be twice as valuable as originally thought. My personal thoughts are, if money is not an issue and you love the game and the collection, keep it in your collection for your future generation of collectors.
Keep it on the shelf and now it’s apart of the history of WATA’s shadiness which adds to that games travels… or get it graded by VGA your choice bro - love the content
Agreed. Value is in the eye of the beholder obviously, but an item's story definitely adds to its value. And the timing of you receiving a highly graded game back, JUST days before its bubble is seemingly exposed, while graded by the actual CAUSER of that bubble... that's a good story!
The fact that they call themselves experts but get caught doing stupid mistakes like grading repos as authentic is a big issue. I understand if you want to encase a sealed game in acrylic but I wouldn’t pay for wata to do it.
I'd say, do you need the money? If so, sell it. If not, keep it in the case until it plays out for 2 reasons. 1. It may play out okay with WATA, you never know; 2. If you take it out of the case right now, it'll be on the shelf and still could get damaged, the seal ripped etc.
If you can sell it for $20k do it. The bubble will burst and you can end up on top. Find 20 things to buy for the money to make your collection even better.
@@Hayzink Phoenix is the worst, he just jumped on the bandwagon and doesn’t even collect games. It’s all about the money for that guy and I’m personally not a fan
@@bediahjonesberg he is getting a lot of backlash and is turning off comments on a lot of videos now as a result. I'm assuming he will either address it or Hope it blows over
It is, but certain games have certain seals that at first, are not easy to identify or have certain equipment to do it right. V Seals, Tab Seals, and then Generic Seals in which you can really tell. Plus, the item may have named seals, sometimes like DVD's and Playstation Games have to add to authenticity but you have to know what to look for. Knowing is indeed half the Battle.
@@delrachdubal very true. But if people can put the time and research into it it is easily possible. I have seen counterfeit currency complete with the holographic strips and watermarks created with a very sophisticated home setup. Also how how heartbreaking would it be to purchase an authentic Pokémon gameboy or gameboy advance game or any game for that matter that may have a battery, sealed, graded and high dollar, only to one day see those save / clock batteries have started leaking and eating through the cardboard and plastics?
@@delrachdubal and “half the battle” is exactly my point. The graders or knowledgeable person cannot say 100% that is genuine or what is in the package is not a screwed up mess. I myself believe that Ricks copy is authentic due to the factory “pinholes” which is sometimes left by the machines in the automated wrapping and sealing process. Most resealers and counterfeiters leave out or don’t realize these kind of microscopic details.
I’m sure Nintendo games had that tear away band with “Nintendo” in red lettering or in gold and if I don’t see that on any boxes that claim to be new and sealed I walk away… no game from the 80s or 90s is worth more than what it was originally priced at..
well, a Mario 1Oval SOQ R just sold for over $100,000 tonite on Heritage. Looks like that fake Karl Jobst video had no impact. Most collectors and investors know that video is just slander and defamation...
Remember when ground breaking game sales were NES Stadium Events going for like $10-15k? And it was because it was so rare and not just because it was sealed. I just don't get how a sealed game can sell for say $200 and that same game once some "expert" says it is a 9.6 makes it worth $10k. You could always get it graded again by VGA if you wanted it still sealed and a better peace of mind of a grade that isn't from a shady company that will probably be out of business over this controversy. I would just at least keep it in the case for safety until you decide what to do. Would suck if opening the case somehow damaged it.
Rick, you are a good man. I think your plan is a solid one. Hold onto it and see how it all unfolds and if everything checks out, then revisit your options. But I’ll tell you one thing, you have my full respect and just solidifies my already growing faith that you are in fact a very good human being. Keep on keepin on, Retro.
I’d list it on eBay for 20k. No better time to sell and if someone buys it than you truly know that person wants the game that bad and is willing to pay for it.
I’m not even a video game guy but your videos and commentary are so interesting I watch everyone. You seem like a good genuine guy my outside opinion is just keep it it was a prize possession before and that hasn’t changed keep up the great videos man
Serious question: Is there genuinely ANYone who didn't see this as absolutely inevitable? I always thought the entire "grading" thing was a scam. And not only because of how much they charge. Imagine the millions of games, toys, cards, etc... that are sent in to grading companies. With the amount they charge; they are all becoming insanely rich for VERY LITTLE effort. People are beating down their doors to throw money at them.
I understand grading comics and cards. I have over 100+ Graded Comics, with 35 having signatures or sketches on them. It's art. This, I'm not sure about.
@@danielmitchel31310 as a card collector, I agree 100% with you. Raw cards already sell depending on its condition so grading it with a reputable company helps the buyer easily find the value or price they’re willing to pay for a card without having to inspect the card too hard. And as a seller, you could sell it a little more as a premium for the protection coming with the card and the reputable company’s case
@@taconative334 that's also my stance and I agree. Just it being Graded, regardless of the Grade, adds protection! I just got into Graded Comics in October 2020. So often I'm able to get a Signed Modern Store Exclusive Comic for the cost of Grading + Signature in eBay auctions. Not even talking about the cost of the actual book! It doesn't make sense at all. Yes, it's the person selling it's mistake for putting it up for auction and not putting a minimum. So much of the comic Exclusive Market is all hype! 2 weeks later...worthless! I haven't tried to get into grading cards bcuz of the TAT being so egregious.
...well yeah. People flaunt their shit, its a prestige thing people think they want, to show off. Same with exclusives to a degree. Step 1: Get 100 games "graded" 2. Sell as a prestige item. 3. Profit. 4. Were all nostalgia collectors and some of us will shell out the bucks because of reason 2. Add in the allure profitting off of this, and you have a successful business.
Your channel has grown so much since last year since the start of the pandemic when I started watching you, i got motivated to spend time on displaying my collectables I started last year when my kids starting online school since my wife started working from home I needed to get the kids out of her hair she also gave us approval to expand the mancave to the family room outside my mancave downstairs in the basement, its a fully finished basement with 2 bedrooms and a good size family room 1 room has been my mancave since we bought the house back in 2017 but I still had alot of stuff in boxes a few consoles and toys (mostly marvel legends, gi joe and dc mcfarlane), since alot of my 90s on card marvel figures took up a large section of my mancave room. I've kept alot of my video game handhelds and consoles from my childhood/teen years/adult im a 90s kids and when I got married and moved out of my parents I left everything in boxes in my old room. Everything is getting displayed even now as I keep collecting.
I’ve been a lifetime lover of video games and collecting them. I was born in 1984 so I have man fond memories starting from the Atari and Nes days to present day. It has always seemed crazy to me to have sealed copies of games. I’d be more than happy with a unsealed copy but have the box and inserts/manuals at the very least VGC. Games are meant to be enjoyed and used imo. Sealed belong in a museum 😁. Love the channel though Rick!! It’s awesome and I’d love to have a bigger games room like yours one day. So cool!
So for me I don’t care for graded games because most people just grade them to sell them or they keep them locked up and don’t play them. I love to collect and want to play them. I say keep it and open it. Now if you have multiple copies of a game and one was factory sealed that’s different.
Super Mario World has some of the best in Mario music, and you have one of the best intros on all of UA-cam. Idec that my comment isn't fully relevant, as the smile that intro gave me.
As a Comic book collector we experienced speculators in 1989-1993 in that span. They came in , paid insane amounts for comics and more. Like buying a ton of Valiant issues believing the books were a fortune ahead. Many lost their asses once the market popped. Comics never did get back to pre-speculator market which is sad. Even now there is speculation in comics. The older valuable books more so. But nothing like the boom then. I feel for video game collectors now and you here.
I'm really disappointed the retro gaming community fell for this "Investment" scheme 🙄 I saw right through this the second VGA came on the scene. Retro Rick, your copy of Super Mario 3 should stay sealed until you get Shigeri Miyamoto to sign the box and cartridge. I live out in Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood is underway with the Super Nintendo World attraction. I have a strong feeling Mr.Miyamoto will be at the opening ceremony when it's announced. I'll keep you posted 👍
Yeah man VGA isn't at fault for this. VGA has been around many years before WATA and the prices were normal. I got some highly graded VGA GameCube games in 2018 for under $200. Once WATA came on the scene, the shit hit the fan and somehow everything skyrocketed 1000%
just do what feels good for you. do not sell something if you not sure because you might regret it them. good luck collecting Rick can't wait to see you next video.
This whole thing sucks, and people need to be jailed.. criminal stuff.. though in the future, these WATA graded games are gonna be worth something on their own because of the scandal..
Keep it because you love it. It’s extra protection for the game and you can crack it open whenever you want. I like your channel because it’s about finding this stuff and not paying those ridiculous prices. Seeing you get excited about your finds is awesome. Thanks for all the good videos!
It's extra protection for the game, that's true...But we do of course have to hope that market manipulation was the _limit_ of Wata's misconduct, and that they were still above the heinous act of swapping genuine games sent in for grading with acrylic-cased fakes... 🤔
I was wondering how you were going take this new info, cuz you're an actual die hard real fan of gaming. If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay to have that graded?
Omg it's one of the most mass produced games ever made. And this particular copy has never entertained or brought joy to a single kid or adult, within its lifetime. I'm sure there are lots of make a wish games / copies that are sealed still, too, that never made their destinations. Video games are meant to be played. They're not meant to sit on a shelf and rot.
@@SuperSayinSolidSnek Anything can be collectable, but value is subjective and manipulated. I'm not trying to stop anything. But I don't think most adults, even those who collect, actually play with action figures still ... I've just pointed out the absurdity with sealed product and the illusion of rarity. But you could have two identical games, in identical conditions, minus a thin layer of shrink wrap and one is worth a thousand and the other is worth a million. It's ridiculous.
If you're an investor, sealed games are absolutely NOT to be played under any circumstances. They aren't even meant to be exposed to light - their job is to sit in a temp-controlled dark box until the day they go somewhere else.
"There hasn't been anything really sketchy with VGA that I've heard..." There are enough videos out there about how incompetent VGA is (they've graded reseals and even repros), that they've got literally no credibility whatsoever (they don't even tell you who actually grades the games on their website) and how they damaged games/accessories in the process. If you don't want to sell the game, keep it in the case, it's a nice protective case.
Even in the WATA plastic case, you have a piece of video game history. You have another story to go along with a favorite game. I don't see the downside. Thanks for the video. Keep it up!
Awesome video retro Rick and I hope you have an amazing weekend and retro rick I found a rare factory sealed GameCube of resident evil 0 at a retro game store last month and that was the best day of my life and I also found a copy of resident evil 2,parasite eve1 and 2 and finally finally fantasy 7 with the original strategy guide and these are the ps1 games that I found complete in box with the original artwork and keep up the awesome amazing work on your channel.❤️💕❤️🎸🥰👍⭐️✌️
Great vid! I would personally sell immediately just in case WATA gets totally exposed and crashes. Wipe my hands clean. Also can’t see the price of the game getting higher. Its my fav game of all time so its a beautiful piece no matter what.
Dude, i greatly appreciate your take on this. So happy to hear that you won't be continuing to work with WATA in the current state, and that you have reservations about selling. This will definitely keep me coming back and watching more. personally, i'd still keep it. that condition of a sealed game found "in the wild" is an amazing piece. That being said, i don't currently have a family, so my take on how life changing the money would be is completely different.
I applaud the choice you've made to keep it and wait for the market to settle. I also applaud the fact that despite having something to gain, you're willing to acknowledge that all this seems very wrong. This is the right thing to do and will actually be good for the hobby in the long term. It shows you actually care about the hobby and fellow collectors and not just yourself and making a quick buck 👍
at the end of the day, it's one of your favorite pieces - you don't lose anything by keeping it. the potential value will go up and down over time but it's just that - potential value. if you wanted to sell it and go buy a minty CIB copy that's ok too. it's all up to how you want your collection to look.
My Boy Retro Rick always coming with the informative and 🔥content. Such a beautiful piece. I love how that yellow pops from that box. I know what ever you decide to do it will be the best decision. Thank you for sharing the info and putting your spin on it. Looking forward to the next video.
Hey Rick! I watched Karl Jobst video--- I would probably list it high, and see if the buyer wants you to send it to VGA. I wouldn't sell it through heritage, just on my eBay store. I would also look into crossover grading it to VGA, I too wouldn't want to add to this wata fire
Love the channel RR! I would keep the SMB3 in the WATA case simply for protection. I would keep it on my shelf and be proud to own a very cool piece of gaming history. Nobody knows what's going to happen to the market, ride the wave.
In the end this is a historical event in the gaming world and you have a relic of this time of history. ( Keep it sealed, if you pass it down to your kids. It would be cool to have that story to tell about my dad's collection ). Again love the video man
Sit on it. Put it on the shelf. Pretend you don't own it. Revisit it every 6 months or so and see where things stand. If you aren't hard up for cash, I wouldn't worry about it. It's too early to tell what's going to happen with the sealed games market IMO. I can tell you I DON'T think it's going away, and I can also tell you I think a Mario 3 is likely to only go up in price, not down.
While I want you to cash in, I appreciate you putting yourself out there in opposition to wata and heritage. I appreciate your enthusiasm for everything 90s nostalgic. Please keep up the great work!
I hear where you are coming from. There are a few games I can not bring myself to sell partly because I love them so much, but also I may not be able to find them later on or for a price I could live with. Years ago I had a Smackdown Here Comes The Pain, I sold it and know I would like to have it back in my collection but I can't get a good copy for the right price. If Mario Bros 3 is that type of game for you, I say keep it.
It depends what goes through your mind when you look at it currently; do you see the game and feel joy, or the WATA case and feel frustration. If it is the latter, I'd crack it if you can afford the hit.
It's never been about "supply and demand". This has been a calculated racket artificially manipulated by people who aren't gamers. You aren't the first to wake up from their dream...
All investing/collectable markets are scams. Any time there is a way to make lots of money, people will lie cheat and steal to get that cash from you. It's your job as an investor to not fall for scams and make the right moves. Money is a brutal game!
@@pleasuretokill yup! People get caught up in the nostalgia of it all and they just jump into the deep end without ever thinking it through. It was clearly a scam when mario 64 sold for 1.2m MARIO 64 FOR CHRIST SAKES! They sold millions of copies it isn't rare at all, even sealed.
The FTX of video games? Hmmm...could be
@@origintrackz5235 The whole thing is like NFT's - get money from gullible people before they realise what they have bought.
So glad you covered this. I just watched your Wata unboxing video and was thinking "OMG has he seen the Karl Jobst video?". Best of luck to you man, you deserve it
Pretty obvious it's a scam IMO. The conflict of interest alone regardless of actions taken is enough for them to be dissolved.
update?
That sealed fortnite you showed at 3:37 has sketch written all over it. I don't care what the grading is on it, who's going to pay $50k for a sealed copy of a game you can get for free RIGHT NOW. It's still in print! I did a quick ebay search, and granted this is a year after the listing shown here, and it's listed for 20k. Last sold was in May 2022 a sealed 9.8 A rating (so the same sold for 50k) sold for 6k via bidding. I think that speaks volumes as to the situation in graded video games.
There'll be a class action lawsuit against WATA because of the increased fees that they charge based on a games "value", a number they helped inflate by manipulating the market. That company is screwed.
You were bang on with this! If I'm getting the timeline right, a suit was filed in California within a year of this video going live! 🎮⚖👍
It sure did@@dieseldragon6756
I think getting such a common game graded is silly and people who buy them are inflating a market that shouldn't exist for common games. It makes sense for a rare hard to find games. I play games and don't really care for sealed games.
I've had my sealed Resident Evil series collection on GameCube graded, quite disappointing as they're not that valuable even with a 9.2 9.6 grade
I would just hold on to it in that WATA case, just for the fact that if the allegations are true you have a piece of criminal history that in and of itself is a collectible. Leave it as is and wait out this situation. That’s just my humble opinion
agreed
Nice way to think about this!
That opinion is VERY HUMBLE!
What criminal history?
Piece of criminal history..... along with the many thousands of other WATA graded games. It's nothing special. WATA needs to be booted. Confidence in their grading system needs to cease!
Patience is key here. Leave it as is and wait for the dust to settle. You have some sort of number in mind that would sway you to sell it so if that looks like it isn’t realistic then it is meant to be as a key piece of your collection. Good luck and thanks for the amazing videos!
Honestly I think that Wata and Heritage hurt collecting more just by existing. Due to them selling games for such high marks it just made collecting way harder. It just made the hobby more main stream which is kinda cool but now people know what they have and it just inflated the market.
People already knew what they have, a video game. But because of wata they're in the illusion that there video games are worth millions and that makes collecting way harder then it already was 🤑 😔
@@DutchGameHunter very well said!
Why not just enjoy the game , playing the game knowing you can always come back to play it whenever is priceless already . Each game I got is like a portal to another world. I honor every experience. Why sell games for profit ? They love the money not the games...
Buy used then. Simple as that.
@@hieinh Yeah but what I’m trying to say is since they sold a game for $1 million people especially at like yard sales and flea markets heard about it and now think that every game is worth millions.
At the end of the day the plastic case is a nice protection so I wouldn't open it unless you send it to VGA (and even then it would be better to let them open it). The VGA route sounds good to me tbh
Having a game graded means the owner is not smart so you low ball them. Always low ball idiots with graded games.
Yeah, unless you plan to resell it, you might as well keep it as it is. WATA grading doesn't really mean much considering their atrocious grading record (giving incredibly high scores to games with visibly ripped shrinkwraps, etc)
Id consider Karl a very good source. He does very in depth research on anything that may be controversial and he dots his "I"s and crosses his "T"s
@@whyhere4575 I agree. It’s all click bait bs
@@whyhere4575 lol “the case could be made that people WANT to spend 2M on a worthless, mass-produced Super Mario cart” is an awful take, my friend.
Better take: speculators want to part wannabe “investors” from their money, because it’s good business and once the hype dies down, move on to the next speculative bubble.
@@whyhere4575 if that was the case he wouldn't go and make update videos when his opinion was wrong and proved such. When dream cheated his run he made a followup after it was found to be the fault of his mod creator and Dream didn't actively know the mods were included. He also doesn't make blatant statements that what he is saying is true but likely.
@@joaosergiodearaujoneto4151 the highest graded early hangtab copy that there’s one known that high.. you just don’t understand condition and rarity. Stick to loose carts then.
@@supyo1 sorry, no mass-produced item with near infinite availability is worth 2 million dollars. It’s a speculative bubble.
You have a family and a future to think of. You are in a brand "new" business in terms of UA-cam and influencing. You never know when interest in your followers will change. Take the money and put into something for your future and your families.
That’s a dang solid college fund for his kid or mortgage paid off or business investment etc
I think it's much more morally sound choice to wait for the market to settle down before selling than likely rip someone off. I applaud the choice he's made and think this is exactly what collectors should be doing instead of taking the money and running. It will be much better for the hobby in the long term.
Now that's good advice for anyone.
it's funny how the same guys are involved in all this...the guy who runs Heritage is one of the guys who bought the million dollar mario game
it's all pretty shady when you have the auction owner driving the prices up by bidding ...I think a criminal investigation is called for
Straight facts
Yeah it happening now them letter boys are on there ass lol.
I’d much rather have boxed but unsealed games so I can actually play them.
Then get an extra cheap cartridge and play it
You don’t even believe that lmfao
@@Alex-jk1dp fr huh just buy a cheap version of it if you wanna play it
@@Alex-jk1dp The problem is that every game that gets sealed is one fewer game available to play. That drives up the prices. It doesn't matter much for the popular games that had thousands or millions of copies made.. but really affects the games that didn't get a lot of copies printed. Check out Arkista's Ring on Price Charting. The loose cartridge, which was $6 a decade ago is now approaching 10x as much.
@@misterkite I highly doubt that this really has something to do with most of the sealed games. Nobody in their right mind would open a valuable sealed game. Maybe for super rare games in general - but they usually don't have many sealed ones around. You usually find plenty of cartridges for sealed games. The price spike usually comes from youtube hype (let's plays) or a hot market overall. And I'd rather play a rom than opening an expensive sealed game or buying a $50++ cartridge.
If i were you I would gift it to your good buddy NES ADDICT. Sounds like the best plan to me 🤣
Yes.
We just crunched the numbers. We have to agree with NES ADDICT.
I’d sell, no one in their right mind will ever pay those prices for video games ever again. The rich will be too embarrassed to pay those prices now that word is out. Think about the suckers who paid thousands for beanie babies?
Ask 100 people who invest or collect video games if they will pay 30k for this game and 100% will say no. If they say yes then sell to that person today! Haha
You get an A++ for the day
Here we go with beanie Baby analogies. They were a crappy stuffed animal not backed by anything. The video game market will stay and have trends like sports cards and coins
@@hieinh yet Large Wallace and his Squad sold for $600,000 and Princess the Bear sold for $500,000at its peak🤦♂️
@@kidnycz graded video games have already lasted longer than beanie babies. Funko pops 11 years. Graded cards decades
@@hieinh coins even longer then all yet it crashed after the scam and never recovered to those highs
When you talk about the manipulated market it makes sense when you say how so many people and friends are telling you to sell the game rather than a bunch of people that want to buy the game from you
Extremely good point. I wonder if anyone has hit him up to purchase it?
Personally I would keep the game inside the case and display it like that. That way you know it has a pretty low chance of ever having the seal messed up or the box crushed by some crazy random accident. Love the content and definitely let us know whatever you end up deciding!
Good for you, this is why you're the man. Avoid wata, don't use heritage auctions, but I say sell it on eBay or crack the case and send to VGA.
Option 6… don’t crack it open, send it to VGA to get graded. Let VGA break it open. I’m sure they are are good a handling products.
As a business owner for many years, my business mind says to hold it with the WATA certification. Once the alleged scam is over and decided, guilty or not, the game may bring double since you received it the same day the scam broke. Could be twice as valuable as originally thought. My personal thoughts are, if money is not an issue and you love the game and the collection, keep it in your collection for your future generation of collectors.
Timing doesn’t mean nada. The grading service may be cool. Unless it turns out to be a crappy card grader like hga etc
The game means something to you, I’d just put it on the shelf as is. It was your favorite before grading, you’d miss it if you sold it.
Agreed
From what I see on his videos, he mostly cares about the money and not much else
Reminds of the BLACK DIAMOND DISNEY VHS movies SCAM.
Hahaha yup! Worth millions they said. Every Tom, Dick and Harry has them kicking around FFS
Keep it on the shelf and now it’s apart of the history of WATA’s shadiness which adds to that games travels… or get it graded by VGA your choice bro - love the content
Agreed. Value is in the eye of the beholder obviously, but an item's story definitely adds to its value. And the timing of you receiving a highly graded game back, JUST days before its bubble is seemingly exposed, while graded by the actual CAUSER of that bubble... that's a good story!
Wow this whole hipster grading cash in was all just a giant scam.
Imagine my shock.
... It's a scam if it sounds to good to be true it's a scam ... 😝
The fact that they call themselves experts but get caught doing stupid mistakes like grading repos as authentic is a big issue. I understand if you want to encase a sealed game in acrylic but I wouldn’t pay for wata to do it.
I love your channel. You're such a charismatic and honest (at least seemingly 😆) guy. Super stoked your game store is so successful
I'd say, do you need the money? If so, sell it. If not, keep it in the case until it plays out for 2 reasons. 1. It may play out okay with WATA, you never know; 2. If you take it out of the case right now, it'll be on the shelf and still could get damaged, the seal ripped etc.
If you can sell it for $20k do it. The bubble will burst and you can end up on top. Find 20 things to buy for the money to make your collection even better.
I respect you a lot Rick since you're the first collector/reseller I watch that has said they would stop using WATA until things are figured out.
i notice phoenix took down his video about the situation....
@@Hayzink damn, I’ll have to go look lol he was probably getting a bunch of shit for it
@@Hayzink Interesting... I like Calleb and all but cant say i was too happy with his stance to continue using WATA
@@Hayzink Phoenix is the worst, he just jumped on the bandwagon and doesn’t even collect games. It’s all about the money for that guy and I’m personally not a fan
@@bediahjonesberg he is getting a lot of backlash and is turning off comments on a lot of videos now as a result.
I'm assuming he will either address it or Hope it blows over
The whole fact of an appraisal service that charges a percentage based on "fair market value" is super sus IMHO. They should charge a flat fee.
Put it on eBay for 35k "buy it now" and allow people to make offers and see what happens.
Man, those eBay fees though haha
@@billyelliotx true but what else would have lower fee's?
@@billyelliotx so you pay 500 in fees, who really cares when you're withdrawing 25,000 out of the bank
@@billyelliotx and the capital gains tax, way more than the fees, it would be thousands
@@billyelliotx Heritage Auctions charges a commission of 20% which is also not cheap
I luv your Videos by the way. Great spin on the yardsale/ thrifting / and videogame videos. I am definitely a fan.
I personally will not buy a “sealed” copy unless it is literally a brand new game. It is so easy to reseal anything.
It is, but certain games have certain seals that at first, are not easy to identify or have certain equipment to do it right. V Seals, Tab Seals, and then Generic Seals in which you can really tell. Plus, the item may have named seals, sometimes like DVD's and Playstation Games have to add to authenticity but you have to know what to look for. Knowing is indeed half the Battle.
@@delrachdubal very true. But if people can put the time and research into it it is easily possible. I have seen counterfeit currency complete with the holographic strips and watermarks created with a very sophisticated home setup. Also how how heartbreaking would it be to purchase an authentic Pokémon gameboy or gameboy advance game or any game for that matter that may have a battery, sealed, graded and high dollar, only to one day see those save / clock batteries have started leaking and eating through the cardboard and plastics?
@@delrachdubal and “half the battle” is exactly my point. The graders or knowledgeable person cannot say 100% that is genuine or what is in the package is not a screwed up mess. I myself believe that Ricks copy is authentic due to the factory “pinholes” which is sometimes left by the machines in the automated wrapping and sealing process. Most resealers and counterfeiters leave out or don’t realize these kind of microscopic details.
LOL, Babbage's used to reseal games years ago and put them back on the shelf as new.
I’m sure Nintendo games had that tear away band with “Nintendo” in red lettering or in gold and if I don’t see that on any boxes that claim to be new and sealed I walk away… no game from the 80s or 90s is worth more than what it was originally priced at..
well, a Mario 1Oval SOQ R just sold for over $100,000 tonite on Heritage. Looks like that fake Karl Jobst video had no impact. Most collectors and investors know that video is just slander and defamation...
I agree with you. There is a herd mentality in these comment sections. They are bitter they missed out
Remember when ground breaking game sales were NES Stadium Events going for like $10-15k? And it was because it was so rare and not just because it was sealed. I just don't get how a sealed game can sell for say $200 and that same game once some "expert" says it is a 9.6 makes it worth $10k.
You could always get it graded again by VGA if you wanted it still sealed and a better peace of mind of a grade that isn't from a shady company that will probably be out of business over this controversy. I would just at least keep it in the case for safety until you decide what to do. Would suck if opening the case somehow damaged it.
Now a sealed Stadium Events or other Actually rare games, don't pull that kind of money.
Rick, you are a good man. I think your plan is a solid one. Hold onto it and see how it all unfolds and if everything checks out, then revisit your options. But I’ll tell you one thing, you have my full respect and just solidifies my already growing faith that you are in fact a very good human being. Keep on keepin on, Retro.
I’d list it on eBay for 20k. No better time to sell and if someone buys it than you truly know that person wants the game that bad and is willing to pay for it.
I’m not even a video game guy but your videos and commentary are so interesting I watch everyone. You seem like a good genuine guy my outside opinion is just keep it it was a prize possession before and that hasn’t changed keep up the great videos man
Serious question: Is there genuinely ANYone who didn't see this as absolutely inevitable? I always thought the entire "grading" thing was a scam. And not only because of how much they charge. Imagine the millions of games, toys, cards, etc... that are sent in to grading companies. With the amount they charge; they are all becoming insanely rich for VERY LITTLE effort. People are beating down their doors to throw money at them.
I understand grading comics and cards. I have over 100+ Graded Comics, with 35 having signatures or sketches on them. It's art. This, I'm not sure about.
@@danielmitchel31310 as a card collector, I agree 100% with you. Raw cards already sell depending on its condition so grading it with a reputable company helps the buyer easily find the value or price they’re willing to pay for a card without having to inspect the card too hard. And as a seller, you could sell it a little more as a premium for the protection coming with the card and the reputable company’s case
@@taconative334 that's also my stance and I agree. Just it being Graded, regardless of the Grade, adds protection! I just got into Graded Comics in October 2020. So often I'm able to get a Signed Modern Store Exclusive Comic for the cost of Grading + Signature in eBay auctions. Not even talking about the cost of the actual book! It doesn't make sense at all. Yes, it's the person selling it's mistake for putting it up for auction and not putting a minimum. So much of the comic Exclusive Market is all hype! 2 weeks later...worthless! I haven't tried to get into grading cards bcuz of the TAT being so egregious.
...well yeah. People flaunt their shit, its a prestige thing people think they want, to show off. Same with exclusives to a degree. Step 1: Get 100 games "graded" 2. Sell as a prestige item. 3. Profit. 4. Were all nostalgia collectors and some of us will shell out the bucks because of reason 2. Add in the allure profitting off of this, and you have a successful business.
How do people find sealed perfect condition games after over 30 years. I wonder how many are fake remakes.
People are hoarding these items
Your channel has grown so much since last year since the start of the pandemic when I started watching you, i got motivated to spend time on displaying my collectables I started last year when my kids starting online school since my wife started working from home I needed to get the kids out of her hair she also gave us approval to expand the mancave to the family room outside my mancave downstairs in the basement, its a fully finished basement with 2 bedrooms and a good size family room 1 room has been my mancave since we bought the house back in 2017 but I still had alot of stuff in boxes a few consoles and toys (mostly marvel legends, gi joe and dc mcfarlane), since alot of my 90s on card marvel figures took up a large section of my mancave room. I've kept alot of my video game handhelds and consoles from my childhood/teen years/adult im a 90s kids and when I got married and moved out of my parents I left everything in boxes in my old room. Everything is getting displayed even now as I keep collecting.
I would just keep it as is. Despite all the shadiness, I feel like the grade is awesome and if it's something you love, might as well preserve it.
I’ve been a lifetime lover of video games and collecting them. I was born in 1984 so I have man fond memories starting from the Atari and Nes days to present day. It has always seemed crazy to me to have sealed copies of games. I’d be more than happy with a unsealed copy but have the box and inserts/manuals at the very least VGC. Games are meant to be enjoyed and used imo. Sealed belong in a museum 😁. Love the channel though Rick!! It’s awesome and I’d love to have a bigger games room like yours one day. So cool!
So for me I don’t care for graded games because most people just grade them to sell them or they keep them locked up and don’t play them. I love to collect and want to play them. I say keep it and open it. Now if you have multiple copies of a game and one was factory sealed that’s different.
He had 9 copies
There are plenty of opened playable copies of SMB 3 in the wild. Dime a dozen
Super Mario World has some of the best in Mario music, and you have one of the best intros on all of UA-cam. Idec that my comment isn't fully relevant, as the smile that intro gave me.
I wouldn’t crack it. It still protects it. Maybe crack it down the line when cgc opens up their grading service?
Crack it and send it to VGA
I would even just let vga or whatever open it
As a Comic book collector we experienced speculators in 1989-1993 in that span. They came in , paid insane amounts for comics and more. Like buying a ton of Valiant issues believing the books were a fortune ahead. Many lost their asses once the market popped. Comics never did get back to pre-speculator market which is sad. Even now there is speculation in comics. The older valuable books more so. But nothing like the boom then. I feel for video game collectors now and you here.
I'm really disappointed the retro gaming community fell for this "Investment" scheme 🙄 I saw right through this the second VGA came on the scene.
Retro Rick, your copy of Super Mario 3 should stay sealed until you get Shigeri Miyamoto to sign the box and cartridge.
I live out in Los Angeles. Universal Studios Hollywood is underway with the Super Nintendo World attraction. I have a strong feeling Mr.Miyamoto will be at the opening ceremony when it's announced. I'll keep you posted 👍
You saw it the second VGA came on the scene? But the prices didnt inflate untill way later.. Are you thinking of WATA?
Yeah man VGA isn't at fault for this. VGA has been around many years before WATA and the prices were normal. I got some highly graded VGA GameCube games in 2018 for under $200. Once WATA came on the scene, the shit hit the fan and somehow everything skyrocketed 1000%
@@KneesOfTheBees Agreed its because of WATA/Heritage
Sell it for 20k right now. Buy 10 copies (rated 9.8) in about a year for 200 bucks.
update?
Out of everything in your game room, that's the game that you should hold on to the most.
It's a piece of history and has a meaning to you.
He can buy a nice complete copy instead! It will look just as good
just do what feels good for you. do not sell something if you not sure because you might regret it them. good luck collecting Rick can't wait to see you next video.
Rick what about option 6, crack it open, remove the seal and play it like everybody use to do 😁
I suspect he probably already has an opened copy of SMB 3 for playing.
Well I already have 9 copies I can do that with 😂
@rickey holmes 💯 😄 i would never open it or even sell it. When you are a collector this must be one of the best pieces on display
This whole thing sucks, and people need to be jailed.. criminal stuff.. though in the future, these WATA graded games are gonna be worth something on their own because of the scandal..
It’s pure profit. You know even $2-$3k for that game is rediculous. Just sell it.
I'd hold on to it u know its just going to go up in value
Keep it because you love it. It’s extra protection for the game and you can crack it open whenever you want.
I like your channel because it’s about finding this stuff and not paying those ridiculous prices. Seeing you get excited about your finds is awesome. Thanks for all the good videos!
It's extra protection for the game, that's true...But we do of course have to hope that market manipulation was the _limit_ of Wata's misconduct, and that they were still above the heinous act of swapping genuine games sent in for grading with acrylic-cased fakes... 🤔
I was wondering how you were going take this new info, cuz you're an actual die hard real fan of gaming. If you don't mind me asking, what did you pay to have that graded?
These creators never want to give people any real details.
I think the grading starts at $170.
I was going to send a sealed copy of ocarina of time n they where charging me 600 dollars
Appreciate your honesty on the situation
Omg it's one of the most mass produced games ever made. And this particular copy has never entertained or brought joy to a single kid or adult, within its lifetime. I'm sure there are lots of make a wish games / copies that are sealed still, too, that never made their destinations. Video games are meant to be played. They're not meant to sit on a shelf and rot.
You might as well go back and try to stop action figures from being collectible.
@@SuperSayinSolidSnek Anything can be collectable, but value is subjective and manipulated. I'm not trying to stop anything. But I don't think most adults, even those who collect, actually play with action figures still ...
I've just pointed out the absurdity with sealed product and the illusion of rarity. But you could have two identical games, in identical conditions, minus a thin layer of shrink wrap and one is worth a thousand and the other is worth a million. It's ridiculous.
If you're an investor, sealed games are absolutely NOT to be played under any circumstances. They aren't even meant to be exposed to light - their job is to sit in a temp-controlled dark box until the day they go somewhere else.
Love your videos just finished all of the $10 game collection
ok, but imagine falling for video game grading lmao
what do you mean?
Keep up the good work bro!! Love the vintage stuff they don't make them like they used to..Very nice collection you have to
"There hasn't been anything really sketchy with VGA that I've heard..." There are enough videos out there about how incompetent VGA is (they've graded reseals and even repros), that they've got literally no credibility whatsoever (they don't even tell you who actually grades the games on their website) and how they damaged games/accessories in the process.
If you don't want to sell the game, keep it in the case, it's a nice protective case.
Even in the WATA plastic case, you have a piece of video game history. You have another story to go along with a favorite game. I don't see the downside. Thanks for the video. Keep it up!
The “completely unnecessary” or CU podcast has been talking about this WATA Heritage auction shenanigans for months
Awesome video retro Rick and I hope you have an amazing weekend and retro rick I found a rare factory sealed GameCube of resident evil 0 at a retro game store last month and that was the best day of my life and I also found a copy of resident evil 2,parasite eve1 and 2 and finally finally fantasy 7 with the original strategy guide and these are the ps1 games that I found complete in box with the original artwork and keep up the awesome amazing work on your channel.❤️💕❤️🎸🥰👍⭐️✌️
I would just save it as is. You've kept it this long and now it's sitting inside an acrylic case. Doesn't hurt.
You are awesome Retro, one of my favorite UA-camrs. Keep up the good work brotha!
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Great vid! I would personally sell immediately just in case WATA gets totally exposed and crashes. Wipe my hands clean. Also can’t see the price of the game getting higher. Its my fav game of all time so its a beautiful piece no matter what.
5 option: Open it and Play it!!!
I'm a gamer/collector and I'm staying far away from any Wata graded games. I've lost all trust in the company.
WATA has destroyed game collecting
As a pop culture collector that case alone could be a sneaky holy grail down the road. KEEP IT BRO!!!
Wow, you're so honest. Love it!
I said sell it before I saw the video and now I have changed my mind. I agree with your stance 100.
Dude, i greatly appreciate your take on this. So happy to hear that you won't be continuing to work with WATA in the current state, and that you have reservations about selling. This will definitely keep me coming back and watching more.
personally, i'd still keep it. that condition of a sealed game found "in the wild" is an amazing piece. That being said, i don't currently have a family, so my take on how life changing the money would be is completely different.
I applaud the choice you've made to keep it and wait for the market to settle. I also applaud the fact that despite having something to gain, you're willing to acknowledge that all this seems very wrong. This is the right thing to do and will actually be good for the hobby in the long term. It shows you actually care about the hobby and fellow collectors and not just yourself and making a quick buck 👍
Just found your channel. Love the retro content. It takes me back to when life was simple and easy.
at the end of the day, it's one of your favorite pieces - you don't lose anything by keeping it. the potential value will go up and down over time but it's just that - potential value. if you wanted to sell it and go buy a minty CIB copy that's ok too. it's all up to how you want your collection to look.
My Boy Retro Rick always coming with the informative and 🔥content. Such a beautiful piece. I love how that yellow pops from that box. I know what ever you decide to do it will be the best decision. Thank you for sharing the info and putting your spin on it.
Looking forward to the next video.
You do what makes you happy. Don’t listen to anyone else. It’s your game, your decision.
Thanks for sharing Rick!
Love ur content been watching since day one
Keep it on the shelf and I'm subscribed
Great video man, should be interesting to see how this unfolds
Hey Rick! I watched Karl Jobst video---
I would probably list it high, and see if the buyer wants you to send it to VGA. I wouldn't sell it through heritage, just on my eBay store.
I would also look into crossover grading it to VGA, I too wouldn't want to add to this wata fire
That's beautiful Id keep it money isnt everything looks amazing in your collection @retro rick , great video my friend
Love the channel RR! I would keep the SMB3 in the WATA case simply for protection. I would keep it on my shelf and be proud to own a very cool piece of gaming history. Nobody knows what's going to happen to the market, ride the wave.
If you send it to VGA you may as well keep it in the WATA case as protection for shipping.
In the end this is a historical event in the gaming world and you have a relic of this time of history. ( Keep it sealed, if you pass it down to your kids. It would be cool to have that story to tell about my dad's collection ). Again love the video man
Sit on it. Put it on the shelf. Pretend you don't own it. Revisit it every 6 months or so and see where things stand. If you aren't hard up for cash, I wouldn't worry about it. It's too early to tell what's going to happen with the sealed games market IMO. I can tell you I DON'T think it's going away, and I can also tell you I think a Mario 3 is likely to only go up in price, not down.
While I want you to cash in, I appreciate you putting yourself out there in opposition to wata and heritage. I appreciate your enthusiasm for everything 90s nostalgic. Please keep up the great work!
I hear where you are coming from. There are a few games I can not bring myself to sell partly because I love them so much, but also I may not be able to find them later on or for a price I could live with. Years ago I had a Smackdown Here Comes The Pain, I sold it and know I would like to have it back in my collection but I can't get a good copy for the right price. If Mario Bros 3 is that type of game for you, I say keep it.
Rettroooooo . Let’s freaking go . I have a sealed perfect dark 64 . Not sure if it’s worth grading now
It's a good topic. I made a similar video about "collections as investments". I didnt go nearly in depth though. Nice work.
It depends what goes through your mind when you look at it currently; do you see the game and feel joy, or the WATA case and feel frustration. If it is the latter, I'd crack it if you can afford the hit.
Can you do a video on your feedback on the entire grading process experience; submission, price, elapsed time, service, and overall satisfaction?
Damn dude ! That's a hell of a collection 😮😮👍👍😀
Your family must be very proud of you, an honest man.