/vr/ - Retro Games

Ok, apparently I have to explain basic economics. Again. Supply of games is not limited. There are a finite number in existence, but that doesn't mean only a fixed amount will be sold in any period of time.

As prices rise and fall, more copies of game come out of garage sales, estate sales, or people trading them in based on how much value they can get out of it. If prices are low, no one gives a shit about old video game cartridges and they go straight to the dump or aren't stored properly. If prices are crazy high, people will drop a few bills even if they can't look in the box with the idea that they might get a gem out of it.

The higher prices go, the more copies come out of the wood works. See pic related. That's how supply and demand works. If Retro gaming gets more popular, demand shifts out, prices go up, and more effort goes in to getting copies of games to market.

If you saw prices a few years ago, noticed they went up, and are bitching about current prices, that's your problem, not a problem with the market as a whole. Collectibles appreciate. Buy sooner next time, or go out there and find the gems in the garage sale boxes yourself.

>>2047851
That's not how this works, though I suppose it is useful for illustrating a point.

If a copy of Earthbound goes for 150$, a certain number of copies come out of the wood work and get sold for that amount, which we'll call Q1.

Now, because Youtube McEceleb does a review/playthrough, everyone wants a copy of this cool, old, totally retro game. The demand curve shifts out, and the price goes up to 200$.

Because the price of Earthbound is now 200$, more people decide its a good time to sell their copy, so quantity shifts to Q2.

Anonymous, not understanding the basics of supply and demand, bitches that the prices of Earthbound make no sense because the higher the price goes, the more copies keep popping up.