What defines a "Collectible" game?

[Super Jag 5]

Okay... someone please tell me what it is that distinguishes a "Collectible" game (miniatures, cards, etc.) from just any other game?

 

Sorry if this seems like a dumb question, but really, I'd like to know. I've seen people spend ridiculous amounts of money on games often claiming they were "collectible." I just don't get it or don't agree with what many consider to be a collectible game.

 

Thanks for clarification.

[Froggy the Great 62281]

The biggest characteristics I've noticed are:

1. random packaging

2. You can't see what you're buying.

It plays on the same sort of psychological conditioning that makes gambling so addictive.

[Nanite 97]

I agree with Frosch, especially on the last bit (addiction). If you don't know what you're getting, it's collectible.

 

That separates most wargames from the "click" type games, or the recent WOTC lines.

[SaintRigger 130]

Generally the collectable aspect also means there are items of varying rarity (therefore creating more and less 'valuable' items) This is what really makes the distinction I think.

 

 

 

If you have items of the same rarity - being able to see them or not doesn't make it collectable since the "value" of the items are the same across the board - and it doesn't play on the "supply and demand" aspect of a market economy. Every wonder why all the "Good" cards are the hard ones to get? To make people desire them more, and therefore either 1) buy more packs to try to obtain it, or 2) Pay more for this particular item. If it's rare, and rubbish - you are only going to hook completists.

[Spike 160]

Trouble with "collectible" games is that eventually they become a hobby for rich kids only, cuz if you don't have the money, you'll never afford that coveted one-eyed-one-horned-flying-purple-people-eater card and you'll never have a snowball's chance in heck at winning any tournaments.

 

So to compensate for this, the companies invent "add-on" sets...but inevitably the only collecting that is taking place is the game collecting dust because you lost interest or found yet a newer game to collect.

 

On that note.. if there are any fools out there with alot of money who wish to part foolishly with their money and score a slightly dusty pile of Magic The Gathering or Pokemon cards, y'all know where I'm @.

[BunnyPuncher 28]

Nice thing about the WOTC D&D minis is that you can often get your money back or more by selling the single rare you get in the booster.

 

But yeah... they are called "plasti-crack" for a reason.

 

Fun game tho :)

[spiritual_exorcist 20]

Pretty much the same thing as collectable card games, but with minis instead. You buy a Starter or Booster that have X number of random minis from a mini set (usually with a certain notion that at least 1-2 of the minis are less common ones).

 

I've played a few of these games, by far the one I invested the most in was HEROCLIX. Did I spend a decent chunk of money? Yeah, probably close to $400, but I spent a ton of time actually playing the game, so I figure it is probably dollar for dollar the same or less than I would have spent on another mini game.

 

If you were to get into one of these games I would suggest buying just a few packs, and then fleshing your collection out by buying the remainder on Ebay, that way you get exactly what you want.

 

But the truth is, nearly everything collectable goes out of style, so you collection is likley to be worthless quickly. In this sort of game if you're buying into it as an investment, you've got to sell as soon as you buy (Better to put your money into stocks and mutuals ).

[Rogue_7 7]

I agree you have to offload CCG's as soon as they're complete, my set of Limited Star Wars CCGs is basically worthless now, once it was worth a grand....

[Super Jag 5]

But the truth is, nearly everything collectable goes out of style, so you collection is likley to be worthless quickly.  In this sort of game if you're buying into it as an investment, you've got to sell as soon as you buy (Better to put your money into stocks and mutuals ).

See... now that's what I'm getting at. I don't consider something collectible unless it's going to be worth something down the road. Frankly I don't see how miniatures and/or card games are going to be collectible at any point.

 

Personally I just enjoy getting the basic amount I need to be involved and whatever fits my interest (e.g.: Heroclix JLA theme).

 

I can't help but think that "collectible" in the gaming industry is a loosely used term to drive sales for a product that realistically is worthless.

[spiritual_exorcist 20]

THe Collectability aspect occurs when the game is at it's peak. Certain cards and miniatures are rarer than others and harder to get, as such they are more desirable to have. While a game booms it may be very prestigious in certain 'geeky' circles to have a given rare, and one can usually turn a tidy profit on the mini. But when the popularity of a game goes down the tubes the value falls as well, simple economics right?

 

Ok, so is it really a collectable or not? I think it is just as much a collectable than anything else. Some people collect things of value (rare coins, low production sports cards, stamps), other people collect things that are worthless to just about anyone but them (pennies or nearly worthless coind from various countires, comic books that didn't have a limited print run so there are tons out there and they are worthless; a friend I know collects coke bottles from various countries). Just because something isn't valuable doesn't make it collectable.

 

I'm sure there are alot of people out there that have entire sets of certain games which they still take pride in whether ot not they are still worth anything or not.

 

Just my opinion, i've never been a colelctor, i've always been a player at heart.

[:0) 1]

1) Random packaging

2) Some minis are not produced as much, making them "more valuable" apparantly

3) small children play them

4) simple rules

 

40k qualifies for 2.5 of those requirements.

[spiritual_exorcist 20]

3) small children play them

 

You say this like it is an instant negative, and I think that is very short sighted. While possibly true to a certain degree, there are very few games I've not seen small children involved in, whether simple or complex. Kids are the next generation of gamers waiting to step up, why should they be looked down upon. When I was a kid there were all sorts of games I played, and I loved it when someone older would incorporate me into play. Now I'm nearly 30, and I have a great deal of repsect for the gaming industry as a whole, I want nothing more that to promote it and see it grow. In other words I want to pass down table top gaming and RPGing in a healthy state to those young people below me.

 

Having said that, any time I was involved in a collectable game I found it was largely people my of an entirely different demographic playing (late teens to 40-somethings) playing. Although I admit to occasionally seeing tweens and younger teenagers playing various games on occasion, they weren't the predominant players I saw.

 

Still, 'small children', by this I take to mean a kid around 10ish who can grasp a ruleset, remain the target demographic of a large number of mini gaming companies. Why? it's simple really, disposable income, and kids are extremely impressionable. Having said that, children playing a game is certainly not anything I consider negative, I've seen this demographic pick up some pretty complex rules, and utilize some pretty great tactics, in a variety of different games. There arn't very many kids out there that wouldn't wipe the floor with me playing a videogame, so why should they be looked down on with respect to this sort of game.

[Qwyksilver 16622]

It plays on the same sort of psychological conditioning that makes gambling so addictive.

Operant conditioning... Thank you Mr. Skinner.