Japan is next level for retro game collectors (2024)

Japan is next level for retro game collectors (1)

Updated

Sep 07, 2024, 12:00 PM

Published

Sep 07, 2024, 12:00 PM

TOKYO – American tourist David Madrigal is over the moon after paying US$200 (S$260) for a “vintage” console at a busy Tokyo store that is tapping booming global demand for retro gaming kits.

“When I came into this store, I was like a kid walking into a candy shop,” said Mr Madrigal, 23, at Super Potato in the Akihabara district famous for its Japanese pop culture shops.

“This stuff is my passion. I love older consoles,” he added.

The PS Vita, a console released in 2011, that he bought “would usually cost me about US$600 in the US”.

Super Potato has three floors packed with Game Boy cartridges, Sega Dreamcast consoles wrapped in plastic and antiquated arcade machines where nostalgic customers can play Street Fighter II again.

Prices can be eye-watering. A handheld Nintendo Game & Watch electronic game from the 1980s – featuring Zelda – was priced at 250,800 yen (S$2,280).

Around 70 to 80 per cent of customers are foreign tourists, who have flocked to Japan in record numbers in 2024, said store manager Mr Komura, who gave only his surname.

Part of the appeal, Mr Madrigal said, is that many modern games are a bit “more of the same” compared with the ones when he was growing up. “There was a different kind of innovation,” he added. “Companies weren’t afraid to think outside the box. They were willing to take risks.”

Video game historian Hiroyuki Maeda said that additional demand from collectors comes from the fact that some consoles were marketed differently outside Japan.

Nintendo’s Famicom and Super Famicom consoles, for example, were released abroad under alternative names, and with different and more colourful designs, he said.

“If you come to Japan and see a machine you’ve never seen before, you want to buy it. It stimulates the collector’s soul,” said Mr Maeda, who has written dozens of books on gaming history. “The definition of retro gaming varies, depending on the era that the people who engage in it are nostalgic for.”

A super collector

Japan is next level for retro game collectors (2)

Amid rice fields and lotus fields two hours north of Tokyo, Proudro (his online persona) has amassed a vast treasure trove of video game relics.

The “super collector” has stuffed an old building opposite his family home with several thousand vintage games and consoles, as well as arcade machines in full working order.

“The appeal of collecting retro games is really the nostalgia of childhood memories in games shops or spending time playing at friends’ houses,” said the 50-year-old.

“To be honest, I don’t really play games,” he added. “Being surrounded by games, their sounds, their atmosphere, and looking at them and dreaming – that’s enough to keep me happy.”

Proudro has spent lavishly to build his collection.

Retro games can reach sky-high prices: A still-wrapped version of the game Super Mario Bros, released in 1985, sold in 2021 for US$2 million.

Until the late 1990s, however, old games were virtually worthless, according to Mr Maeda. “They were crammed into bins in shops” and sold for as little as 10 yen, he said.

Proudro travelled around Japan 20 years ago looking for collectibles in toy shops and bookstores.

“There were often stocks of Super Famicom or Game & Watch in a corner, covered in dust. The elderly people who ran these shops would tell me to take them away to clear them out,” Proudro said.

“As I work in vegetable wholesale, I would give them a crate of onions or potatoes, and everyone was happy.

“Today, that would no longer be possible. These shops have disappeared, and with the internet, everyone has started to resell.”

Wanting to share his passion with others, Proudro founded an association of retro gaming enthusiasts and is delighted at the interest shown by people from around the world.

“But to be honest, I also think that Japanese products should stay in Japan. It’s a bit like Japanese woodblock prints in the past, which were taken abroad where they were more appreciated, before being bought back by Japan,” he said.

His country, he laments, “is slow to realise the value” of its works. AFP

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  • Japan
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Japan is next level for retro game collectors (2024)

FAQs

Are retro games getting more expensive? ›

Contrary to some internet conspiracy theories, there is no nefarious force driving up prices - it's just the nature of markets, and the forces of supply and demand. If you want an original console, the fixed supply (since they don't make them anymore) and increasing demand, means prices rise.

Why are video games popular in Japan? ›

Arcade culture is a major influence among young Japanese, with Akihabara Electric Town being a major nexus of so-called otaku culture in Japan, which overlaps with video gaming heavily. Japanese video game franchises such as Super Mario, Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, Sonic the Hedgehog, Super Smash Bros., Final Fantasy ...

Why do people collect retro games? ›

Generally, this is due to collectors who are not themselves video game players but recognize the popularity and longevity of these series and intrinsic value of the rare, unsealed games published the early stated of these series, despite that millions of copies of these games ultimately were published.

Why are retro games so good? ›

These types of games don't need realism, and in fact, would likely be less enjoyable if they had it. Their stylized (artfully simplified) approach provides the optimal match of play and interface. To be perfectly clear - good gameplay design transcends technology.

Will old video games go up in value? ›

While collectors do cause the prices of games to gradually increase until demand is satisfied and the prices start to come back down (which seems to be happening across the board right now), in my opinion its investors and flippers who buy and resell copies of rare games who fuel the crazy price increases for games ...

Is retro gaming making a comeback? ›

In today's digital age, it may seem surprising that old-school gaming is experiencing a renaissance. However, the truth is that retro games are making a comeback and gaining popularity among both young and old gamers alike.

How to value retro games? ›

The value of a vintage video game today may vary depending on a number of factors, including the game's condition, its rarity, age, and its original retail price. Generally, the older a game is, the more valuable it is, and the rarer and more sought-after games can go for thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars.

How to make money with retro gaming? ›

How to Monetize Retro-Style Arcade Games
  1. App Store Sales: The most straightforward way to generate income from your game. ...
  2. In-Game Purchases: An increasingly popular model, especially for free-to-play games. ...
  3. Ad Revenue: Integrating ads into your game can be a reliable income stream.
Aug 7, 2023

Does Gen Z like retro games? ›

TikTok Gamer Gabi Giedraitė Gets Candid About Why Gen Z Loves Retro Video Games in Q&A. Amid their love for the early aughts, Gen Z is going all in on gaming, resurrecting their old consoles, dusting off their forlorn cartridges and reentering the pixelated lands that served as their secondary childhood homes.

Is retro making a comeback? ›

Vintage fashion has a timeless allure that continually reinvents itself, capturing the essence of bygone eras while blending seamlessly with contemporary styles. As we move through 2024, retro fashion trends are making a strong comeback, bringing with them a sense of nostalgia and individuality.

Is it legal to play retro games? ›

Finding out who owns a game can be very difficult. But some software archivists do try to find out and try to get permission to distribute the game code. If this is given then downloading and playing the games is perfectly legal.

Why are old games so expensive now? ›

As more platforms emerged and the online marketplace matured, the accessibility to rare and sought-after titles became easier, further inflating the cost of vintage games. There were even auction sites, such as Game Gavel, dedicated strictly to video games.

Are games getting more expensive? ›

Xbox and Playstation titles are getting more expensive, too. $70 is becoming the new normal for major video game releases. Ever since video game titles started retailing for $60 around 2006, the cost of video game production has risen, according to Neil Macker, an analyst at Morningstar.

Why are retro Pokemon games so expensive? ›

Popular Pokemon games can sell for thousands of dollars to collectors and fans alike due to rarity and nostalgia. Rare console bundles and non-retail releases can fetch even higher prices for dedicated collectors of the series.

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