Does being sealed increase the rarity factor?

I was just wondering whether anyone else believes that a sealed copy of a common game increases its rarity factor?

For example, take Tetris on the GameBoy, one of the most common games ever sold. May be considered by many to be an R1, but twenty years after it was released could a factory sealed copy that had survived be classed as much rarer? Obviously if it were ever opened then it would degrade back to being an R1, but can the fact that it is virginial and pristine mean that it can be up there with the R7's and R8's?

Also, what if you already have a rare game to start with, such as an R6 or R7, then could it be possible that by being in sealed condition it can achieve a much higher rarity rating?

So my question here is: Can a common game be classed as rare if it's in factory sealed condition, and can a rare game become even rarer if it's sealed?

We've had a few similar discussions over on www.sealedgameheaven.com, but would like to see what the opinions of you collector's of rare games are on this subject, as no doubt the two collecting habits often collide

 

because its the nature of games to become ripped open, sealed games are more rare.

and because of their condition more valuable.

 

i like my games ripped open and playable anyway, so i only buy sealed if it does not cost me a fortune extra.

and then i enjoy opening a brand new game.

 

If it's still sealed in the original wrapping then obviously the game is still new...

 

Well, i don't get why a PS1 GH version of Final Fantasy VII is constantly sold as rare.

The damn game sold millions of copies worldwide.

 

I think a game can be more difficult to collect in a certain state or condition, like new and sealed etc. But I don't think a rarity number / guide should be counted like that, but maybe instead just based on how often it appears for sale or if it was made in a limited amount. For example, if a game is limited to 500 pieces, then it is limited to 500 pieces, no matter how many of them are sealed or not. So I don't think it should effect rarity factor in that respect.

 

Be wary. This crowd probably has no illusions, but the general public doesn't know how easy it is to do shrink wrapping, or to reseal a game with a commercial self-adhesive cello wrap. Personally, I distrust sealed items because of the increasing frequency of misprinted or mispressed DVD and CD disks.

 

True but certain games do have some basic security devices of the Nintendo or Playstation logo in the tear strip around them which unless the game is extremely valuable no one is going to spend the time and money to copy. Generally if you know what to look for then you should be able to tell if a game is resealed or is in the original seal.

 

That's a common fact, but so do the games data will wear off from their CD's/DVD's in a few decades.

You can slow the process with both of the types keeping the games in steady tempature and not in the direct sun light.

 

I vote no, as in my opinion collecting sealed games is defeating the object of the game's existence, and they'd be much better off played

 

Which is the perfect catch-22 for scammers. With the prices that sealed games go for these days I think it is only a matter of time (if not already) before someone buys professional equipment to make perfect sealed bootlegs. Whoever made the Sapphire bootlegs was simply ahead of the game.

 

Forgot to say before... I actually bought some time ago, sealed copies of Motor Toon Grand Prix and Descent, both for the PS1.

Motor Toon Grand Prix was kept sealed almost 12 years! And Descent (longbox), for 11 years.

Still i didn't paid more for them. I saw auctions for both on MercadoLivre, with discs scrathed, for almost the double i paid.

 

For certain games, being sealed certainly increases the value. But as Assembler said, sealed foil will peel off just like cartridges will loose their data in decades from now (hopefully not too fast). Video games are not made for eternity and won't last as long as books.

Maybe in the distant future we are all still collecting but what we collect is dead electronic trash that doesn't work anymore, just for the design of the packaging & the manuals. I could actually imagine to do that, honestly, I do it right now with lots of games that I don't/can't play.

 

I'd be concerned with sealed copies of Zelda 1 & 2 after 20+ years.
Don't the earlier lithium batteries have the potiential to deteriorate
into a mess on the roms ?

 

I voted "Yes". If you collect sealed games then it is obviously going to be harder to find older games in a good sealed condition, thus making them rarer and in most cases more valuable, especially to other sealed game collectors.

But, I wouldn't spend more on a sealed game than any other game. If a sealed game falls into my hands it quickly becomes an unsealed game as I collect primarily to play. The only games I purposely buy new and sealed are TecToy SMS games as used copies are generally in terrible condition, and I have unsealed every one I have bought.

 

i sometimes buy sealed very common pce games for less than 1$. they have been sealed for over 2 decades soon. but regardless of that, yes, a sealed of course is genrally harder to find than an unsealed, just due to the fact, that a every game was supposed to be opened back then.

 

Just about any first print FF 32-bit and lower sells for stupid amounts when sealed... even the JPN region stuff.