VGA Face Palm (Just read their FAQ)

I see alot of people rolling their eyes at VGA items on Ebay being over priced. Anyways I was curious so I headed over to their website, because basically I'm like, I can do this. My knowledge of rare games is pretty expansive so why not.

I was looking at their FAQ and saw some really gaping holes for something called a "VIDEO GAME AUTHORITY" They don't grade everything, they only grade Sealed Items, and they consider Autographs a Flaw.

Here, read the FAQ

Looking at that they are anything BUT a Video game Authority. I think as it's been countlessly pointed out here, it's just an excuse to drive prices up on Ebay Auctions.

I think Any of us could do a better job grading and coming up with a better grading system than these frauds.

 

The fact they self-branded themselves as an authority makes it pretty clear that they're only here to fool the ignorant. Their prices are ridiculous as well, anyone could start a competing business offering half the price and make a killing off these people.

 

should start flooding them with copies of old fifa / madden / nhl /baseball / random crappy sports games.

but anyway i just see this as the height of anality

but thats just my view i don't see the point, or any practical application for this at all other than suckering in idiots with more money than sense or using it as a front to launder dodgy money

im also against sealed games i dont mind people collecting them whatever, i just see it like you buy a ticket for a concert and then you frame it and stick it on the wall or shelf and dont go to the concert.

that and things wrapped in plastic are annoying

 

We totally should, and worthless PAL games I'm sure that would annoy the shit out of them

They aren't even totally wrapped and encased they have a vent for all sorts of Fungus to grow.

And by their logic a copy of say the ninteno 1990 championships is worthless as it's not sealed or boxed.
If I were to grade games I would do so based on condition AND rarity.
Dispite the fact they claim not to Grade Playstation games, I did see a Final Fantasy VII "graded" by them going for a Grand.

Stupidity

 

Yeah, I'm sure all that increase in profits would make them wanna kill themselves! lol
You have so much insight in a business

BTW, the thread title is so ironic. Face Plam huh? ^^
Also, apart from the crazy prices (which they do not set), what's your point here? That they should grade open games as well? The range of subjectivity for open games is massive, for example would a crease in an exchangeable ad booklet decrease the value or not? It could be changed for an undamaged one, so the condition of the game itself is not bothered. It goes on and on like this... I think it's ok this way, why would you wanna change it by adding so much more variables?

 

Anybody else find it strange they don't say where they are located?

As for above...

I'm just going to remain silent.

 

Agreed, buying a game just to not play it is a waste all around.

Of course, shrink wrapping like they did on classic games isn't anywhere near as bad as the games nowadays, especially some consoles (cough, cough, 360)

 

A signature is a flaw? Well, from what I know signatures from say developers, or voice actors makes the value much higher. I know my Super Mario 64 is worth twice as much as it was beforehand, after Charles signed it.

 

VGA is everything wrong with collecting.

It literally makes me angry when I see people listing VGA 90 items for thousands of dollars. No one gives one flying fuck about whatever VGA graded it. It doesn't mean a thing.

 

It depends on who buys it. Without proof (i.e. a picture of the event with the celebrity and the game) it's virtually worthless. Most of the time, people would value signatures on games as personal memories and would not pay more for someone else's game. I highly doubt that Mario 64 is worth twice the value just because of Charles Martinet by the way: The guy is still alive and signs at pretty much every comic book convention.

Once the celebrity dies, it's a different deal. But video games are still fairly new and not many people have reached a very old age. Except for Gunpei Yokoi, I can't think of any big celebrity who has died yet, they're all still giving autographs. And technically, a signature is indeed a damage.

 

Well I have video proof - He's only been to Australia once to my knowledge. Super Mario 64 goes for around $50-$60 here. I'm sure the signature adds a bit more value

 

And why couldnt it be signed elsewhere?

 

There are people who varify signatures for a living.

anyways as far as proof the VGA is bullshit...

I think this speaks for it self the most common game of all time

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Super-Mario...5064?pt=Video_Games_Games&hash=item460cf04aa8

going for over a grand.

 

Not sure if someone would take an Australian release else where to get signed lol

 

What on Earth has that got to do with the validity of VGA? So some random guy posts an auction involving a VGA item, and...you lost me. If anything, the fact that "the most common game of all time" can fetch such an outlandish price because of the VGA grade lends credence to the fact that there is some sort of perceived value in their service - even if that value isn't perceived by you.

 

Actually I don't think VGA means much here, it'd be getting bids even without it. A sealed copy of the original black box SMB is something sealed collectors would pay lots for, so its hard to look at the price and specifically attribute it to VGA. Sad thing is, it seems like anyone in the sealed gaming scene, especially NES these days, will get any of their rare games they plan to auction VGA graded first before putting it up for sale. I think it's thanks to that VGA just looks like it means more than it really does.

There's probably more suckers willingly paying VGA to grade their stuff than there are people buying things specifically because of the VGA grade. That's how I feel it is for a majority of items, anyway.

 

This topic feels like deja vu to me...

What I don't understand is, what is the point of this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ZELDA-II-TH...D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

non-graded prototype encased in plastic?

 

VGA is definitely stupid/corrupt/overpriced/etc, but some guy out there, a guy who has looked at a lot more sealed games than you ever have, is giving his opinion on the condition of an item - which he marks on a protective/sealed case with the VGA namesake.

 

What I figured, but didn't want to delve into what it would normally sell for since I'm no expert on the matter.

I do agree about more people grading than buying, though. I grade my Halo games simply as a means to compare collections with a few other Halo collectors I know, but I have yet to buy one graded (and probably never will at the prices I see). I also collect Halo figures, but, since there are no collectors that I know of that grade their figure collections, I simply get cases made for them rather than grading them. Obviously not fool-proof, but it roughly shows who has who beat with each title, and that keeps collecting interesting (for us, at least).

 

A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon with this, I actually think a lot of these things are positive points for their business. For example, they consider signatures a flaw because they're only interested in grading the physical condition of the item, not adding theoretical value to an item based on pop culture. That would be like saying a VGA 105 sealed copy of Mario 64 signed by Shigeru Miyamoto is worth a bazillion dollars because it gets an extra 05 points for being signed, it's got absolutely nothing to do with the condition of the item. Because the end of the day that's the service they provide, a grading platform so items can be shared and compared, so collectors can make confident purchases as to the sealed condition of the item they're buying. I have no problems with this sort of idea at all, and why VGA get most of the flak for insane VGA prices on eBay I don't really know, regardless of how good or bad their services might be.

I do understand the hate for the VGA market but I don't know if VGA are directly to blame. They have a good idea, if they're services are really that bad people should start their own service but actually do it properly.