[game_preservation] Authenticating factory sealed games

[Devin Monnens]

That's what I figured. The only conclusion I can make from that is that it
would increase the game's salability by passing off a used product as 'new'.
Definitely false advertising, but not something a kid like me would have
been looking for (though I DID have sense enough not to open them).

Actually, I"m a bit interested now in the different ways a game could be
factory sealed at the time. It's pretty easy to tell with PS1 games, as
these will have a Sony strip running around it. Also, if it's got an
'envelope seal' (not sure the terminology, but it is press-folded rather
than shrunk). For SNES and NES games, these are sealed with a strip running
vertically down the back middle of the box. They should also have a plastic
hang-tag on them. My SCV4 is in pristine shape inside the packaging, but it
doesn't have that vertical seal, so I think it was resealed by Funcoland,
which is a disappointment. There's more information on these here, but there
aren't any pictures:

http://www.gooddealgames.com/articles/SNES_Sealing.html

I also didn't know these came in boxes like this:

http://videogames.techfresh.net/factory-sealed-case-of-zelda-snes-games-sells-for-201/

Aside from the mandatory, "Well, it's not sealed any more, you idiot!!" I
must know: what did they put in the bottom of the box? They say these hold
only 6 games, but it looks large enough for twelve.

And actually, if any of you want something like this for an archive, this
guy is selling cases of F-Zero for $45 BIT. I'm tempted to get one, but I'd
have no place to put it!

http://cgi.ebay.com/SEALED-CASE-OF-6-F-ZERO-SUPER-NINTENDO-SNES-GAMES-NEW_W0QQitemZ380180812562QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Vintage_Video_Games?hash=item58848ad312

Now I must find a picture of a box that Super Metroid came in for my
website!

-Devin

On Sun, Dec 13, 2009 at 9:03 AM, Stuart Feldhamer <
stuart.feldhamer at gmail.com> wrote:


>  We had a discussion about this on the Software Collectors’ mailing list

> some time back. I think Jim Leonard, who’s on this list also, could tell you

> some stories about how retailers used to reshrink stuff all the time.

>

>

>

> Stuart

>

>

>

> *From:* game_preservation-bounces at igda.org [mailto:

> game_preservation-bounces at igda.org] *On Behalf Of *Devin Monnens

> *Sent:* Sunday, December 13, 2009 12:19 AM

> *To:* IGDA Game Preservation SIG

> *Subject:* [game_preservation] Authenticating factory sealed games

>

>

>

> I was just kabitzing around e-bay looking up some factory sealed games I

> had and was pretty amazed at some of the prices there. Unfortunately, when I

> went to verify, I was not convinced that they were authentic. One of my

> games (Link to the Past Player's Choice) has the 'H-Seal'. The other two,

> 7th Saga and Super Castlevania 4, look doubtful, particularly 7th Saga.

> Here's an example of an 'h-seal':

>

>

>

>

> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=380177972686&Category=139973&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26its%3DI%26otn%3D2

>

>

>

> I picked these up from Gamestop/Funcoland back in 2001/2002-ish. They have

> plastic seals on them, but they aren't the h-seal. I've become convinced now

> that 7th Saga is not sealed because there is actually wear on the box. I

> don't know why the retailer would have gone through the trouble of resealing

> it, but I highly doubt a factory copy would have wear (and it's quite a

> bit). Has anyone here heard of this happening? Makes me pretty bummed that

> this isn't authentic! Thankfully my Super Mario Land GB is original :)

>

>

>

> Then there's Video Game Authority:

>

>

>

>

> http://cgi.ebay.com/Super-Turrican-2-SNES-Super-NES-NEW-SEALED-VGA-80_W0QQitemZ380183166693QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_Games_Games?hash=item5884aebee5

>

> The VGA cases look pretty neat, but it seems like an easy way of making

> money off of people (i.e. ripping them off). Check their pricings - it's

> like $80 plus shipping to get something authenticated:

>

>

>

> http://www.vggrader.com/default.aspx

>

>

>

> They're located in Georgia. Yeah, mine are going to remain in my closet.

>

>

>

> -DM

>

>

> --

> Devin Monnens

> www.deserthat.com

>

> The sleep of Reason produces monsters.

>

> _______________________________________________

> game_preservation mailing list

> game_preservation at igda.org

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>

>



-- 
Devin Monnens
www.deserthat.com

The sleep of Reason produces monsters.
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