Gaming has erupted and evolved since the 80s. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft have released several amazing generations of consoles that perhaps, a millennial or Gen-X person has lived to see and experience most of them.

The NES is almost forty years old. Gamecube just celebrated twenty years, and the first Xbox will hit that same benchmark this November. Games from previous generations are selling at a profit because it’s “vintage” now–such as the original Super Mario Bros. that went for two million dollars. A copy of Super Mario 64 sold for 1.6 million, and someone actually paid $870,000 for an original Legend of Zelda.

While many of us may not have the rare editions sitting pristinely in its original packaging, many gamers are growing older with several classic games in their collection. Some simply keep them to revisit when they are feeling nostalgic, while others are avid collectors.

Now, unless you are a collector, is there ever a time you should sell your old consoles and video games?

This thought struck me at a yard sale I was having. The only two video games I intended to sell were small Switch titles that I completely lost interest in; however, a handful of people were immediately drawn to them instead of my other piles of goodies. They asked if there were any other games, or even consoles, I was willing to sell. That day, I dug through my “vintage” collection: PlayStation 2, Nintendo 64, Gameboy Color, and Nintendo 2DS. Some I parted with, others I did not, and while it was painful to say goodbye to the items I sold, I felt good that the person who purchased them was going to put the consoles and games to good use. That, and I made enough money to justify a PlayStation 5 or an Xbox Series X purchase whenever I can get my hands on one.

So, should you get rid of your old systems and their games? It really depends. You could make significant money that you need. Maybe they are only collecting dust, and you may need to clear out that guest room. Is it nostalgia alone holding you back?

Were you able to part with any old gaming consoles and games, or are you a collector that peruses yard sales in hopes to find a rare copy of a NES game? Let us know your thoughts in our Boss Rush Discord!

Sources: NY Times, Washington Post

Featured Image Source: Engadget