What makes a video game release "complete"?

[BonkOnTheHead]

Recently someone was trying to tell me on this forum what a complete release of a game is. They thought having the cartridge and nothing else makes it complete. That is highly inaccurate and as nicely put quite frankly... dumb. So as someone who owns 19 video game systems and hundreds of games I'm going educate some of you on what actual video game collectors consider a game being "complete".

For a game to be complete it must include everything it came with when you originally open it in new condition. That includes warning inserts, advertisement inserts, any manual it may have, if it has a box sleeve, demo discs, "goodies", etc. If it's missing even 1 thing it isn't considered "complete" causing the long term value of the game to be less than it would be if it had all of this stuff. Hence why collectors want complete games.

Sometimes you will settle on a game not being complete because you want the game badly enough and it's no longer possible to find it complete online with the "goodies" it came with. Unless you want to pay for the new conditioned prices that some amazon or ebay sellers try ripping people off for. So some collectors will buy a game incomplete and look for the other parts of it to combine to create a complete release.

I'll write what I told the other person when trying to tell them their definition of complete was wrong. If you look up the game "Donald Duck Goin' Quackers" on ebay you will see the cartridge by itself for under $30. If you look at the ones with the box, manual, warning insert it goes for well over $100.

Also, if anyone is interested the thread I'm linking below is what I look for and how I go about buying used games from stores. https://www.belltreeforums.com/show...g-used-games-and-how-to-store-them&highlight=

 

[Bowie]

The thread title and “today I’m going to educate you all” is hilariously ironic.

 

[idiotdoomspiral]

This kind of thing only matters to avid video game collectors. Digital exists.

Avid is probably not the right word in your case

 

[LambdaDelta]

wow, how pretentious

 

[YunaMoon]

Uhhhh.....

 

[MelloDimensions]

I can smell this thread..

 

[BonkOnTheHead]

This kind of thing only matters to avid video game collectors. Digital exists.

Avid is probably not the right word in your case

Why do digital? Owning a digital game isn't worth anything 1 year or 20 years from now. All you're doing is costing yourself more money in the long run having to buy multiple externals to store them.

Totally not the right word for me. I'm honestly making up owning the systems and games I've stated. You caught me.

Concerning your "only matters to" statement... it does matter because I was asking about Happy Home Designer saying I found it complete for a specific price during a pre owned sale with two other games. The person in question said you could get it "complete" for 10-15 on ebay, which isn't accurate. Buying a game cart or disc isn't owning a complete release unless it comes with everything else. That is fact (not an opinion) whether you are a collector or not. So their definition as stated is inaccurate. Sorry that you're offended that I was trying to share knowledge with people who may be oblivious.



@ Everyone else who posted:

Look at the forum warriors trying to gang up on me. For creating a discussion? Would you rather have your boring, "what's your favorite" whatever threads that's spammed in this section instead? Show me on the doll where Tom Nook touched you.

 

[Buttonsy]

This thread feels weirdly condescending, and feels more like a PSA than a discussion thread, lol. Personally, as a collector, I rarely care about stuff like that, a lot of the time I just throw things like packaging away, or recycle it, because having all these cases and boxes all around my house makes it feel cluttered- I'm actually working towards throwing away and/or recycling all my DVD and video game cases and moving the discs all into a disc organizer, it's easier to maintain and takes up less space. I realize it decreases the re-sale value, I just usually try to buy things I want enough that I won't want to re-sell it.

 

[MelloDimensions]

Why do digital? Owning a digital game isn't worth anything 1 year or 20 years from now. All you're doing is costing yourself more money in the long run having to buy multiple externals to store them.

Totally not the right word for me. I'm honestly making up owning the systems and games I've stated. You caught me.

Concerning your "only matters to" statement... it does matter because I was asking about Happy Home Designer saying I found it complete for a specific price during a pre owned sale with two other games. The person in question said you could get it "complete" for 10-15 on ebay, which isn't accurate. Buying a game cart or disc isn't owning a complete release unless it comes with everything else. That is fact (not an opinion) whether you are a collector or not. So their definition as stated is inaccurate. Sorry that you're offended that I was trying to share knowledge with people who may be oblivious.



@ Everyone else who posted:

Look at the forum warriors trying to gang up on me. For creating a discussion? Would you rather have your boring, "what's your favorite" whatever threads that's spammed in this section instead? Show me on the doll where Tom Nook touched you.

"Show me on the doll where Tom Nook touched you"

Wow, someone has got some weird fantasies. I suppose that's as far as some people get. Something tells me you treat your toys better than you treat people.

 

[Paperboy012305]

I think you mean how the gameplay, graphics and story details go for a "Complete" game.

As in, if they are perfectly well done, it goes as a complete game. We have delays for a reason.

 

[dumplen]

I think you mean how the gameplay, graphics and story details go for a "Complete" game.

As in, if they are perfectly well done, it goes as a complete game. We have delays for a reason.

I thought he meant the inital release from the company as well, but that wasn't what he was going for.

That being said, if you wanted everything down to the adverts, wouldn't it be easier to just look for the game you wanted in an unopened box..?

 

[idiotdoomspiral]

Look at the forum warriors trying to gang up on me. For creating a discussion? Would you rather have your boring, "what's your favorite" whatever threads that's spammed in this section instead? Show me on the doll where Tom Nook touched you.

You're right, threads like this are way more entertaining than those kinds of threads. But not in the way you think they are.

 

[BonkOnTheHead]

@Buttonsy
I appreciate the civil reply. You're right. It does take up room and decreases value. Even older consoles sell for more if they have the box with them. I keep the console/controller boxes in the top of my closet on a shelf.

And of course as you said buy things you don't want to resell. But the reality of it is there may be a day you have no choice to sell because you have to pay bills off. I met a famous guitarist who's been playing for over 55 years after a concert before. He told me and my dad that in the 70s he had this specific guitar with a specific color that he sold for $200 something to pay off a bill at the time. Now the same guitar sells for $80,000. Imagine...


@MelloDimensions
Your joke isn't funny.


@Paperboy012305
I think I know what I meant since I'm the one who said it. I even said what I meant saying case, manuals, etc. Not being complete as far as graphics, story, etc goes.

FYI Tons of companies release incomplete games in the sense you're saying. Happens all of the time. Mass Effect 3, Capcom games, games with DLC that add to the story, etc. Don't even get me started on my feelings about DLC.


@dumplen
I stated complete being with what the game comes with inside the case before it's opened. I also stated that you can't always find certain games in new condition. Not sure why you and the other guy had difficulties with this unless English isn't your first language.

If you buy every game you want on launch date you aren't going to have a sizable library of games.

 

[Antonio]

Dude, there is a nice way to phrase things. Telling people that you are "going to educate" them is condescending for the people who actually want to take part in the discussion. I didn't think you mean no harm until you started talking about the salt in the thread.

Anyways, I consider a game complete when there are no more updates or changes to the game. When the game is released, who knows what changes will come. The game build that you have on release will be completely different from the game you have one it's over. Of course, it depends on the game and if they eveer get updates.

 

[jacex]

Aside from what everyone else has said, I get what you mean, just, these days many don?t really seem to care about this sort of thing, which explains why those people think simply the game with the cartridge is complete. Especially since a lot of people in this society are more ?practical?, and therefore see no point in collecting/keeping things they won?t actively use in gameplay.

I personally really like having a complete game for sure, but unfortunately sometimes it isn?t possible (either no one sells any where I live, or they?re far too expensive). If I didn?t have financial worries, searching for missing pieces to complete the set would definitely be one of the things I would focus on.

 

[MelloDimensions]

@Buttonsy
I appreciate the civil reply. You're right. It does take up room and decreases value. Even older consoles sell for more if they have the box with them. I keep the console/controller boxes in the top of my closet on a shelf.

And of course as you said buy things you don't want to resell. But the reality of it is there may be a day you have no choice to sell because you have to pay bills off. I met a famous guitarist who's been playing for over 55 years after a concert before. He told me and my dad that in the 70s he had this specific guitar with a specific color that he sold for $200 something to pay off a bill at the time. Now the same guitar sells for $80,000. Imagine...


@MelloDimensions
Your joke isn't funny.


@Paperboy012305
I think I know what I meant since I'm the one who said it. I even said what I meant saying case, manuals, etc. Not being complete as far as graphics, story, etc goes.

FYI Tons of companies release incomplete games in the sense you're saying. Happens all of the time. Mass Effect 3, Capcom games, games with DLC that add to the story, etc. Don't even get me started on my feelings about DLC.


@dumplen
I stated complete being with what the game comes with inside the case before it's opened. I also stated that you can't always find certain games in new condition. Not sure why you and the other guy had difficulties with this unless English isn't your first language.

If you buy every game you want on launch date you aren't going to have a sizable library of games.

And to the troglodytes that think yours is, I worry

 

[Kurb]

*ahem* A whole, non glitchy (except goat sim that's on purpose) fun game. Let's Go is technicially complete because no loose ends were added, but, it was crappy. Incomplete games are games that have a million dev rooms and no polishing.

 

[rhinoo]

If you buy every game you want on launch date you aren't going to have a sizable library of games.

why does this matter lel. i've bought most of my games on release, and i have a library of 70-80 games...

 

[dumplen]

@Buttonsy
I appreciate the civil reply. You're right. It does take up room and decreases value. Even older consoles sell for more if they have the box with them. I keep the console/controller boxes in the top of my closet on a shelf.

And of course as you said buy things you don't want to resell. But the reality of it is there may be a day you have no choice to sell because you have to pay bills off. I met a famous guitarist who's been playing for over 55 years after a concert before. He told me and my dad that in the 70s he had this specific guitar with a specific color that he sold for $200 something to pay off a bill at the time. Now the same guitar sells for $80,000. Imagine...


@MelloDimensions
Your joke isn't funny.


@Paperboy012305
I think I know what I meant since I'm the one who said it. I even said what I meant saying case, manuals, etc. Not being complete as far as graphics, story, etc goes.

FYI Tons of companies release incomplete games in the sense you're saying. Happens all of the time. Mass Effect 3, Capcom games, games with DLC that add to the story, etc. Don't even get me started on my feelings about DLC.


@dumplen
I stated complete being with what the game comes with inside the case before it's opened. I also stated that you can't always find certain games in new condition. Not sure why you and the other guy had difficulties with this unless English isn't your first language.

If you buy every game you want on launch date you aren't going to have a sizable library of games.

you caught me!! I stopped reading after you answered your own question

 

[Shellzilla_515]

I couldn't care to be honest. If I have the game, it's considered complete for me. If I get an extra collectible with it, I think of it as a bonus and not a necessity (with the exception of needing to have an Amiibo for Amiibo Festival lol).