Why Your Childhood Video Games Cost More Than Your Mortgage Payment

How Nostalgia, YouTubers, and Your Own Impulses Broke the Retro Game Market

Part of my retro gaming collection

I’m so tired of hearing the complaints about the rising costs of video games and vintage anything.

Wait… that was me too.

But I don’t care anymore… and I’ll tell you why at the end—

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Remember when you could score a complete Super Mario Bros. 3 for around $20 pretty much anywhere? Well, now that same game sells for more than a high-priced dinner with your spouse!

Retro video games have shifted from nostalgic mementos into investment-grade collectibles, and the internet is not pleased.

But who’s to blame for this price surge? In a world of resellers, influencers, and grown adults hoarding Panzer Dragoon Saga for the Sega Saturn like it’s the actual Holy Grail, things have gotten frustratingly expensive.

Supply, Demand, and a 2 Million-Dollar Mario

Let’s start with basic economics: physical media is finite. Games don’t grow on trees (except maybe in Animal Crossing), so when people want what’s no longer being made, prices go up. But it’s not just rare JRPGs that are inflating like a Beanie Baby bubble. The game Pokémon Red, for example, a game printed in the millions, is still outpacing its supply. Why? Because demand is no longer rational—

It’s emotional.

During the pandemic, we collectively hit pause on reality and rewound to the comforting glow of our youth. Games that used to sell for $10-$30 were suddenly going for $60-$80 or more.

Nostalgia can be profitable! In the wrong hands, it can lead to a lot of… complaining adults that have a hatred for scalpers and re-sellers.

This unopened 1985 copy of Super Mario Bros. NES game sold for a record $2 million at auction to anonymous buyer in 2021.

Are YouTuber/Resellers The New Market Makers?

Enter the YouTubers. Every time a creator dusts off an obscure title and dubs it a “hidden gem,” the resale market loses its mind. One mention of how the ducks fly in formation because of this or that in Duck Hunt sends people running to eBay.

Too late— the resellers have already batch increased all games by 30%.

Some folks think creators are doing this to profit, but the math doesn’t add up. Spending 40 hours editing a video to make a $2 markup on Kid Chameleon isn’t exactly a sustainable business model.

Still, perception is reality. When influencers talk, people buy. Not because they’re being manipulated, but because they’re curious.

And, come on… you know all about impulsivity, don’t you?

The Reseller Villain Arc

No discussion of retro game inflation is complete without throwing resellers under the bus. I’ve done it. *I still do sometimes.

They’re accused of garage-sale hoarding, price gouging, and general soul-sucking capitalism. But here’s the thing, resellers don’t set the prices. Buyers do.

Ok, technically, resellers do set the prices, but they only do that based on sold comps.

Yes, some resellers are shady for sure. Some do increase prices just to keep them inflated, contacting estate sales people to get to the items early, and all sorts of levels of assholery exist in the scalper/reseller world. But many are just people trying to make a buck in a market where everyone’s playing the same game. If you’re paying $100 for a Pokémon cart, it’s because you, dear buyer, think it’s worth $100. The reseller is just holding the controller.

Let’s Talk About You (Yes, You)

Here’s the twist ending you didn’t expect. It’s not them, it’s us.

Damn, that hurts to say!

We are the reason retro games cost a fortune. Every time we chase that eBay listing out of FOMO, we’re pumping the market. Every time we watch a livestream and buy out of parasocial obligation, we feed the beast.

The video’s creator even calls out his/her own habits, hoarding PlayStation Vita games they’ll never play, driven by scarcity anxiety and internet hype. The truth is, collecting feels good. It fills emotional gaps. It gives us a hit of control, accomplishment, or even identity. But left unchecked, it also drains wallets and clutters shelves with shrink-wrapped guilt.

So What’s The Deal?

Retro gaming inflation isn't a mystery. It's a mirror. Prices are high because demand is high, and demand is high because nostalgia is powerful and very often, impulsive. The resale market, YouTubers, collectors, and cultural shifts all play a part, but at the core, it’s about us. Our emotional attachments, our childhood memories, and our fear of missing out are part of this crazy game we play with the market.

Here’s why I don’t care anymore…

Anytime I notice things are getting out of control in one area of collecting I love, I pivot to another. Right now, I’m completing a small collection of trading cards I’m missing from the early 90s. They are incredibly easy to find and very undervalued, so I buy them for cheap.

Another thing I’ve been doing is simply appreciating what games I do have, and there are plenty I have not completed, so I’m playing those. And… if I really want a game, I add it to my want list. I’ll tell you, that in itself is pretty satisfying. I think it’s because I’m not necessarily telling myself no. Rather, I’m just saying, not now.

So next time you're hovering over that “Buy Now” button for a $2000 copy (not a typo) of EarthBound CIB, ask yourself… do I want this, or do I just want to feel like I’m a kid again?

Maybe both.

And that’s okay— but now you know who to blame.