Ebay is flooded with repros. Can anything be done?

[SJ_Sathanas]

Reminds me of, back around 1999ish when SNES games where in that odd period where they were obsolete but before they were collectable. You may find them in Gamestation or the odd indie shop that would only be around for a few months before closing. Then eBay comes along and you could get them easily. So exciting!

Now they're all collectable 'n' censored and eBay is just full of cheap Chinese crap, and not just games.
I don't really mind reproductions, so long as people know what they're buying, but I kinda miss those days when they were just games and people weren't so serious about them.

My first ever eBay purchase? SNES Super Probotector. Paid with a cheque in the post.

[ShadowMan]

My first ever eBay purchase? SNES Super Probotector. Paid with a cheque in the post.

Those were the days! My first purchase was Blood Omen for the Playstation. I also got super lucky and got my Mega Man games and many rarer Capcom ones for cheap before they ballooned in price. I have noticed more and more repros appearing these days and I'm glad I'm done with that period in terms of buying Capcom releases, as it'd be a nightmare to find a legit PAL X3 or Wily Wars in this market these days.

[TheAlex]

Is this something Retro Gamer could do an article about? Pressure and all that.

I bought a DVD from CEX recently, and on closer inspection, the cover is poor quality so maybe they printed that themselves. That's rather scammy if so.

[kiwimike]

Deleted, doubled up post

[kiwimike]

Yes, I think the best approach is buyer beware, there is little that can be done to stop it now, a combination of fakes looking quite authentic to most buyers, and companies raking in too much money to care. I guess many who want games just to play not collect, won't care if it's a knockoff if it works well anyway....and NOT priced as a genuine original. Thats where the problem lies I think, people selling cheap knockoffs at the genuine price, which is effectively fraud. IF they knew themselves. And the problem then would be proving it, an intentional attempt to sell for original item prices. Games don't seem to get the same fraud scrutiny as other things, art and even movies and music.

Just be aware that fakes are rife, and that if something appears too good to be true.....

...And use PayPal. Look after yourself, so you can claim and obtain a refund if you find you have been screwed over. Some can be hard to tell, they are that good.

[BarbaricAvatar]

Is this something Retro Gamer could do an article about? Pressure and all that.

I bought a DVD from CEX recently, and on closer inspection, the cover is poor quality so maybe they printed that themselves. That's rather scammy if so.

CEX accept reprinted cover items, as long as the item inside is genuine. I think it's fair as covers can get damaged and it means potentially uncommon items can still be made available to general punters.

I've got a few GBA fake carts, they don't bother me either as they work just as well as the "real thing". That's the thing for me: If they don't work properly then sure they're bad but if they work just like the genuine ones for half the price then what's the problem? I think people just fuss over the fakes because it makes more copies of rare games available to more people which affects smug factor for those who paid top-dollar for the genuine ones.

[kiwimike]

Is this something Retro Gamer could do an article about? Pressure and all that.

I bought a DVD from CEX recently, and on closer inspection, the cover is poor quality so maybe they printed that themselves. That's rather scammy if so.

CEX accept reprinted cover items, as long as the item inside is genuine. I think it's fair as covers can get damaged and it means potentially uncommon items can still be made available to general punters.

I've got a few GBA fake carts, they don't bother me either as they work just as well as the "real thing". That's the thing for me: If they don't work properly then sure they're bad but if they work just like the genuine ones for half the price then what's the problem? I think people just fuss over the fakes because it makes more copies of rare games available to more people which affects smug factor for those who paid top-dollar for the genuine ones.

Yeah, I don't really have a problem with the buying and selling of ripoffs carts as such, as I play emulators, and have a few multicarts and GBA fake ones myself. But I guess the point is, I bought them from Ali express, at dirt cheap prices....and I knew what I was getting. Stores also need to make it clear when items do have redone packaging.

The problem for me, and others I assume who are discussing this, are when these fake carts and games are made to look original and are sold at a premium price as an authentic, original item. Then it pretty much becomes fraud.

And I bought up Game and watches before for an example- collectors will always pay more and top dollar for mint in box examples. So, if someone gets a reasonable condition G&W, then makes up fake box and packaging for them in order to make the cost skyrocket when creating an auction- that's wrong unless it is made clear what buyers are bidding for.

[SJ_Sathanas]

But then if the packaging is just some printed card and folded plastic what's the difference?
Not defending the cloners, more the absurdity of paying a premium for packaging?

[Megamixer]

I suppose it depends on whether you want originality or not. Then you return to that age-old collecting vs playing debate. There isn't a correct answer really, just personal opinions and preferences.

[pratty]

But then if the packaging is just some printed card and folded plastic what's the difference?
Not defending the cloners, more the absurdity of paying a premium for packaging?

The quality usually isn't as good, both the materials and the print.

And then as Megamixer said, most collectors want to buy the game as an authentic product of it's time, sort of like a gaming antique. I think packaging is probably less of an issue than copying the software but it should still be disclosed to the potential buyer.

[kiwimike]

But then if the packaging is just some printed card and folded plastic what's the difference?
Not defending the cloners, more the absurdity of paying a premium for packaging?

You're missing the point. Those that collect want their items as close to mint in box as possible. Hence why demand and value goes up for things that are mint in box- not just video games, anything. If you collect toys for example, having the box makes it more valuable. The better the condition, the better and higher the value.

So it stands to reason if a collector pays top dollar for something they believe to be authentic, but it's a copy....even the packaging, it's fraud.

If the fact the box is a modern copy is stated clearly, then that's fine.

[Shinobi]

But then if the packaging is just some printed card and folded plastic what's the difference?
Not defending the cloners, more the absurdity of paying a premium for packaging?

I bought Megadrive Oh Mummy a new full priced release from Watermelons website and Megadrive Snow Brothers from Ali Express for £5

Both games had cheap nasty cases and plastic shells, badly photocopied manuals Oh Mummy’s cover was good quality.

The same with the Megadrive Greylancer rerelease a £20 Ali Express quality game with a nice cover with anime girls drawn by the original artist, was selling for £80 after the first week as it sold out everywhere. It’s now selling for over £200 and rising for a cheap and nasty reproduction

[Andy Dale]

But then if the packaging is just some printed card and folded plastic what's the difference?
Not defending the cloners, more the absurdity of paying a premium for packaging?

It's the collector mindset. It's different to the player mindset.

A player just cares if the game works fully etc and is not too concerned with the condition/authenticity of the item or the packaging.

A collector is buying it just to own it (for bragging rights and to display on a shelf) and the condition/authenticity of the item and the packaging are as important as hell to them.

[killbot]

I have no problem with repros. They make it possible to buy games like Conker's Bad Fur Day or Turtles in Time without needing to raid my pension fund.

However, there are two caveats: firstly, the game must work. Particularly with battery-backed games, many of the repros don't offer the functionality of the original which makes them pretty much useless. Secondly, and this is the biggie, they must be SOLD as repros. It must be absolutely clear to the buyer what they're getting. People who try to pass off reproductions as original carts are basically fraudsters.

As well as video games I also collect action figures, and that's another market that's flooded with repros and bootlegs however again as long as I know what I'm getting I don't mind. I've paid under a fiver for figures that cost ten times that if you buy the original, and they've been basically identical. In many cases they even use the original moulds, sometimes you'll even find that the 'repro' is in fact a factory second of the original with just a minor paint scuff or loose joint.

[DPrinny]

Ebay don't really care.

TBH, I own one or two for events and was looking at getting a translated ROM of Virtual pro wrestling 2 burned to cart.
I dont really own any that are just for personal use as I have flash carts and dont really feel the need to own loads of expensive games ill never play