AM I A COLLECTOR? - FEMTROOPER 

Thanks for the shout out! Collecting can have a weird stigma in the video game space - often with a negative connotation for one reason or another. But glad to hear that you've adopted it into something positive to reflect your personal passions 😄

You are so right! There are many types of collectors. My friends find me weird because I brought back many games from Japan and I'll never play them. But I like to look at them. The cover art, the manual... And like you said. It reminds me of the moment I bought them or the moment I played the game (even if it wasn't that specific disc). Collecting is about passion and feelings.

I feel like I've lost my way with the over-buying of Switch games over the past few years, probably one of the reasons why I feel overwhelmed starting a new game lol. Recently I've started culling games in my collection because I know I'm never gonna play them or really care about them. But when Switch 2 eventually comes around, I wanna return to that mentality of buying games because I want to actually play those games, so it'll be a more refined, quality-based, cheaper collection! Love this video Paige, good discussion!

I collect physical games, but only games that I actually intend to play. I just like seeing all my games neatly stacked up. I've been that way since I was a kid, keeping my SNES and Genesis games organized on a shelf. Always loved being able to just look at cover art and hold the game in my hand, and read the manual (RIP no manuals in the Switch era)

I’m a collector, but I want to play what I have… eventually. As of now, I have 231 physical Switch games. It’s too much, I know, but I want to have these because I fear physical gaming is disappearing. I know people say you have to digitally update a game before it can be played on Switch, but I have a feeling Nintendo will put something out, at the end of the Switch’s life cycle, that allows you to play the games you have. A final update to the system, perhaps? Possibly. I need to work through my backlog. I need to be a “gamer,” instead of a “collector.” The problem is one of time. Who has the time to dedicate? It’s just so difficult being an adult.

Games are indeed our treasures! Having an adventure in a game is still something you can remember decades later sometimes and it probably cost a lot less than many other pastimes!

I'm a collector for sure. Since I was a kid back in the 90's, I have never gotten rid of any video game.

Being a selective collector is definitely the best way to go for most people. Great video!

If you own a collection of anything you are technically a collector, the only difference would be the reasons for the collection. Also trophies are technically a collection of achievements.

Great question to ask. I like to collect stuff and have small bursts over time where I do collect, but I'm in this weird position where living overseas I always feel this weird sense of urgency that doesn't allow me to feel settled or "at peace" in terms of buying stuff to hold long term. I love buying games but I dunno.. I just can't fathom having a giant shelf of SNES games, though it's my dream!

Great thoughts! I would say I'm a collector of JRPGs in general, in that I'm sort of "curating" a library of them. But when I play one that I own but HATE, I have no qualms about getting rid of it. The end goal is a library of games that are suited to me, and in that I think we're pretty similar.

I feel like a collection has a point. All the Sonic games. All the RPGs. Most people, myself included just have a bunch of games on a shelf.

We’re in the same boat. Selective collecting sums it up for me. Love collecting for the Switch but I don’t see myself set out to get everything. I purchase what I think I like and if I don’t I get rid of it and replace it with something else. Great topic!

I prefer the term “digital hoarder” with my Steam library 😎 And yes, I agree that physical games are a nice trophy ensemble. That’s part of what makes looking at those unbeaten games difficult at times. Hey, you liked the movie Mother! too, didn’t you? COINCIDENCE with Mother being your favourite series?!

Absolutely 100% exactly how we feel. Don't let anyone tell you either that your physical games won't be able to be played in the future because they need to be downloaded. There is a RU-vid channel that tests all sorts of games without internet connection just to show that most of the content and most of the games we get are completely playable without needing a download, patch or Internet access.

I would also add that there's one or two bits of ephemera I've held onto from my time doing freelance gaming journalism too. While some of these are for games I'm not particularly attached to, they mean something to me as they refer to the work I put in and the memories. Plus some things are cool things that you'd get as press kits - silly things like flashlights, tshirts, posters, and other gadgets.

I loved when you said collectors collect everything for a particular system over actively playing the games vs a game player that collects because they dont get rid of the games they like to play!😊

I've never bought a game without the intention of playing it but I do love hunting for good deals so I do end up with games I may never end up playing. I consider collecting and playing videogames as two separate yet intertwining hobbies.

Some great points made! I personally have never met 2 of the same collector. Each person is different for different reasons. That's the beauty of collecting. Whether you only collect to play, whether you are a completionist and want every game in the series or whether you like the artwork for certain games. There is something for everyone. Now to the dark side of "collecting" (sorry, but it needs to be said), one thing that bothers me are the judgey people who put you down or question you for the way you collect. Just stop please! Let us enjoy our collection the way we want to enjoy it and move on. Thanks. Keep up the great work and take care!

I can totally understand looking at a game case and you just recall those good times!

We all have our definitions of “collectors” but I’m fairly certain that I fall into that category, we are all selective collectors imo (unless someone owns every single game ever made).

I'd actually love to be more of a collector. I guess I am selective collector as I really care for Collector's Editions that are either beautiful or for a game/series I love. Also I want to own games physically whenever I care about the series, like Final Fantasy or Star Ocean. So ultimately I don't own a lot of games physically but the selection is truly special for me. 😊

This was so wholesome. I feel like there's a lot of judgment of people who collect from people who don't, and even moreso judgment and gatekeeping from within the collecting community, and this was the exact opposite of that, maybe without even intending to be.

I’m like you when it comes to collecting mine is personal to me and curated

I hang out a fair bit on Steam forums. Over the decades I've given several bits of advice (being an old fart who's been around since the start of gaming) and perhaps THE most important one of all is this - BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. This means setting out what you want out of things. Don't concenr yourself with what you think others want you to do or what you feel you should do. Only concern yourself with your metrics. Of course, buying in the 1980s was a minefield as you had magazines, box art and not a lot else to go on. So it made you learn to be careful. But even then I quickly realised that I would replay games continuously, so I never sold any of my games. I also had no interest in collecting to be completionist. I only wanted to buy what I wanted to play and do it as cheaply as possible too. So I had no problem in waiting months or years to buy a game when it reached the price I wanted to pay for it. So for more than 40 years this has remained true for me, and it works. Contrast this with my record collecting where I used to DJ and bought records and CDs for myself and for my business but also on occasion I'd pick up rare records for future investment. An etnirely different approach but that's because that's what I wanted to do.

At the risk of sounding pretentious, phrases like "Closing the book" or "Turning the page" hold such a strong presence in our psyche they're pretty commonly used metaphors. To some extent I think it's a healthier relationship to have things that mean so much to us as a physical object. Even if the materials that compose them deteriorate over time. Even if time doesn't allow us to play and replay them over and over, every now and then while cleaning the room they're stored in, grabbing one and looking at the cover art or manual if it has one is a healthy way to reconnect for a moment with those memories and that time of our lives we spent with that game. Then returning it to the shelf and coming back to the present moment. On the other hand a digital library will at one time or another disappear with a click, on someone else's whim.

Being a collector is super expensive. I would put myself in the selective collecting category now since I pretty much just buy what I really like. Obviously, knowing what I know now, I would have saved my games, boxes, and systems from over the years going back to my Sega Genesis.

Over the years I have been both. For a long while collecting overtook gaming, and I built a sizeable collection, then I sold it because I felt distanced from why I got into it in the first place. Now I buy what I want to play, even if that means it’ll be in the backlog till I retire, and I’ve been much more open to digital games.

To paraphrase Generation Pixel "im a gamer with a collection, not a collector". I originally wanted to have a big collection, then i decided, no i just want to buy the games i want. Like my 360 collection is utter guff compared to my Switch collection where i have bought exactly what i wanted and not just for the sake of buying. Also when you say you didnt want a game and proceeded to show Pokemon Arceus..... Come on now hahaha ;)

hey just found your channel i enjoy the content. i guess im an extensive digital collector. i used to be a physical collector but quickly ran out of space. hoping the future generation can learn and enjoy what we played as young people matters a lot to me, so digital preservation made sense.

Great video! I like when new people come over and look through my collection and find a game they loved as a kid. They’ll play it while I pull 5 or 6 other games I think they’ll like. Think of myself as a curator 😂 Some of my friends even bring their kids and I enjoy watching them geek out together, creating memories.

I mainly physically collect retro games I want, mainly NES - PS2. For modern games, I mainly go digital. I never had a desire to collect every game for a system. But I keep myself educated on games that are rare/expensive just in case I find them in the wild for cheap, as I do like going to flea markets/garage sales, especially with friendos cause it's just such a good time. Fun video idea, thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I decided to start collecting games when I started having that feeling that I don't want to follow the general direction of where gaming is heading. My life has almost completely become a monthly subscription. Every developer/publisher are crafting their games to become more monetised. Live service is the biggest push which is something I think that is being pushed into every area of gaming. I also noticed that gaming has leaned a lot toward remakes and remasters bause like with Hollywood, they have run out of ideas.. so for these reasons, I have collected games for multiple systems iver the last 8 years or so, because I intend on moving on with my collection and be completely satisfied to do so. So no switch 2, ps6, pc2, and whatever next xbox.. mamba out!

I collect for a lot of reasons. One good reason to collect new games is that a lot of them will be more expensive when I would get around to playing it. But honestly, I just love hunting and collecting for the sake of it.

I just collect the things I like and grew up with and I don't need to collect everything and anything

Yes that's pretty much how I feel about my collection too, I mostly just buy what I want to play, and once I finish the game I keep it if I like it, I don't really see much value in keeping a game I really didn't like or that doesn't hold my attention to some extent. I like having the physical version, it's a way to keep a memory of sorts of that experience you had and they are also fun to look at

Yeah I collect and play nintendo switch games nintendo 3ds games and ds games

You are 100% correct, there is no one thing that makes you a collector of anything. After getting my Switch a little more than two years ago, my collection sits at around 35 games, give or take a few. I didn’t believe I was a collector until recently after I went from store to store to store looking for a complete physical copy of FFXII (I did manage to find a copy).

Selective Collector I like that good one. I think that sums my game collection up I have both physical and digital games. Cool fun topic Paige keep up the great work

I used to not really care for physical media - I liked the convenience of digital and I didnt necessarily understand the point of physical media. But thanks to RU-vidrs like yourself and others over the last two years I've gotten educated and I have a pretty decent little physical collection of Switch, PS4/5, and Xbox/360/One games now! I've also been getting a handful of games from older systems as tokens from my past, like you said to evoke joy and nostalgia

I care about physical media but I just don't have the space

I feel more like a collector these days, just digital these days not physical. Though for physical games, my biggest one is PS2. I just don't have room to display it, they're in storage right now. Like my Playstation Trophy list, I only buy games I want to play.

I have a couple thousand games and systems. I collect physical games but i play the games and i keep them I don’t trade them or sell them. And I don’t have full collections, if I like the game I get it. And at this point I’m 45 so I have had years and my child hood to mass my collection. Great video

I'm kinda done collecting physical games personally. It's getting too expensive and I'm running out of space 😆😆😆

I only collect the games I really love and will play or have played and want to go back to it for the quick hit of nostalgia.

I like this topic. I collect but again, stuff I like. What's the one item you're always looking for? Great episode!

Soooooo true. I have finally worked up the courage to start getting rid of a good portion on my games and old systems that sit in a storage bin for years. I need to go through the switch collection and really downsize. I look at my shelves and can't decide what I want to play due to being overwhelmed and just play the games I have already played. Of what ise is a sealed game that I never even would play in the first place.

Yup, I'm in the same boat as you! I love having my collection of the games that I enjoyed not only playing, but also enjoy owning. It's that whole concept of "bringing joy", and my collection does that! Great video!

I personally think it's weird that we have started branding buying things as "collecting".

I like to display. I also love being surrounded by video games while I play them.

Yes you are a Collector

I'mthe type of collector that only pick up games I eventually want to play there are maybe 4 games total in my collection that were just brought for collecting only. Great video

This is part of the reason I like this channel, it's good to think about this and mull it over. The only games I consider that I'm personally collecting are all games that Gust have released in English on Switch physically; so far I'm up to date. In terms of other stuff I'm starting to see that I'm getting more then a few games developed by Key and those part of the Science Adventure series on Switch but I'm not sure how far I'll dive in. At the end of the day if I like a game enough or really think I'll like it I'll buy it physically, and theirs been cases where I bought a game on sale digitally that I'm not sure about and I ended up picking up a physical copy later on. And the very few games I've bought for the sake of collecting I haven't really enjoyed and they've not ended up sought after the fact, learning this lesson early was lucky because now I can focus on games I will more then likely play and enjoy instead of it wasting shelf space.

Interesting topic! So, by definition a collector is a person who collects things of a specified type. So, its kind of subjective. You do have a collection of video games and that can't be argued. We can just say: "I have video games", lol. I collect for sure, but that collection of mine sometimes changes it's path. One year, I may be hyper focused on Game Boy, but the next year I'm like; maybe not, so I sell off a bunch of Game Boy. It really depends on my mood. But all in all, yes, I collect video games.

Lovely video. I'm similar. I started with PS3, then PS4 and Vita. I then got into 3DS and WiiU. But it's Switch that really got me. I only collect games I love. I have lots of digital games as well. For me it's knowing I can play these games whenever I want. That's the main reason for me.

there is a bit of a stigma with some types like shelf collectors that buy games with little or no intention of playing them, just something they want to add to their "collection", especially people who buy games sealed and keep them that way, but it's their money I guess the core principle for me is what's my cheapest option? whether it's buying games used or a digital sale, doesn't matter b/c I'm more interested in playing the game first and foremost, so a good number of my switch and ps4 games are digital b/c of sales, and as such I don't really buy games brand new unless I'm really excited for it and want to support it (which isn't that many) I used to be more into physical games for retro stuff, but b/c of prices I've really been leaning into the emulation route for those

Awesome points Paige!

I guess I am the kind of 'collector' that wants to collect as many JRPGs as possible. I say I buy games for games but I feel uncomfortable if a physical for something is available and I don't have it physical. Actually got me thinking about why I buy games haha. Good Job!

The Nintendo switch is the first system that I really started collecting for. I only collect physical copies of games that I play, or intend to play. I've been gaming for 40 plus years. I get the new system for the "new" games but I eventually really miss playing some of the older release games that you can't get anymore. Prime example is Skyrim, I owned it on all systems but on the switch I loved playing it in handheld. I also stopped trading in old games.

For myself I collected mostly for PS3/360 that was an era where I enjoyed the games the mostly and many of them I've replayed 5+ times. I still get the random new game here and there like I got Robocop Rogue City. But most new games don't really interest me anymore. So I spend a lot of my time and money on ps3/360.

Ah thank you for making this video, finally something that I can relate to because I feel the same way. I don't consider myself a collector but then if you look at what I own, its 1000s and 1000s of games right back from the Commodore 64 & Amiga days!! My argument is, I only buy games I'm likely to play otherwise I don't buy them but its not my fault if say I'd want to play most Dreamcast or PSP games that I end up buying most of them which inadvertently makes the "collection" look huge. Also with all the games I want to play, I put the carts or discs in cases and the game boxes I store away so I don't clutter the place, I don't think a true collector would do that and would usually want to have everything on show. There's so many different takes on this but for sure your video certainly resonated with me :) Thank you again.. Danny

Fomo is a big factor, I do this with amiibos & pops definitely a selective collection hobby (I can relate with the memories factor also)

The shady clip of Legends Arceus when you were talking about games you hate 😂

I consider myself to be more of a retainer than a collector. I've been buying all digital since that has been a viable concern, but I still have all of my games from before this time too.

Mother 2 yes is epic ❤

Betcha can’t say ‘selective collector’ 5 times fast.. 😂

Great video! As someone who had foolishly traded in consoles and games that were special to me, would be interested to see a video of games you perhaps regretted trading in? Currently a selective collector. :)

I’m in the same boat with you on kind of picking and choosing the games I want to collect because I want to say I’ve beat everything I’ve collected.. if I collected a whole catalog of a certain system I don’t think I’d be able to make it through some of the games without getting frustrated or just out right quitting lol

I only buy games I intend to play, share with others, or games that have a meaning to me in some way. Typically if I make the choice to buy a game, I intend to keep that game. It's sort of like building my own criterion-set of games that suit my tastes.

I definitiely used to be a collecting addict, and that really screwed me later when i was like oh cool ive played like... a quarter of the games I have. 😢

I collect games that i want to or plan on playing. I have a small backlog, but i look at it as I'll always have something to play. Sometimes i hit my backlog. Other times new games. And if nothing else my kids wull have them to play one day

I want to buy my games physical, and I collect them in the sense that I keep them so I'm able to replay them if I want. But I don't consider myself a collector to have a "complete collection" I just want to have the games I like most.

Alot of my games that have been collected over the years have some sort of nostalgic value to me aswell as being a game i truly love playing. Im selectve in my purchases and never buy games just to sit nicely on the shelf. Buying a physical game has always been a moment, just wish I had the manuals to read before playing 😅

Great topic and video. For games, I am more of a selective collector; every game I pick up is one that I intend to play (of course, like many, my intensions outpace my ability to play them). With gaming hardware... that is more of a weak spot (did I really need another FPGA based console or yet another way to play NES games?). That probably scratches the tinkering itch, though I don't always know what cord goes to what these days.

Yeah right there are many different type of collectors. I like to collect for game franchises. Like one game franchise i have all the games for is Metroid. I am a huge Metroid fan.

I’m the type of collector that gets games I’m interested in playing beat it then keep it. So pretty much I’m the same as you. Out of all my collections I have I’d say NES is my biggest, I’m not sure exactly how many I have but it’s got to be at least 200+ games

I have two collections; records & video games. I've never been a 'completionist' with either because to own a whole collection of a console is daunting (and these l there's always shovel ware that I'm never going to play) and the thought of a whole record collection is, basically, impossible. Like others have said, I always buy with the intent to use (play games, listen to records). I used to always open them and look at all the fun goodies inside but now I leave things sealed until I'm going to start using them. It gives me an idea if what I'm actually into and what I bought with best intentions. But, I view them as My Collections, if I stopped buying now, they'd be complete but they are ever evolving. Maybe I thought I'd like a game or a band but i didn't or I bounced off a certain genre and don't care to own the music or games that I used to. Long story short, my collection is always in flux but I've always thought of it as a full collection of my interests at the time.

i have a huge physical and digital collection, i only collect games im interested in

My fav days are the days Paige uploads a video. Thank You my friend

My collection is my 36 year backlog. Theres a few special games ive bought but nothing crazy.

Superb video as always. I think it would have been useful to delve into the negative side of game collecting. FOMO is a real issue for many of us. Moreover, collecting can turn into hoarding if it gets out of hand. Perhaps you could address these points in a future video.

I only had my switch for a year and a half and that's only because I been playing all my other og games system.so u bet am behind on switch games.

Anything before the PS3 era, I collect physically cuz those games don't need a download, patches etc, you get the full game with manuals. Also I don't buy too many so it's a small collection. With PS4 games because there are so many to play, I go digital, it costs me a lot cheaper too & games are there in an instant.

I tell you one thing, I’m sure not a collector haha 😅

I'm a collector of games I like I don't collect to complete anything just things I like

Mostly i buy games i want to play though sometimes i will take a punt on a game that wouldnt necessarily be my jam if its a really great offer just to try something different every so often

I'm a "selective collector" but I like most people who care to admit have selection bias in general. I don't buy or play any game, they have to be games that capture my interest to some degree before playing it so if I buy any game I have to look forward to playing it to some degree, if I have no interest in the game, I'm not going to buy it plain and simple. It's just that my game genre interests is wide and diverse, I have beaten over 900 games after all over the years. However with that said, I did use to buy PS2 games but now I primarily play games on emulator or versions of PS2 games on other consoles rather than play on the actual PS2 since emulators and downloading roms are so much easier to use by comparison to buying discs at stores you won't even know are good discs, I strongly dislike buying bad PS2 discs more than anything and plus I'm running out of space on my upstairs shelf so I have to pick and choose games I buy now. I still buy PS3 games but that is because blu ray discs can take an epic beating 95% of the time by comparison to DVDs. I also like to keep most of the games I like but not so much with PS2 since I play on emulator and if I beat that PS2 game emulated, why would I need an original console version? PS3, 4 and 5 games I keep if I like them with all that said since I will need the original console to play them again. If I see a PS2 game at a vendor or store, I could write down the name of it so I can download the rom file later. I'm not really so much a "collector" more so just constantly buying games that I think I could possibly like, I never buy games for the sake of it, I would buy random games that don't at the very least sound like something I'd like.

If you're going to use your game collection as the background of your youtube videos then yeah I'd say you're a collector. Showing off what you got is part of the fun of "trophies" as you call them :P. And yeah I'm a collector even if it never feels intentional. I just get really into collecting things - in the 90s it was coins from other countries, and Pokemon cards - and now I guess it's Nintendo Switch games that I randomly find while playing The Deal Hunter. It's a joke among my friends that when we hang out I'm probably going to tell them about whatever new game I bought because I found it on sale. If I ever did a My Nintendo Switch Game Collection vid or something it'd be a whole lot of "And now here's [game]. No idea what it's about. There was a Buy 1 Get 1 Free sale at [store]." That's part of my own collecting fun. And recently I saw SicCooper's video showing off his Switch game collection - supposedly the largest on RU-vid at over 1000 games - and he said [paraphased] "Yeah, I haven't played most of these. But I have the rest of my life to." That comment has stuck with me and describes my current collecting feelings.

I'm both a gamer and collector. I'm collecting jrpgs right now and I'm trying to go for a full ps2 rpg set and also collecting all Tales games besides the Symphonia remaster from last year

The only game I have is the one that I'm currently playing, once im done with it, i trade it in. Videogames are not cheap, they are pricey, especially jrpgs, its a not a topic that is regularly discussed. Me and my family grew up poor so collecting videogames was not an option, however looking back, I wish I did keep some of my gameboy color, advance and dreamcast games.

You are an inspiring and a role model. For young and old audiences😊 Keep up the amazing work!

You're more of a game curator. You choose especifically what you want to play. Collectors just seem to buy stuff for the wall without meaning to actual play them and just think of quantity. I have like 400 games but I've been getting since like 1999. I buy to play and I do a lot of research before commiting to making a purchase. I usually only buy new games or a generation older than now becuase I usually buy what's cheap and available right now. Collectors have their own reasons for purchasing something but not always includes playing games. It's like why some of us still buy physical books instead of having a kindle.

Look at us! The selective collective!! \😄/

I believe I consider myself a collector myself but I have no where near the collections I see on YT. I dont think “collector” fits certain subjects unless you place it there. Like you mentioned with your Mother shelf. I have a Trails shelf where all my Trails collection items so I consider myself a Trails collector.

I only keep games that I actually like. I am very nostalgic for game generation 4,5 and 6, so I like to to have original copies of games from those generations. But from PS3 and forward I dont really care have duplicates. My PS3 collection is rather small because a good chunk of them got remasters on PS4. Wii U is my smallest with only 3 games left lol.

Good video

I’ve been buying and playing video games since 1990. I don’t consider it collecting, it’s just my hobby

Hey Paige, thanks for the video, am I a collector you ask, I guess I am, but like you I don't buy everything, I only buy game I want to play eventually... I rarely buy game day one, I add them to my list and when I buy something I pick some games from my list to buy along it :) And I never did sale any of my games.

On the PlayStation store

Collecting physical media is the way to go, this week the WII U and 3DS online services shut down. Imagine if you had spent hundreds or even thousands of dollars on these stores. Starting this week you cannot download any more content on these systems. So buy physical games wherever possible 😊.