How to Sell a Video Game Collection (It's Worth More Than You Think)
Video games are the one category where the pile in your closet is probably worth more than you think. Games hold value better than any other media, and retro games have been climbing for a decade.
That's also why lowball lot offers are everywhere. Game stores and bulk buyers profit from the gap between what a collection is worth and what the owner knows about it. Close that gap before you sell anything.
How to do it
1. Scan the stack
Photograph your games with Flippr: cases, cartridges, a shelf at a time. It identifies each title and shows current eBay sold prices and sell-through rates.
2. Check completeness
Complete-in-box copies (case + manual + game) are worth roughly double loose ones. Match up cases and cartridges before you price anything.
3. Sell the $10+ games individually
That's most of them: 77.8% of games sold on eBay clear $10. Lot up sports titles and shovelware; never lot retro Nintendo without checking each cart first.
What to expect
Real expectations: across 627,000+ eBay sales in the last 90 days, the median game sold for $18.00, 77.8% sold for $10+, and 43.6% sold for $20+. Games also move faster than any other media category, at about 2.8 active listings per sale. A modest childhood collection routinely turns into a few hundred dollars.
Always worth pulling
- Any GameCube, N64, PS1/PS2, or Game Boy game with its case
- Nintendo first-party titles from any era
- JRPGs and horror titles (small print runs, loyal buyers)
- Consoles and controllers, working or not
- Anything sealed
One photo. Every value.
Flippr identifies everything in the picture and shows real eBay sold prices, sell-through rates, and profit estimates, so you know what to sell and what to let go.
Get Flippr freeCommon questions
How much is my game collection worth?
Scan it and find out. The numbers vary hugely by title and completeness. As a baseline, the median eBay game sale is $18 and nearly half of all games sell for $20+, so even small collections are usually worth pricing properly.
Should I sell to a game store or on eBay?
Game stores pay wholesale. That's convenient, but usually 30-50% of eBay prices. If the scan shows real value, eBay earns meaningfully more for a few minutes of listing per game.
Do loose cartridges sell?
Yes, just for less than complete copies. Retro carts sell fine loose; newer disc games lose more value without the case. Flippr's comps show the going rate either way.
More: full value guide · what's it worth? · profit calculator