Eventually every gamer is faced with a seemingly insoluble dilemma. Where does this
awesome new game go, when the game storage space is already cram packed to bursting?
The immediate answer is simply get rid of enough of those old and dust covered games until the awesome new game may take its esteemed place amid the collection. But this triggers a
gigantic new dilemma. Which game or games in the collection will get the cruel ax? This
becomes a nigh heartbreaking exercise replete with frustration, hair-pulling, and, dare I admit, tears.
It is altogether too easy to accumulate a bunch of games in a wild variety of box sizes.
Subsequently, this collection takes up an inordinate amount of precious space in a finite area
that we affectionately call home. A game collection, like a garden plot, if allowed to grow
ungroomed and unpruned will eventually outgrow and overflow its assigned storage space.
Let’s call this moment “game saturation” as we proceed.
When game saturation occurs, a gamer who blithely brings homes an additional game to
their collection is immediately faced with a bitter choice. Said gamer might attempt to negotiate with other members of the household for appropriation of their sovereign or communal space for the storage of this awesome new game (“Really, honey, this game could double as an end table in the living room, as long as nobody puts any liquid or food on or near it..!”). Other gamers might resort to purging an equal amount of non-game items to permit the storage of the awesome new game (“Hey, what happened to grandpa’s encyclopedias S through Z?”). Inevitably, despite these and any other cleverly concocted improvised temporary solutions that immediately escape me, the gamer will have to manicure their collection.
I can offer the reader no guidelines for the trimming of their collection, as that is a very
personal decision that each collector must wrestle with on their own. Now that a stack of
beloved games have been reluctantly and reverently pulled aside, something must be done with them. I will, however, propose a handful of options about what to do with the newly forsaken games? Perhaps one's overriding priority is to recoup some of the money invested into the procurement of these now forsaken games. The money possibly recouped from a game sold in the second hand market is largely determined by the condition of the game itself and more so by the desirability of the game. Of course a highly sought after title in a battered and incomplete condition might reap the seller a larger reward than a pristine copy of an obscure title.
Know your game and your market. The second part of attempting to resell your forsaken game is how much effort you want to put into the selling of said game. Ebay immediately comes to mind, with its low overhead fees and ease of entry, makes it a good choice for reselling games. But then there is the description that needs to be written and photos to be uploaded, and shipping to be selected, and the auction to be watched, and the questions of potential buyers to be answered. That turns out to be a lot of work and might not be your cup of tea, but it will give the seller the biggest return. BoardgameGeek also has a second hand market, but I can’t personally speak to selling anything there, but it would behoove one to also check them out prior to posting your game on the popular site.
Conversely, selling forsaken games to a third party seller, will give you, the seller, a much smaller return as this company is hoping to also make a substantive return when it turns
around and sells it to a potential buyer. But they will do all the work required to sell this game. If this is more your speed, then I recommend Noble Knight Games in Wisconsin, although there must be other companies to explore. The price of getting your game to a seller is something that needs to be considered before such a bargain should be struck. Again, ask first before one commits to an agreement.
Donating forsaken games to libraries, schools, churches, or recovery centers might be a
satisfactory solution to your game saturation problem. Of course this strategy will work much
easier depending on one’s rapport with the agency where the forsaken games will land.
Needless to say, with these institutions, the simpler and the more common the game, the more likely it will be placed on the communal table in such places. Forsaken games can also be donated to second hand thrift stores, like GoodWill or Salvation Army. These industries will want to turn your game into a profit and might have little to no appreciation for the games you are gifting them. Brace yourself emotionally for such a separation. Since we’ve breached the subject of separation, now’s the moment to remember to pat ourselves kindly on the back and repeat Marie Kondo’s offering thanks to those items we are releasing from our lives. It may sound silly, but speaking from personal experience, this simple gesture will take the sting out of the moment. Take a moment, look at your game, maybe warmly touch the box, and just say thank you, and, if you want to, apologize for not playing it more, or even once as has sadly been my case, before finally letting go.
Lastly, perhaps the real lesson here is how do we add games to our collection in the first
place. It’s truly staggering how many games are being pumped out as fast as companies can
produce and assemble all the components and find space on shipping containers to get them to our doorstep. There are so many brand new, gorgeous, and sleek games available, but you are ultimately in charge of how many you stack in your game storage. That acknowledgement is so empowering. How do we mindfully grow a collection of games? We should cultivate a collection of games that our gaming groups will clamor to spread out on the table and eagerly dive into. Be mindful of your game group, and what will they willingly sit down and play. Such mindfulness at the beginning will increase gaming time and limit time loss in the disposal of forsaken games, may they find a loving home in another’s game storage and even more time on a gaming table.
Happy gaming!!
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