When Rare Games Aren't Rare

I'm kind of on the fence about something that is happening in the industry right now. Some rare titles like Gitaroo Man and Rez (both PS2 titles) have been reissued. GameQuestDirect has commissioned reprints of these titles (and others) that dilute the market just when you think you'll never find a copy at a reasonable price again.

While I applaud this when I'm looking for a title, it's kind of annoying when you already own it to think that the value of your prized posession has suddenly gone down.

I think as long as the title is exactly the same, and the "reprints" are somewhat limited in scope, the rarity and desiredness will still be there. Look at the Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney game on the DS. The third re-printing sold out within a week and the next installment is not due until mid-August. The game is selling because it's a good game, the publisher just didn't think it would do as well as it did.

Overall, this makes you wonder: do publishers really get what we want as gamers? I don't think so.