The secondhand market for any type of media used to be one of the best ways to catch up on things you missed out on; it’s not uncommon to step into a thrift store and find shelves of DVDs and VHS tapes for $1 each. As the world has grown more savvy to technology, it’s more difficult than ever to find a good deal on a hard-to-come-by item. This has gotten especially dire in the space of video games.
Shopping for “retro” video games used to be one of my favorite activities. Supporting the local stores over the big boxes felt like a “two-way reward” — you helped a small business and you were able to go home with something cool in return. Sadly, the market has entered a very strange, post-pandemic lull.