YouTuber Metal Jesus Rocks has an interesting video today on the interesting case of the rarest, most expensive PS4 game there is: Poop Slinger, which sold just over 80 copies before promptly disappearing and shooting up in value to $500+ on eBay.
This case raises some interesting questions and considerations about modern collecting. When we talk about collecting for older platforms — particularly those with relatively small total libraries, such as the Nintendo 64 — people often say that they're taking aim for a "complete collection". And, with a bit of time, dedication and money, this is something that is possible to achieve. I don't know anyone personally who has completed a platform collection, but I've watched videos and read articles by people who have.
With our current generation of systems in particular, that dream of having a "complete collection" doesn't appear to be something that is going to be possible or practical any more. I mean, even leaving the matter of download-only games aside, there are now so many limited-run releases that I seriously doubt there will be anyone out there in the future who has a "complete" PS4 or Switch collection. (Xbox One remains to be seen; I don't see a lot of limited-run Xbox One releases, but that may just be because I don't really follow that platform because I don't own one!)
Is this a problem? If you're the sort of obsessive type who needs to have a "complete" collection to feel fulfilled, then perhaps… but take a look at the game MJR is showing off in this video and ponder whether it — currently a less-than-$5 downloadable title — is something you actually want in your collection. I know I certainly don't.
But then this is always a consideration, isn't it? When going for a complete collection for a platform, you're going to be deliberately seeking out some dross for the sake of collecting it. I'm sure there are plenty of SNES collectors out there who are proud to have a copy of Captain Novolin on their shelves, for example. Hell, I've bought a bunch of PS2 games that had poor reviews or sold poorly — though, of course, in many cases there I've actually found them to be surprisingly enjoyable in their own right when taken on their own merits.
The main reason I can think of that you might want a copy of Poop Slinger in your packaged game collection is because it's an interesting story. And one that some people think isn't quite over yet; there are all sorts of theories as to whether or not the whole thing was an elaborate publicity stunt by someone like Limited Run Games, or if the tale of the distributor going bankrupt was a lie just so they could artificially inflate the price of this "rare" game when selling it on eBay.
I can certainly live without a copy, though, that's for sure!
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