EB Games Australia has announced local stores will now accept retro games, consoles, and accessories for trade-in. That includes “newer” retro items, like games for the PS3, Xbox 360, and
The news was sent around to all EB World subscribers on Wednesday, and first reported by Vooks, sparking plenty of conversations. The dominant discussions focus on the obvious – how much retro games will be worth, how this pricing will be standardised, and whether or not you should actually trade retro games this way.
To date, trades at EB Games have worked this way. Customers bring in a game (or multiple games) they wish to trade. If the games have a disc and case in decent condition, they’re processed, and a standard price is given to customers. If the game is in need of refurbishment (a case is damage, a disc is unclean), an AUD $1 fee is applied.
The pricing of games is set for all stores by EB Games management, and it’s further impacted by EB World level – you get more trade-in value at higher tiers.
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We expect the new retro game trade-ins will function similarly, with EB Games likely having an internal log of any possible retro games, consoles, and accessories that could be traded in, inspired by the current market.
When you trade in any of these items, you’ll likely get a fraction of their value, as is tradition.
The reality is EB Games is a retailer, and it still needs to make a profit on any games traded in. That means your trades will automatically be undervalued. But the benefit here is that you immediately wash your hands of your old games, and won’t have to worry about waiting to find a buyer.
While you will absolutely get a higher return if you choose to sell your retro games yourself, and you likely have just as much visibility as EB Games if you sell online, this system guarantees an immediate buyer.
It’s not a great solution, but for those keen for quick cash to buy newer games, it could be a novel one. Based on experience, there is also some occasions where the trade-in system feels worthwhile.
I have very fond memories of trading in old Pokemon games for
Should you choose to embark on your own trading quest with EB Games, it’s best to exercise caution, and research the market before trading in your old games. eBay is a great place to start.
It’s also worth noting you can actually ask to check the prices of trades, and then choose not to go ahead with the transaction if you don’t feel the trades are fair value – just be nice to your local EB Games employee if you go that route.
You can learn more about the new EB Games Australia retro trade-in offer via social media.
