I hear what you're saying, BT, I've taken the same position before:
It may seem like we've got it rough, but, unless you're looking for shrinkwrap or CIB, there are only about a dozen U.S. games that sell for more than the original retail price. Paying forty bucks for a used, eighteen-year-old game without the box like Neutopia 2 sucks, but we probably all make more money than when Toys R' Us stocked it for the same amount. I know that this is obvious and of small consolation: the prices are inflated and the games should be cheaper. Still, it's a good reality check to keep in mind.
While I don't think things are as bleak right now as some believe, I stop far short of calling this a golden age. I reckon Ebay prices for U.S. stuff have gone up 50% in the last few years and it's absurd. I have a real problem with people who treat video games as an investment, tracking how much they paid for games and refusing to take a "loss" when it comes time to sell. There's a lot of schmucks around right now who refuse to take whatever the market will bear and believe that it's their God-given right to make money because a couple of years have elapsed. Never mind depreciation and never mind that, even from an investor's viewpoint, collectables are more volatile than the stock market.
Your BitD price comparisons are interesting, but the Canadian dollar is MUCH better now than it was in Nineties. Back then, Canada was a terribly expensive place to be a TG gamer.
