Why the Neo Geo AES+ Doesn’t Hurt Collectors (and Might Actually Help)
I’ve been seeing a lot of takes lately about the Neo Geo AES+ and how it’s somehow “the downfall” for collectors because of the re-releases of a number of games. Honestly, I think that perspective completely misses what collecting is about, at least for many of us.
Most serious collectors I know (me included) aren’t in this hobby to flip carts or chase inflated resale values. We collect because we genuinely love the games, the history, the physical releases, and the feeling of owning a piece of that era. The value isn’t just monetary, it’s personal.
If anything, re-releases like this could actually be a positive. If prices on original carts stabilize or even drop, that just makes it easier for collectors to fill gaps in their collections without paying extreme premiums. That’s not a loss but rather an opportunity.
And for newer fans, this is a great entry point into the Neo Geo ecosystem, which only helps keep the community alive long-term.
At the end of the day, collecting isn’t about gatekeeping scarcity or treating games like stocks. It’s about appreciation. If you’re in it for the right reasons, nothing about AES+ changes that.
Just my two cents.