It's Time To Start Hoarding

Thanks to MAINGEAR for speeding up everything for us. Check out the VYBE line that’s making up the core of Matt’s new studio -- and use code CREATE for a free additional year of warranty on desktops: https://maingear.com/ref/656/ Join Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thecreateunknown Today we explore the strange economics of collecting physical media, from the days when people practically gave away old video games to a world where physical games are becoming more and more scarce. Why do things that nobody wants suddenly become valuable, and how do you know when to buy something before it disappears or becomes wildly expensive? We share our own collecting regrets, from video games that have jumped from $80 to $600 to obscure trading cards that have quietly multiplied in price. But the problem goes beyond retro collectibles. Physical releases of modern games are becoming harder to find, niche anime Blu-rays are going out of print, and the mass-market paperback may be on its way out. Is there a window right now to pick up physical media while it's still cheap? The conversation continues into the hidden costs of collecting, including shipping prices that can make a $5 comic almost impossible to buy online. We also discuss the glut of cheap books and DVDs sitting in thrift stores and flea markets, and whether today's oversupply could become tomorrow's scarcity. With streaming services removing shows, editing older content, and making entire catalogs difficult to access, physical media may be more important than its current market value suggests. Finally, we get into premium book editions, print-on-demand publishing, and the surprisingly practical importance of keeping a collection inventory. What should you buy while you still can, and what might you regret leaving behind? Big thanks to our patrons, we’ll be back soon! You love anime. You love tea. Get 10% off your order with code CREATE at The Dragon's Treasure: https://www.thedragonstreasure.com/ Buy our T-shirts: https://www.thecreateunknown.com/store/ Join our Discord to talk with artists, creators, and fans of the finer things in online life: discord.gg/vnRnr3rCzt Apple: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownApple Spotify: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownSpotify Google Podcasts: http://bit.ly/TheCreateUnknownGooglePodcasts CREDITS:  Hosts: Kevin Lieber and Matt Tabor  Executive Producer: Ben WebsterEditor: Spencer Vann "Created in the Unknown" theme by Basswaite: https://linktr.ee/Basswaite   Theme by Mega Drive → http://megadrivemusic.com   Opening Animation: Kidmograph  City Animation: Eric Langlay  "The Create Unknown" is produced by Unknown Media.  CONNECT WITH US:  » Chat with us on DISCORD: https://discord.gg/qAQV3Jw   » Follow us on TWITTER: http://twitter.com/createunknown   » Follow us on INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/thecreateunknown   » Follow us on FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/thecreateunknown   » View our website: https://thecreateunknown.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices