PC collecting scene implosion, big time collector/seller found counterfeiting games!!!

[OptOut | 8,892]

Just been reading this super interesting article from Ars about some hijinks going on in the PC collecting scene!

https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/06/inside-the-100k-forgery-scandal-thats-roiling-pc-game-collecting/

Apparently there's some dude called Enrico Ricciardi who is well known in the PC collecting scene for his collection of original release versions of Ultima and Sierra games, and other super old and rare stuff. Well, it's been found that he's been passing on counterfeit copies of super rare and valuable games for years now, and basically people aren't happy about it, as you could imagine?

 

If you haven't heard about this, because PC collecting is for even BIGGER weirdos than we are (like @DefaultGen), then I would suggest giving the article there from Ars a read, it's quite the scandal!!!

Also, if anyone here has been affected by this or heard any more first-hand stuff about what went down, please do share below, this is the hottest goss we've had for a while around here! 

[360collector | 289]

I just hope he goes to prison but that is probably too much to ask

[Danny666 | 3]

I am a big PC box collector and like 360collector say this guy need to ho to prison a 100k scam is not a small scam

[DefaultGen | 5,428]

It's crazy how much press this got, haha. But yeah, a knowledgeable big time collector making bootlegs for years! Some of undumped games that barely exist, and he still has the originals! Bad news!

He's sold bootlegs of games high on my wantlist like Ultima and Temple of Apshai and now I'll have to compete with people trying to re-buy games they thought they already had  

[sp1nz | 615]

Interesting read. I collect big box PC games but I never dealt in the "ultra high end" items, so I can always compare copies and contents easily. Most of my games come from a big bundle of games from a Finnish collector (with original store stickers on a bunch of them) and from an American collector with a couple thousand games accrued over decades. Luckily I'm not looking to expand my collection too much from this point on and what I'm seeking is high supply high demand type of stuff.

[AirVillain | 490]

That's wild. 

When you say PC collecting, I imagine this guy selling bootlegs of floppy disks with little pieces of white tape for labels on them. 

[fox | 1,673]

Don’t copy that floppy

[nrslam | 477]

Ultima's worth money? 

[Tenjikuronin | 1,748]

The guy should have gotten an licensing agreement from the publishers to reprint them as limited editions or something.  Would probably make much more and avoid prison.

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

8 minutes ago, Tenjikuronin said:

The guy should have gotten an licensing agreement from the publishers to reprint them as limited editions or something.  Would probably make much more and avoid prison.

And most likely have the exact same group of customers.  I've yet to figure out why the people spending serious money on mint, complete originals of games they won't play are nearly always also the same folks spending similarly serious money on re-makes, re-issues, etc., that they likewise won't play.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand someone getting some vintage gem in mint condition and putting it on a shelf versus immediately putting it to use, but what puzzles me is those same folks not bothering to pick up a "beater" copy of the game to play, or at the very least playing through it via emulation (through software, FPGA on real steel, etc.).  At least in the small groups that I'm part of, those folks go out of their way to proclaim what ultra fans they are of certain games and series, what crazy collections they have, etc., but also willingly admit that they've never bothered to play the games again since they originally experienced them (usually as kids).  For me, and the folks I grew up with, am friends with now, etc., if you're that in love with something that you grew up with, you break it out every so often and experience it again.

[RH | 4,965]

32 minutes ago, darkchylde28 said:

And most likely have the exact same group of customers.  I've yet to figure out why the people spending serious money on mint, complete originals of games they won't play are nearly always also the same folks spending similarly serious money on re-makes, re-issues, etc., that they likewise won't play.

Don't get me wrong, I totally understand someone getting some vintage gem in mint condition and putting it on a shelf versus immediately putting it to use, but what puzzles me is those same folks not bothering to pick up a "beater" copy of the game to play, or at the very least playing through it via emulation (through software, FPGA on real steel, etc.).  At least in the small groups that I'm part of, those folks go out of their way to proclaim what ultra fans they are of certain games and series, what crazy collections they have, etc., but also willingly admit that they've never bothered to play the games again since they originally experienced them (usually as kids).  For me, and the folks I grew up with, am friends with now, etc., if you're that in love with something that you grew up with, you break it out every so often and experience it again.

Agreed.  This is why I tend to look for what I call “Play Collector” condition of games, which is stuff that’s borderline mint, looks good on a shelf but isn’t so pristine that I don’t want to put my hands on it.  If I really, really love a game, I’ll have that gem mint CIB/sealed copy AND a play copy.

[Tyree_Cooper | 771]

Dont worry guys, wata and other grading "companies" will never grade a fake pc game. They employ experts. So you can all be assured your entombed games will be tip top the real thing.

But more seriously, Thanks for sharing the article! Its not a coincidence this ricciardi works or worked as "fashion photographer" , this makea it so much easier for him to have contacts in printing companies and companies that do similar stuff such as printing on other materials, they could definitely print on tapes or do other specialised work for him. When the game is going for 2000 usd u can surely spend a few hundreds to make a good fake. Plus he seemed to love his life as a pc game collecting authority. You cant trust anyone anymore fakin hell.