I love collecting video games, and actually play my games, a lot (even the bad ones). I've been playing since I was old enough use an NES controller, obsessed with Nintendo ever since, and inevitably started collecting for the NES back in 1996, in the Mike Etler list days. Things are waaaaay different now, with both popularity of the hobby and the money involved in it. Change is inevitable, and I think it's great that in recent years a lot of genuine folks have discovered a great hobby and share (I assume) the same love and enthusiasm for collecting/playing old video games that I do, but as for the grading bullshit i think it's just that...bullshit. One big con devised by a con man linking up with other con men to pump up the values of their own collections for the inevitable sell off to the next mark in line. Fundamentally speaking it is offensive to me as someone who constantly plays their games, as I consider those graded copies basically taken out of circulation for someone to enjoy, but it's not my money so let the morons blow their cash on speculation and fabricated "value". You want some made-up buzz term to validate your thousand dollar purchase, be my guest, but that game is the same game when you fire it up and play it despite whatever print you have or seem to believe is important for the sake of value.