My brother and I used to love playing split-screen multiplayer TimeSplitters and Gran Turismo 3 on PlayStation 2. That was our first ‘real’ games console, having previously played a lot of PC games, and it was a revelation to be playing games in less than the eternity of start up and loading time that the PC seemed to offer!
That’s not to say that we didn’t also enjoy PC games along the way. Super Cauldron, Command and Conquer, Theme Park, Carmageddon, Total War and then Sudden Strike (an underrated gem in my opinion!) offered us and visiting friends many happy hours (as well as the odd argument!).
Having got back into gaming again a few years ago, I found that quite often game purchases ended up being a bit of a disappointment – too often the advertised conditions of games were suspect to say the least.
I found that the options were to either find reliable, smaller sellers who I could trust (but didn’t always have a wide variety in stock), or buy multiple copies of the same game, in the hope that one of them at least would work! In addition, with some of the larger used game sites and sellers it felt like they were just churning out average copies of games, or dropshipping (but trying to pretend they weren’t) and then reimbursing you when the inevitable scratched disc problems arose. That business model is completely fine for some, as there is a lot to be said for potentially getting a bargain, but it seemed that there was a gap in the market for consistently providing quality products with quick delivery. Well, that’s what I was always searching for when I bought games, anyway (call me fussy!).
So, after re-buying multiple copies of my favourite classic PlayStation 2 games, eventually the time came to sell what I didn’t need… and that’s how I got into game sales; on eBay, around three years ago. Our eBay store is still going strong!: Classic Gamer on eBay
Understandably, it took a few days to register the first sale (trusting a zero feedback seller on eBay is always a bit of a gamble), but then I soon had repeat customers from around the world (especially for the uniquely branded *Near Mint* games I was offering). Any game discs that had deep scratches were either cleaned up to a top, like-new standard (using a professional disc cleaning machine), or simply not put up for sale: ‘Why sell something that’s below the standard that I would expect?’ These *Near Mint* games are sent with original cases in top condition, together with the cover inserts and manuals without any stains or rips or folds – ideal for collectors!
The feedback we have received with this ethos since starting as a commercial enterprise in 2019 has been really pleasing and I’ve met some genuinely nice people along the way too. The service we try to offer is the service I was always looking for – and it seems that quite a few other people are as well! We are very proud of our 100% positive feedback rating on eBay and continue to expand our range there too.
So whether you’re looking to pick up a *Near Mint* copy of that hard-to-find PlayStation 2 game to complete your collection, or you’re wanting to get back into the retro console or PC games that you used to love playing (like me), I do hope that you will enjoy the service that we provide and add us to your favourites. We’re always happy to answer any questions you may have about our games, or just chat about which version of TimeSplitters was the best!
Happy gaming!
Lewis