Here's the link, but I think it's behind a paywall, so article copy pasted below.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/money/why-arcade-games-are-back-in-fashion-dcl0mw9gk
Score! The return of the pinball wizards
Adults can’t get enough of the toys of their childhood, which can bring fun — and a potential profit
Marc Shoffman
April 15 2017, 12:01am, The Times
Adults are escaping the stress of modern life by buying toys and games that remind them of their childhood, such as Lego and train sets. The Times reported that last year the “kidult” market expanded by a third. Pinball machines and arcade games, as well as the cabinets that house them, are having a resurgence among collectors.
Ben Foster, 40, runs a website dedicated to arcade game enthusiasts called Arcadecollectors.co.uk. He started buying old machines in 2008 from operators that were closing and has a collection that includes pinball machines and popular games, such as Pac-man and Asteroids.
“The items are a small reminder of my childhood. Some people prefer to use emulators on computers, but for many titles it is not possible to recreate the game because it uses a unique control panel, or it just simply isn’t the same.
“Some people also collect certain games because of the artwork, or they are made by a specific manufacturer they like,” he says.
Enthusiasts built collections during the early 1990s. The emergence of home consoles meant that amusement arcades began to be less profitable, so operators would offload unwanted machines for next to nothing.
Mr Foster says that a lot of the popular machines of the time have been lost.
Classic-title machines from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Pac-man, could be worth £2,000-£4,000
“The best place to find games is through other collectors, or arcade rescues. This is where a collector finds a load of games stored somewhere and gets others involved to help to remove them and share the spoils,” he says.
“It is also possible to buy games on eBay, or through classified ads, but in most cases you are dealing with people that have unrealistic prices in mind.”
If you can find a popular machine there is plenty of fun and potential profit to be had. Jamie Stanford, the managing director of the online arcade retailer Liberty Games, says pinball machines associated with big-name television or film titles tend to have the highest value. For example, an Addams Family pinball machine from 1991 can fetch £6,000 because they are no longer made, he says. Machines with Star Wars and Star Trek branding can also be valuable. Medieval Madness, which had a cult following, can sell for up to £10,000.
Other classic-title machines from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Pac-man, Donkey Kong or Space Invaders, could be worth £2,000 to £4,000, while bigger machines, such as the popular firstperson shooter Time Crisis can be worth up to £20,000.
Mr Stanford warns that a lot depends on the machine’s age and condition; older models can cost more to repair so may not be worth the investment. He says these machines would have, at some point, been coin-operated, so they need to be programmed to work without money.
Yet there is a market for older machines that are not operational. Aston’s Auctioneers, the auction house, sold more than 200 items on behalf of the Arne Toy Museum in Dorset when it closed in 2013, with items going for four-figure sums.
A Laughing Sailor slot machine from the 1950s sold for £3,600. Chris Aston, the managing director of Aston’s Auctioneers, says: “It is a niche, but fascinating area. When you get something like this there will be lots of demand.”
Sealed games are the holy grail to many collectorsJason Moore of Retro Games
If you don’t have space for an arcade cabinet, the games consoles of the 1980s and 1990s, such as a Super Nintendo, are becoming popular among collectors. Jason Moore of Retro Games says the Nintendo Game & Watch, produced in the 1980s and 1990s, used to sell for £9, but now goes for more than £50. A Game Boy in its original box sells for up to £120.
Mr Moore says: “There is always a rush when we get boxed Nintendo games, primarily Super Nintendo and Nintendo Entertainment System. Sega Mega Drive is also getting harder to keep hold of, but we also have a lot of eight-bit collectors, so rare Spectrum and Commodore tapes sell quickly. Sealed games are the holy grail to many collectors.”
The issue with the games consoles compared with the arcade machines is that you may not be able to play as much.
Mr Moore says: “Cartridge games are fine, they don’t wear. Cassette and disc games are less hardy; most Atari ST and Amiga collectors will make back-ups of rare games to play, rather than use the originals.
“Many collectors don’t want to play these games, and are buying them to display in fortified games rooms.”"
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/money/why-arcade-games-are-back-in-fashion-dcl0mw9gk
Score! The return of the pinball wizards
Adults can’t get enough of the toys of their childhood, which can bring fun — and a potential profit
Marc Shoffman
April 15 2017, 12:01am, The Times
Adults are escaping the stress of modern life by buying toys and games that remind them of their childhood, such as Lego and train sets. The Times reported that last year the “kidult” market expanded by a third. Pinball machines and arcade games, as well as the cabinets that house them, are having a resurgence among collectors.
Ben Foster, 40, runs a website dedicated to arcade game enthusiasts called Arcadecollectors.co.uk. He started buying old machines in 2008 from operators that were closing and has a collection that includes pinball machines and popular games, such as Pac-man and Asteroids.
“The items are a small reminder of my childhood. Some people prefer to use emulators on computers, but for many titles it is not possible to recreate the game because it uses a unique control panel, or it just simply isn’t the same.
“Some people also collect certain games because of the artwork, or they are made by a specific manufacturer they like,” he says.
Enthusiasts built collections during the early 1990s. The emergence of home consoles meant that amusement arcades began to be less profitable, so operators would offload unwanted machines for next to nothing.
Mr Foster says that a lot of the popular machines of the time have been lost.
Classic-title machines from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Pac-man, could be worth £2,000-£4,000
“The best place to find games is through other collectors, or arcade rescues. This is where a collector finds a load of games stored somewhere and gets others involved to help to remove them and share the spoils,” he says.
“It is also possible to buy games on eBay, or through classified ads, but in most cases you are dealing with people that have unrealistic prices in mind.”
If you can find a popular machine there is plenty of fun and potential profit to be had. Jamie Stanford, the managing director of the online arcade retailer Liberty Games, says pinball machines associated with big-name television or film titles tend to have the highest value. For example, an Addams Family pinball machine from 1991 can fetch £6,000 because they are no longer made, he says. Machines with Star Wars and Star Trek branding can also be valuable. Medieval Madness, which had a cult following, can sell for up to £10,000.
Other classic-title machines from the 1980s and 1990s, such as Pac-man, Donkey Kong or Space Invaders, could be worth £2,000 to £4,000, while bigger machines, such as the popular firstperson shooter Time Crisis can be worth up to £20,000.
Mr Stanford warns that a lot depends on the machine’s age and condition; older models can cost more to repair so may not be worth the investment. He says these machines would have, at some point, been coin-operated, so they need to be programmed to work without money.
Yet there is a market for older machines that are not operational. Aston’s Auctioneers, the auction house, sold more than 200 items on behalf of the Arne Toy Museum in Dorset when it closed in 2013, with items going for four-figure sums.
A Laughing Sailor slot machine from the 1950s sold for £3,600. Chris Aston, the managing director of Aston’s Auctioneers, says: “It is a niche, but fascinating area. When you get something like this there will be lots of demand.”
Sealed games are the holy grail to many collectorsJason Moore of Retro Games
If you don’t have space for an arcade cabinet, the games consoles of the 1980s and 1990s, such as a Super Nintendo, are becoming popular among collectors. Jason Moore of Retro Games says the Nintendo Game & Watch, produced in the 1980s and 1990s, used to sell for £9, but now goes for more than £50. A Game Boy in its original box sells for up to £120.
Mr Moore says: “There is always a rush when we get boxed Nintendo games, primarily Super Nintendo and Nintendo Entertainment System. Sega Mega Drive is also getting harder to keep hold of, but we also have a lot of eight-bit collectors, so rare Spectrum and Commodore tapes sell quickly. Sealed games are the holy grail to many collectors.”
The issue with the games consoles compared with the arcade machines is that you may not be able to play as much.
Mr Moore says: “Cartridge games are fine, they don’t wear. Cassette and disc games are less hardy; most Atari ST and Amiga collectors will make back-ups of rare games to play, rather than use the originals.
“Many collectors don’t want to play these games, and are buying them to display in fortified games rooms.”"
