The Evolution of Video Game Collectibles: From Retro to Modern

After going from a fringe underground hobby to a cherished mainstay, video games and their collectibles have only continued to grow in popularity. After all, many now-beloved video games and characters, now cultural figures in their own right, were once just novelties. Who knew that society would evolve so much due to jumping pixelated plumbers, 2-dimensional space wars, and heart-pounding, full-bodied arcade fighting games? Recapturing that discovery and the feeling of discovery are behind every video game toy and collectible.

The Games That Made Us

If you wanted to really go back to the prologue scenes, you could make the argument that the first video game collectibles weren’t even based on video games! After all, Nintendo first got its start creating playing cards in 1889 in Kyoto, just outside of our home of Osaka, Japan. Meanwhile, Capcom went big in arcade spaces in the 70s before it went home, and monsters could be hunted on smaller screens. 

By the 80s and 90s, however, as consoles got smaller and at-home use became more accessible, more table-top and card games, such as Pokemon, got packed into cartridges. Suddenly, single one-time playable cards became full-fledged video game character figures, adding to an already fascinating history of how one of the most adored Japanese franchises came to be. Enter Square Enix, whose first video game collectibles are as sought after as ever due to the still-unfolding legacy of the ironically named “Final Fantasy.”

With such a deep, multigenerational legacy of these big gaming franchises, it’s clear that video game toys and other collectibles are more than a way to have fun: they reflect pivotal moments in our lives. While it is clear that plush toys and action figures are great for any age, even older fans appreciate fun ways to add some playful home decorations, build more complex kits for display, and wear apparel that is ready to spark conversation at home, in the workplace, or just while out and about.

New Challenger Approaching!

Whether new characters in classic games or new games that bring “throwback” vibes to the experience (including the consoles themselves!), there is also plenty of demand for video game collectibles for newer hits. The skyrocketing popularity of Japanese role-playing games (RPGs) like Nier is leading to even more interest in mech building and collectibles, and more mobile hits like Fate/Grand Order are fun ways to accessorize any phone.

Retro Gaming Concepts Become Modern Plotlines

Additionally, as video gaming became a more acceptable pastime, more forms of entertainment entered the arena, creating an even broader culture around video games. The surge in issekai Manga and Anime like Sword Art Online and Konosuba take the enjoyment of video game toys and collectibles to boss levels of fun by exploring the complicated plots, fun characters as “playable” video game figures, and moral dilemmas that gaming uniquely inspires. This opportunity to spark thought and conversation through creating a scene, developing a theme, or building and creating is a solid basis for inspiring a meaningful display of video game collectibles in any given space.

Becoming Your Own Main Character

In fact, video gaming has gotten so all-encompassing due to not only popular media but also in-game customization options from characters to plot endings; the ability to personalize the gaming experience has led to new, almost meta ways to customize one’s real-life self-expression. With the rise of more expressive avatars, such as those created through hololive, video game characters and collectible figures now go beyond action figures: they are an expanding virtual world ready to be brought back into everyday life, from keychains to kitchenware.

Old is New

This interplay between both sides of the screen is even more interesting when we think about how retro gaming is becoming an old tradition to be reinvigorated before being passed down. 

In a lot of ways, this is why so many of the best video game collectibles are popular in Japan: after all, modern Japanese culture is based on finding ways to straddle between cherished traditions and bold modernity, often in ways that are both comforting and quirky. When we look on the horizon to see more classic games where the Princess is saving herself, there are bound to be even more exciting opportunities to build a lifestyle around video games, toys, and even more collectibles that meet these new moments.

Ultimately, whether indulging in pure nostalgia or embracing the future, the best way to enjoy a video game collectible is to do it in a way that allows you chances to express yourself and decorate with a playful personality!

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