Top 10 Tips for Preserving Your Gaming Collection

Top 10 Tips for Preserving Your Gaming Collection

Collecting video games has become a passionate hobby for many, whether it’s a collection of retro cartridges, modern disc games, or even rare consoles and peripherals. However, maintaining the value and quality of your gaming collection requires proper care. Adopting appropriate preservation habits can prevent damage, increase the lifespan of your items, and protect their value over time. In this article, we’ll explore the top 10 tips for preserving your gaming collection.

1. Store Games and Consoles in a Clean, Dry Environment

One of the most crucial factors in preserving your gaming collection is controlling the environment in which they are stored. Moisture and dust are some of the biggest enemies of electronics, game cartridges, and discs. Keep your collection in a room with low humidity to prevent corrosion, oxidation, and mold growth.

Avoid basements, garages, or attics unless they are climate-controlled. Ideally, choose a space that maintains a consistent temperature and is free from excessive sunlight or moisture. Using dehumidifiers can help regulate humidity in your storage area.

2. Protect Games in Cases and Sleeves

To preserve physical game media such as cartridges, discs, or even collector’s editions, always store them in protective cases or sleeves. Leaving them loose on a shelf or unprotected will expose them to dust, scratches, or discoloration.

• For cartridge-based games (such as those for the SNES or Game Boy), keep them in their original boxes or plastic cases whenever possible.
• For CD/DVD or Blu-ray-based games, invest in high-quality plastic cases with proper inner lining to avoid scratching and disc rot.
• Use archival quality sleeves for game manuals and inserts to ensure they don't fold, tear, or fade.

3. Avoid Direct Sunlight

Direct exposure to sunlight can seriously harm your gaming collection. Prolonged exposure can cause discoloration on cartridges, cases, manuals, and even console shells. Additionally, sunlight can warps materials, making them brittle over time.

Keep your gaming collection in shaded areas away from windows. If you must display your games in daylight-exposed rooms, consider using UV-filtered glass on your shelving or windows to reduce the damage caused by the sun’s rays.

4. Clean Your Games and Consoles Regularly

Keeping your games and consoles clean is essential to their long-term survival. Dust, dirt, and grime can accumulate on your items over time, leading to damage if not properly attended to. Here are some cleaning tips:

• Use soft microfiber cloths to clean the exterior of consoles and games.
• For cartridges, lightly clean the contacts with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton swab, but never use water.
• Clean discs with specially designed cleaning kits and always wipe from the center outward (not in circles).
• Avoid using harsh chemicals or liquids that could damage sensitive labels or components.

5. Organize and Label Your Collection

Organization is not just for aesthetics; it’s also important for preserving the condition of your gaming collection. Keeping items neatly stored prevents damage from accidental falls, uneven stacking, or scratches caused by clutter.

Use padded shelves, clear acrylic display boxes, or sturdy wooden shelves to store your games and consoles. If feasible, label each box, case, or shelf section to make finding your items easier without rifling through them, which could cause wear and tear.

6. Power Up Your Consoles Occasionally

Even if you’re collecting consoles simply as display pieces, it’s a good idea to power them on occasionally. This helps ensure that they remain functional and prevents internal components from degrading due to inactivity.

Electrolytic capacitors, for example, can dry out or leak in unused systems. Powering up occasionally allows the components to stay operational. Just ensure you have the correct power supply and safely connect the system before use.

7. Keep Cables and Accessories Untangled

Gaming peripherals, cables, and controllers are an essential part of your collection, but they require just as much care as games and consoles. Improperly stored cables and accessories can become damaged over time.

• Use cable ties, Velcro strips, or resealable bags to keep cables neatly coiled and untangled.
• Store accessories in plastic bins or dedicated compartments to protect against dust and accidental damage.
• For particularly rare or fragile items, such as collector's edition peripherals, consider investing in padded storage options.

8. Back Up Digital Games

If part of your gaming collection includes digital games, it’s essential to create backup copies when possible. While most platforms provide access to an account that stores purchases, digital storefronts occasionally go offline or delist titles, making them inaccessible.

Invest in external hard drives, SSDs, or cloud storage to save your digital copies. Ensure you read the terms and conditions of your platform to verify that your backup strategy complies with legal guidelines. You’ll thank yourself in the future if your main system fails and you need to recover your digital library.

9. Avoid Smoking and Pets in Storage Areas

While displaying your gaming collection in your main living area may be tempting, be mindful of your surroundings. Smoke from cigarettes and vaporizers can settle on surfaces, leaving a sticky residue that is hard to clean. This residue can also discolor plastics and attract additional dirt.

Similarly, if you have pets, ensure they don’t have easy access to your collection. Hair, dander, and the occasional claw or bite can damage your cherished items. Consider using enclosed storage spaces or cases to add a layer of protection from pets.

10. Keep an Inventory of Your Collection

A comprehensive inventory system is essential for preserving not just the condition of your gaming collection but also its value. Tracking what you own will help you identify missing items, assess potential damage, or even facilitate insurance claims in case of loss.

• Use software tools, spreadsheets, or dedicated apps to list your games, consoles, and accessories.
• Include details such as condition, value, and any unique identifiers (e.g., serial numbers or rare editions).
• Taking photos of your collection, particularly any rare items, can serve as visual proof for insurance purposes.

Conclusion

Your gaming collection is more than just a selection of games or consoles—it’s a representation of your interest, passion, and dedication to the gaming world. By following these ten tips, you can ensure that your collection remains in excellent condition for years to come. Not only will this protect the value of your items, but also preserve the nostalgic joy and significance they hold for you. Proper care today will keep your gaming treasures playable and display-worthy for generations to come. Game on!