???College students and video games go together like peas and carrots. Gaming is a great way to avoid studying and a splendid way to kill time, but life is not perfect in the virtual paradise.
???In a modern age of progressive technology and high-definition systems, the cost of video games is on a steady upswing.
???"The prices for video games are somewhat high due to the advances in technology needed to create the games," said Kyle Elli, a senior gaming adviser for Gamestop. "Prices are also up because of the amount of work it takes for programmers to create the games, and the companies want to profit off the games as much as they can."
However, hope does lie in a world with shelves chock full of overpriced products. According to Elli, games can be purchased for lower prices than what retailers ask for.
By purchasing used games or waiting several months after the initial release date of the game, buyers can easily save some cash.
???"Gamers can also trade in old games for cash or store credit," Elli said. "Trading in for credit is common among many gaming stores; in most cases, the credit is worth more than cash. Buyers can use their store credit to take away from the cost of buying new games."
???The value of a game being traded in is relevant to the time it came out, according to Elli. A recently released game will have a much larger resale value than a game released the previous year or earlier.
???According to Eric Bajor, a sophomore business major, another alternative to paying full price for video games is to shop online. Gamers can use Web sites such as eBay and Amazon to shop around for deals.
???"I love shopping around and finding good deals on eBay," said Caleb Canfield, a sophomore nursing major. "If people look hard enough, they can easily find really great deals on the Internet. eBay is a great place to buy games and other accessories for gaming systems."
???According to Canfield, buying brand new items online can save shoppers anywhere from $5 to $10, and buying used can save gamers even more.
???"Depending on the item and when it came out, there may not be many used copies," Canfield said. "For instance, if a game came out a week ago, there are not going to be many good deals on used games. If a game was released over three months ago, there are going to be plenty of used games and great deals to choose from, which is when the real money saving comes in."
Some deals are too good to be true, according to Canfield. Buying online is not always the safest place to shop, as scam artists roam Web sites, trying their best to rip off potential buyers.
???"I try to be as careful as possible when buying online," Canfield said. "I know there are people out there trying to make a quick buck, so if something looks too good to be true, I just stay away from it."
???Although the Internet may be the cheapest alternative to paying full price, gamers still rely on stores such as Gamestop and EBGames for their gaming needs, according to Elli.
???"I personally don't use the Internet for buying games," Elli said. "I have never really been into buying online. I think that by waiting for a couple of months and trading in a few games you can get the same types of deals [as on the Internet], maybe even better."
???Regardless of where gamers choose to purchase their games, full price doesn't need to be dished out of an already empty wallet. With a little bit of hunting, any gamer can find a bargain on big titles.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
