Is It Still Worth Collecting for PS1 in the UK in 2025?

One of the key factors that has ensured the longevity of video games is collectors. As the hobby has become more popular, a market has risen to accommodate the growing interest in retro video games. With collecting being more popular than ever, is it still worth it to collect PS1 in 2025? Let’s find out!

Firstly, we have to conceed about the growing value of video games. One of the issues with the aforementioned increase in popularity of collecting retro video games is that demand is increasing whilst supply is decreasing. According to commonplace economic theory, this means that prices will increase so long as demand is sustained. Currently, the demand in the marketplace is definently there for PlayStation 1.

The PlayStation was Sony’s debut console that launched on December 3, 1994. Given Sony is considered the market leader currently, many people are curious about Sony’s first machine. Furthermore, there are even more people, like myself, who have a sense of nostalgia and attachment because we played the console during our childhood. It was discontinued on March 23, 2006, and sold a total of 102.49 million according to some estimates. This places the console as the sixth best selling of all time.

With all that said, you may be wondering as to why I made the earlier remarks regarding the dwindling supply. It is important to remember that the sales figures are worldwide lifetime figures. Some units are lost to time, not for sale or broken. However, whilst the price has steadily risen for the PSX in the UK, the largest gains are in the price of the game library.

Vast Library

The PlayStation had a total of over 4,100 games developed in its lifetime. 1,766 of those games were released in PAL regions, to which the UK belongs. It is certainly a vast library of games. It is also worth noting that there is a homebrew scene for the PSX that is still developing titles for the system. However, for this article we are focusing on games released during the original life cycle of the PlayStation.

Now we know about the amount of software published on the console, let’s consider sales. Below are the top 5 game sales on the console:

When compared to modern consoles, software sales are much higher for modern consoles by comparison. PS5’s best selling game is Spiderman 2. It launched in 2023 and has currently sold 11 million.

What I am attempting to demonstrate here is that despite the large install base, game sales are not large when compared to modern equivalents. When you factor in the sales portion for the PAL region, then the UK, you have much less games available for each title than you might imagine. Overall, when looking at the numbers, there is definitely a higher demand than supply.

It’s All About The Money

This leads to the main thrust of this article. In the UK, collecting the PS1 is becoming more expensive and difficult to do because of the dwindling supply. However, it is also important to consider that despite the trajectory, the PSX is in a much better place for availability than many other comparable consoles. If you were to consider another generation 5 console, such as the Sega Saturn, which sold 9.26 million units, then it is a different story.

When considering popular retro systems like the Super Nintendo, Sega Master System, etc., it is important to note that despite their relatively large install bases, games are generally more expensive to collect for in the UK than later consoles. This means that the underlying mechanics which are sustaining the increased prices of retro games will still have an effect on PSX, and will eventually make it very expensive, even despite the fact that is in a more favorable position than many other consoles.

Ultimately, this helps to explain why the PS1 has seen significant price increases over the past few years. Within the 2020’s we have seen games such as Castlevania: Symphony of the Night go from around £150 to around £600. Even games such as Armored Core, that was around £30 is now around £120.

However, it would be fair to say that such large increases are only limited to the more elusive and renowned titles. That is certainly true, but price increases are happening across the board. I calculate the going rate of my own collection. Considering my PSX games purchased in the 2020’s, I have seen a price rise of about 27.43% from when I bought them, to what they go for today. This is even considering the titles I bought this year.

Now that we have established that there is a definite price increase occurring and being sustained, it is important to consider what effect this has on the ability to collect for PS1. Across all the titles I own, the average each title cost me is £16.38. Including the fact that some of the most expensive games I own are on PSX, that actually is quite affordable. It may not be the cheapest console to collect for, but it is far from being the most expensive.

In conclusion, the PS1 is still worth collecting for in 2025, at least if you are in the UK. The console has a fantastic library that is mostly affordable, even if some games are priced far beyond what most people can afford. Given its install base and software sales, it is moderately available. Given the trajectory of prices for PSX, it seems like now is a good time to begin collecting for the PS1. It is no longer one of the cheapest consoles to collect for, but it certainly isn’t too far off. As far as I am concerned, the value for money is still there, and you should jump in if you have the chance.