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How Do We Say Goodbye to Retro?

How Do We Say Goodbye to Retro?

After the 2019 holiday season, I finally conceded that my PS4 games have well outgrown two shelves of space, and thus it’s time to box up the PS3 games. I had a very hard time not sniffling during the entire process. Yes, I have unplayed games in there (some are still in wrappers, I’m so terrible), and I know I’m never going to play them, but I still didn’t want to let go. I felt the same way when I boxed up the GameCube games.

While the games may be all packed up and squared away, I have not unplugged my PlayStation 3. It’s still hooked up to my TV, taking up an HDMI input as well as shelf space. I don’t remember the last time I even turned it on. It had to have been when I Platinumed Diablo III . It’s been awhile since then.

It’s ridiculous. I know I’m not going to play those games again, even the unplayed ones. It’s taking up shelf space. It’s one more thing I have to dust. I know all of this, and yet I can’t bring myself to let it go.

If you think I’ve done the same with my PlayStation 2 and GameCube, yeah, I haven’t. They’re hooked up to the TV in the bedroom, even though I know I won’t play either of them. I barely have time as it to play recently released games, much less games from two console generations ago (three Nintendo generations ago). Even worse, I still have my Xbox 360 plugged in, and practically all of my Xbox 360 games are backwards compatible on the Xbox One.

At the same time, the thought of unplugging them and letting go brings tears to my eyes and a squeeze to my heart.

I wish I could say I was better with handhelds, but I’m not. I still have my Sega Game Gear, even though the screen barely works anymore. I have my DS Lite (I did trade in my DS for the DS Lite), the DSi (that was a waste of money), 3DS, TWO DIFFERENT 3DS XLs (because I have problems), PSP, PSPgo, and a Vita. Although, I don’t have all of them still plugged in and charging.

I couldn’t do that with my PSP anyway, because the battery, um, got engorged? I need to visit eBay to replace the battery in case Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII never gets ported over. Hey, I’ll play that game again someday! Possibly. If I replace the battery. Maybe. Definitely if it gets a port, but I still won’t toss my PSP or original game.

How Do We Say Goodbye to Retro?

I can’t explain why. I’m not a hoarder. I have no problems tossing out other obsolete technology, like TVs, computers, phones, you name it. But for whatever reason, I can’t let go of these consoles. I probably won’t unhook the PS3 until the PlayStation 5 releases, and even then, I bet I’ll have some sort of funeral for that day. But of course the PlayStation 4 will remain where it is, because I have plenty of games that need finishing, and, um, reasons. Lots of reasons.

So the question remains; how do we say goodbye to yesterday? Perhaps the answer is…we don’t?

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