About two years ago I was at what can best be described as a thrift store and, at worse, a rummage store full of cast-off clothing given to the local church. Out of morbid curiosity I meandered over to the 'electronics' section, amused by a few Indigo Girls' CDs and some educational games. I stopped dead then when I saw what can only be described as a diamond in a porta-potty: Final Fantasy VII. Right there, in front of me was something that I'd be aiming to get my hands on for most of my life, something that would cement my collections, that would up my...gamer cred (?). With breathless anticipation I carried the PS1 game like the Holy Grail, going so far as to glare an old lady out of my way (and out of the store). I brought it up to the counter, greeted by two women who would have remembered the advent of the computer (and the ballpoint pen) and who couldn't tell a Final Fantasy VII from a Franklin the Turtle Spelling Game and who happily sold it to me for five dollars. I might have lost my cool there by saying "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" out loud, but I smoothed it over by muttering "Praise Jesus." and such like. I figured I killed two birds with one stone: Having one of the most famous games ever and having a retirement plan as a teenager.

Sure enough my investment was a wise one, soon topping eighty bucks (a low ball price) which was a sixteen fold increase from the buying price, which is a helluva lot better than your investment.

However Square just nerfed my little moneymaker (the game, not my, um, butt). With this PSN download of FFVII who's to say how the value of my game will be affected? Who wants a lame material copy when you can rock out with it on your PS3 for less money than buying it on eBay? The only people who would buy my copy are the hardcore, who sweat and clamor over original cases and manuals and the like. 

As postscript: I own no PS1 memory card, so, ah, I can't actually play the damn thing.