Read from CBR:
The class-action suit, filed in the Central District Court of California, is on behalf of Jacob Knight, Jack Cribbs, Jason Dohse and other potentially “similarly situated” individuals. According to the suit, Wata Games and its owner, Collectors Universe, allegedly misled its customers about its products, pumped up the retro game collecting bubble and conducted a “pattern of racketeering activity.” These acts supposedly started the rush to purchase classic games and inflated the prices.
Essentially, customers would send in their games for evaluation by Wata to determine how they rate as a collectible, judging rarity and quality. Wata charged collectors to expedite the process along with a 2% commission on games valued at over $2,500. Now, many collectors claim Wata ripped them off by inflating the market with its estimates, making their commission greater, and charging premiums for services but failing to return games to the owners in a timely manner for its "expedited" processing.
Although wait times for collectible grading houses have increased exponentially during the pandemic, the reported delays for Wata appear to be unusually long. While the longest estimated wait time is 150 days, one customer reported their copy of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, the ninth in the Fire Emblem series, for the GameCube took 18 months to receive. Wata Games has yet to comment on the allegations.
The class-action suit, filed in the Central District Court of California, is on behalf of Jacob Knight, Jack Cribbs, Jason Dohse and other potentially “similarly situated” individuals. According to the suit, Wata Games and its owner, Collectors Universe, allegedly misled its customers about its products, pumped up the retro game collecting bubble and conducted a “pattern of racketeering activity.” These acts supposedly started the rush to purchase classic games and inflated the prices.
Essentially, customers would send in their games for evaluation by Wata to determine how they rate as a collectible, judging rarity and quality. Wata charged collectors to expedite the process along with a 2% commission on games valued at over $2,500. Now, many collectors claim Wata ripped them off by inflating the market with its estimates, making their commission greater, and charging premiums for services but failing to return games to the owners in a timely manner for its "expedited" processing.
Although wait times for collectible grading houses have increased exponentially during the pandemic, the reported delays for Wata appear to be unusually long. While the longest estimated wait time is 150 days, one customer reported their copy of Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, the ninth in the Fire Emblem series, for the GameCube took 18 months to receive. Wata Games has yet to comment on the allegations.
