Key Facts
- ✓ A 2008 Nintendo DS game titled 'Cory In The House' is experiencing a dramatic price surge on resale markets.
- ✓ The price increase is driven by a coordinated online campaign targeting the new game 'Clair Obscur' with negative reviews.
- ✓ Fans are purchasing the older game as a form of protest, with some listings reaching hundreds of dollars.
- ✓ The campaign uses memes and social media to coordinate purchases and inflate the game's perceived value.
- ✓ This phenomenon demonstrates how internet culture can directly influence physical goods markets and collector economies.
Quick Summary
A 2008 Nintendo DS title is experiencing an unprecedented price surge on resale markets, with listings reaching hundreds of dollars. This sudden demand is not driven by nostalgia or rarity, but by a coordinated online campaign.
The phenomenon stems from a meme-fueled Metacritic war targeting the new game Clair Obscur. In response, fans have turned to a forgotten title—Cory In The House—as a symbolic protest, driving its market value to absurd heights.
The Price Surge
The Nintendo DS game in question, Cory In The House, was originally released in 2008 to mixed reviews. For years, it remained a budget title, often found in bargain bins for a few dollars. Its sudden resurgence in value has caught collectors and casual gamers alike by surprise.
Current online listings show the game priced at hundreds of dollars, a dramatic increase from its typical $10-$20 valuation. This spike is directly linked to a viral social media movement encouraging fans to purchase the game as a form of protest.
The campaign is specifically targeting Clair Obscur, a newer release that has become the focus of online criticism. By inflating the price of Cory In The House, participants are attempting to make a statement about perceived quality in the gaming industry.
The Meme Campaign
The driving force behind this market anomaly is a coordinated online effort originating from gaming forums and social media platforms. The campaign uses humor and memes to rally support for its cause, encouraging users to actively seek out and purchase copies of the 2008 title.
Participants in this movement are not just buying the game for personal collection; many are listing it for sale at inflated prices to perpetuate the cycle. This creates a feedback loop where the perceived value increases, drawing more attention to the campaign.
The core of the protest is a review bombing campaign against Clair Obscur. Fans are expressing their dissatisfaction by diverting attention and resources toward a completely unrelated game from over a decade ago.
- Coordinated purchasing of physical copies
- Listing games at 10x-20x their normal value
- Using memes to spread awareness of the campaign
- Targeting a newer game with negative reviews
Market Impact
This event serves as a case study in how internet culture can directly influence the physical goods market. Unlike digital assets, physical game cartridges are finite, and a sudden spike in demand can create genuine scarcity.
Collectors are now faced with a dilemma: whether to participate in the trend, sell their existing copies for a profit, or hold onto them in hopes of a market correction. The long-term stability of these inflated prices remains uncertain.
The phenomenon also raises questions about the authenticity of market value. When a game's price is driven by memes rather than its intrinsic qualities or rarity, it creates a volatile bubble that could burst once the online trend fades.
Broader Context
This is not the first time a niche gaming title has seen a price surge due to online trends. Similar incidents have occurred with other games that gained unexpected viral status through social media platforms and streaming services.
The situation highlights the growing power of online communities in shaping real-world economic outcomes. What starts as a joke on a forum can quickly translate into tangible market movements.
For the gaming industry, this serves as a reminder that consumer sentiment can manifest in unpredictable ways. While the campaign targets a specific game, the broader message reflects ongoing discussions about quality and value in modern game development.
Looking Ahead
The price surge for Cory In The House represents a unique intersection of internet culture and physical collectibles. While the current prices may seem absurd, they reflect a moment in gaming history where online communities can directly impact real-world markets.
As with many viral trends, the longevity of this price spike remains to be seen. Once the meme campaign loses momentum, the market may correct itself, leaving those who purchased at peak prices with a valuable lesson.
For now, the situation stands as a testament to the unpredictable nature of digital-age economics and the powerful influence of online communities on traditional markets.
