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Are Old Video Games Worth Anything? The Honest Answer

Computer software counts too: big-box PC games, CD-ROM titles, and even floppy disks are welcome at the drop box.

By Josh Eldred · New Mexico Literacy Project · · Last verified November 2026

Most are not. Retro gaming is having a real moment, and that has people hoping the bin of cartridges and discs in the closet is a windfall. Usually it is not: most of what fills those bins is common modern disc games in well-played shape, and a whole tote of those is far more abundant than people expect. You don't have to sort them first: the whole box can be donated exactly as it is. I take video games along with books here in Albuquerque, and this is the honest rundown I give people: why most games are common, and what to do with the bin.

The short version: I take video games free across the Albuquerque metro, any quantity, any condition, no sorting — loose carts and boxed games in the 24/7 drop box, plus controllers and consoles, working or not, on a pickup or 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (never in the box) — and I sort every piece by hand before it goes anywhere. Text 505-250-3804 or use the free pickup form.

Just need the Albuquerque drop-off and pickup details for games and consoles? They’re on one page: donate video games in Albuquerque.

Fastest way to clear them: the 24/7 drop box at 5445 Edith Blvd NE, a covered box outside the gate, by the road, takes whatever fits, any hour. Books and media in any condition are fine; keep soaking-wet books out of the box and text 505-250-3804 for a pickup. Too much for the box? Come 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., when someone is there to help unload, or get on a free pickup route. Directions. Consoles and players come 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The hard truth about the bin in the closet

For the last two console generations, games were shipped on discs in the tens of millions: the annual sports franchises, the big shooters and racers, the licensed movie tie-ins, the family titles that came bundled with the system. A typical bin from a PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, or Wii is mostly those — common everywhere, in the scuffed, well-played condition most home discs end up in. The demand for the everyday disc-era title is thin, because the supply is enormous; someone faced with a tote of ordinary games is looking at the tote, not the games. That is the baseline reality, and going in with it saves a lot of disappointment.

It also means the worst thing you can do is assume the whole bin is junk and dump it — and the worst thing you can do is assume it is a fortune and refuse to part with it. The truth is in between and specific: the games are worth keeping in circulation rather than in a landfill, where the plastics and electronics do not belong.

What to do with them

Donate everything — regardless of platform or condition. The common games still have life in them; someone wants to actually play them. That is where I come in: in the Albuquerque metro I take video games free, any quantity, loose or boxed, working or not, with no sorting, along with the books, CDs, and DVDs. Nothing needs to be tested, cleaned, or appraised. Anything uncommon gets researched at the warehouse before it's listed; the playable common games and working gear go back into circulation to people who want them; and what is truly dead is recycled when possible. No readable book goes to the landfill, and you get the bin out of the closet in one trip.

Bins of games and consoles to move?

Free pickup across the Albuquerque metro, any quantity, any condition, no sorting. Everything gets sorted by hand.

Call or Text 505-250-3804

Frequently asked questions

Does NMLP take loose carts and broken consoles?
Yes. I take video games free across the Albuquerque metro in any quantity and any condition — loose cartridges, boxed games, discs with or without cases, controllers and accessories, and consoles whether they power on or not. Working gear and playable games go back into circulation; only what is truly dead is recycled. No readable book goes to the landfill, and nothing is appraised.
Do I need to test or clean them first?
No. You do not need to test, clean, sort, or box anything — take it all as it is. I handle the checking and the sorting on my end, so a dusty bin of loose carts and tangled controllers is completely fine. The whole point is to make it one easy trip out the door for you.
How do I schedule a free video-game pickup in Albuquerque?
Text or call 505-250-3804, or use the pickup form, and tell me roughly what you have and where it is in the Albuquerque metro. I bring everything in along with books, CDs, and DVDs, with free pickup and a 24/7 drop box. Everything is sorted by hand at the warehouse.

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Cite This Guide

Eldred, J. (June 2026). Are Old Video Games Worth Anything? The Honest Answer. New Mexico Literacy Project.

https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/what-to-do-with-old-video-games

Content is original research by Josh Eldred. Licensed under CC BY 4.0. Cite with attribution.

What To Do With… — The Whole Series

Request Your Free Pickup

Got these to clear out? Tell me what you have and where it is. I do the lifting, any condition, no sorting. Tell me your timeline and I’ll do my best to work with it. Texts go straight to my phone at 505-250-3804.

Prefer to drop off? Open 24/7.

The covered box outside the gate, by the road, at 5445 Edith Blvd NE takes books, DVDs, CDs, records, video games and cameras, any hour. Too much for the box? Come 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., when someone is there to help unload.

Drop-off details