Is The Old School Game Vault Legit? An Honest Answer

An honest answer to 'Is The Old School Game Vault legit?' with proof, reviews, and how to verify us yourself.

If you're reading this, you probably found us online and wondered if we're actually legit or just another sketchy retro gaming site. Fair question. I'd be skeptical too.

Yes, The Old School Game Vault is legit. We are a nationwide mail-in retro video game buyer and online store that has helped gamers, collectors, and families sell their old games and consoles since 2008.

I'm Brandon Perton, the founder and owner of The Old School Game Vault. I've been buying and selling retro video games since 2008, and I'm writing this to address the questions I keep seeing on Reddit, in emails, and across gaming forums: "Is this company real?" "Are the reviews fake?" "Will I actually get what I ordered?"

The Table of Contents

Short answer: Yes, we're legit. But let me explain why, instead of just saying it.

Is The Old School Game Vault a gambling app?

No. We buy and sell retro video games online. We are not a gambling app, storage app, or any other generic name people are using to ride our coattails.

The biggest source of confusion is a gambling app called 'Game Vault.'

• Let me be crystal clear: We are NOT that company. We are The Old School Game Vault. We buy and sell vintage video games, consoles, and collectibles. We've been doing this since 2008 in Illinois. We have nothing to do with gambling, casinos, sweepstakes, or mobile gambling apps.

If you're seeing reviews about slot machines, casino games, or "Game Vault 999" or similar, that's not us. We sell Super Nintendo games, not slot machines.

Why doesn't The Old School Game Vault have more reviews?

We've been doing business for so long that review sites have come and gone. Yahoo Local was once a popular spot for customers to examine and review businesses. This was a great spot to convert customers, so we focused on their review system. Now, 12 years later, there is no proof of those reviews, which I might add is total BS.

The Better Business Bureau only keeps reviews from the past three years. The business earned those reviews and pays to be accredited, but they won't keep them? That's total crap.

We had to move to St. Louis, MO, back in 2014. This was a personal issue, but the business had to move as well. Since I had to move, I wasn't sure how long I'd be in Missouri, so I changed the business to an online-only model.

At the time, Google would NOT allow online businesses to have a Google Business Profile. So Google flagged my profile and deleted it since I was now running an online e-commerce business. When I later set up a new Google profile, all the hundreds of reviews from 2010 to 2015 or 2016 were gone!

Thanks, Google WTF!

How can I verify The Old School Game Vault is real?

You can verify us through our public review profiles, real customer videos, and our track record below.

This customer just bought Chrono Trigger for SNES from us. This isn't scripted. It's a genuine buyer who was happy enough to film a testimonial. 

Our Track Record

• In business since 2008 (that's 15+ years)
• Started with a physical storefront in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood
• Now operates a nationwide mail-in service from Morton Grove, Illinois

Our Review Profiles (all public and independently verified):

• Our TP Profile Here
• Our Better Business Bureau Profile Here
• Our Google Profile Here
• Read our Website Testimonials Here

Go read them. Real reviews mention specific games, consoles, shipping times, and experiences. Fake reviews are always generic. 

What are people saying about The Old School Game Vault on Reddit?

Most of the concerns I see are in outdated Reddit threads. Not sure why a Reddit thread from 3, 5, and 7 years ago is still relevant when there are better results to show. I just want to remind you we don't bite, and if you have a question, please don't hesitate to ask. But let's dive into these concerns.

"The reviews seem too good to be true."

We have a 4.99-star rating from more than 300 website testimonials. I get why that raises eyebrows. In an industry where scams exist, perfect ratings look suspicious. Credibility is something that is built over time, and we've been proving that since 2008.

"The photos look old or blurry."

Trust me, it's not on purpose; we upload thousands of photos every week. Just ask us for a better photo; we are in the business to satisfy customers, not to frustrate them.

Sometimes the lighting isn't perfect. Sometimes there's a reflection. But what you see is what you get: scratches, wear, and all. We'd rather show you the actual item with an okay photo than use a perfect stock image and have you surprised when it arrives.

If you want better photos of something before buying, email me directly. I'll take fresh ones. Seriously, I don't bite.

"I saw a negative review calling it a scam."

Sure, just like any other company, we've had a few negative reviews over the years. To separate the real reviews from the scam reviews, just remember fake reviews are always generic: no order numbers, no photos, just vague claims like "total scam" or "got a Temu version." Real negative reviews have specifics: "I ordered X, got Y, here's my order number."

We have no control over the bots or competitors leaving bogus reviews, but you can verify us through public review platforms, where fake reviews get filtered out.

"What's up with their store hours?"

There is no storefront; I have not had one since 2014. Everything is done by mail, so there's no store to visit. If you have a question, call or email us.

How does The Old School Game Vault's mail-in service work?

Since transparency seems to be the issue, here's exactly how we work: Here is a testimonial from a mother who recently sold her kids' old Nintendo games to us.

When you sell to us:

• We give you a quote based on current market data.
• You ship your games to us, with free shipping on orders over $100
• We inspect and test everything
• We send payment within 3 to 4 business days after your order is received and processed
• If we can't buy something, we let you know, and give you the option to have the item(s) returned.

When you buy from us:

• Every game is tested and authenticated
• Photos show the actual item you're buying
• We grade condition honestly (we'd rather undersell than oversell)
• If it's not as described, return it for a full refund, no hassle

Our business model is to make money selling old video games, not to create returns and or problems, which would be counterproductive.

All the games we sell are Authentic: Our authentication process includes checking for reproductions, verifying label authenticity, testing functionality, and inspecting condition. We've handled tens of thousands of retro games in 15+ years, so we know what to look for.

Our Guarantee:

• If you buy from us and the item or game is not as described, we'll refund you or make it right. That's been our policy for 15+ years.

• We're not trying to be the biggest retro game company. We're trying to be the most trustworthy one.

• I'm not going to sit here and tell you we're perfect. We've made mistakes in 15+ years. But we fix them, and our reviews reflect that. If you're still skeptical, that's okay. Do your research. Check those review sites. Then make your decision.

• We've been doing this long enough that our reputation speaks louder than anything I could write here.