So, you’ve discovered an old game system buried somewhere in your house but don’t understand what to do with it. Should you sell it? Should you donate it? Or should you use it for yourself?
We believe there’s a process behind making this decision. What you should do with your old gaming console depends on many things & available options as well. Since donating is an obvious solution, that’s what we’ll discuss today.
In this guide, we’ll see:
- What to do with your old game systems?
- Can you donate old game systems?
- Where can you donate these gaming stations?
- FAQs about donating old game systems
Let’s get started.
What To Do With Old Game Systems?
There are multiple ways to make use of the old game consoles. Selling, donating, recycling, or using them for yourself – just to name a few.
If your game system still works perfectly or can be fixed, and no longer interests you, selling it would be the best option. However, if you have kids at home or want to enjoy retro gaming, using it for yourself becomes another great use. But if both these uses don’t suit you much, donating it is what we recommend.
But can game consoles be donated? If yes, then how? Let’s see.
Can You Donate Old Game Systems?
Gone are the days when the donation was limited to money and staple foods. Nearly everything can be provided for donation these days. Gaming devices and computers are among them. These days, we see a lot of online organizations working for the well-being of sick, orphans, & differently-abled persons.
They get these game systems from generous people like you and deliver them to family shelters, children’s hospitals, and poverty-stricken countries. This way, the younger ones who can’t afford gaming devices can experience and enjoy them.
If you’ve decided to submit your old game console/s for charity, pat yourself on the back: you’ve done a great job. Donating your console to the deserving will win you a smile – quite priceless, huh?
So, we’ve figured out the answer to most of the questions. We know that one good of getting rid of old game consoles is by donating them. We know that we can donate them to local/international charities. Here’s the next question:
Where To Donate Old Game Systems?
We reviewed countless organizations and shortlisted the ones with the best reviews, policies, & above all, missions. Here are our top 3 convenient picks for organizations to that you can donate your consoles.
1. Gamers Outreach
Gamers Outreach is a well-known charity organization that accepts a variety of gaming devices. The foundation is non-profit and has been in operation since 2007. It started with the aim of helping hospitalized kids keep pace with their treatments and providing them a source of recreation to relieve their stressful treatments.
The organization is widely spread all over the world and supports over 220 hospitals, with 1337 representing gamer vibes worldwide.
People worldwide – especially gamers – contribute to the organization and join hands to help the hospitalized kids release some stress. If you want to contribute any piece of hardware, the company is open to it.
2. Charity Gaming
Charity gaming is another non-profit organization where you could fearlessly donate an old game system – knowing that it’ll go into the right hands.
Runs an office in Hoboken, New Jersey. Simply ship your gaming cart, including your game console and the accessories you may have, such as the monitor, controllers, cables, etc, and they’ll take care of the rest.
3. Local Children’s Hospitals
Another great way of donating your old game console is to a child hospital. Sure, not a separate organization, but definitely worth the try.
You don’t necessarily need to go to another city or ship your old game console to a charity organization. Instead, just give your local children’s hospital a visit and donate it there.
Children are usually stressed out when going through critical treatments – especially differently-abled kids. By donating them such recreational devices, you’re really helping them out. Gaming helps them reduce stress and keep pace with their ongoing treatments.
4. Somebody You Know
By far, the best way to donate your old game system was to hand it over to someone you know. Remember Toy Story 3? Yeah, something like that. Though kids today aren’t much into retro gaming consoles, you’re likely to spark their interest by showing them the value in those games.
This donation type has two benefits:
- If you’re emotionally attached to your console, you’ll always get to see it whenever you visit the recipient.
- You’ll know that your console has actually been donated to somebody deserving.
If we were you, we’d definitely go with this option.
FAQs About Donating Old Game Systems
Here we answer the web’s most-searched queries related to donating and making use of old game systems.
The best places to donate an old Xbox are Gamers Outreach and Charity Nerds. Both are trustable organizations doing great work by empowering hospitalized and low-income families through charity.
Furthermore, we – Retro vGames – also accept old Xbox consoles. We give you an instant price quote for free, a price match guarantee, and free shipping to get you complete peace of mind. On top of that, you get 20% more for store credit.
If your old game console works fine and helps you spend a great time with your family, friends, or alone, it’s worth keeping. Otherwise, the best – profitable – way around is to resell it. Many online stores like us – Retro vGames – accept the trade of old game consoles.
Another considerable use of an old game console is donating it if it’s worthless to you. The best charity organizations working closely with game consoles are Gamers Outreach and Charity Nerds.
Although the old video games aren’t as demanded as they were, several game stores still accept their trade and even agree to pay a handsome amount in return. Our recommendation for you is Game Stop. Their pricing calculator estimates the value of your video game, and the company features both cash and credit card payments.
Some other popular places to trade video games are DK Oldies, eBay, and Trade4Cash.
These days, there are dozens of charity organizations working closely with gaming products. They accept various gaming devices and help hospitalized, and poor kids enjoy gaming. The best options to look for are Gamers Outreach and Charity Nerds.
Speaking of Gamers Outreach, they’re a trustable organization trying its best to bring joy to kids’ lives. They work closely with game devices and support over 200,000 kids a year. Get Well Games is another similar UK-based program to consider for donation.
Summary — Is Donating Old Game Systems A Good Idea?
Among the most considerable ways to make use of an old game, the system is a donation. Although you don’t get the money, helping the needy gets you complete peace of mind.
But where should you donate your old game system – what is the most trustable charity organization? And, is donating your old game console a good idea? This is what today’s guide is all about.
However, the best charity organization accepting video game consoles we could find is Gamers Outreach. It’s a trustable name and has grown to the point of supporting over 200,000 kids a year either by access to game consoles or by the money earned by selling them.