Hey Guys

I also posted this on BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/article/26689311#26689311

I have no idea what to do, so I decided to ask for some advice here. I bought the TI3 base game a couple of months ago. The box is still unopened and in shrink, but I can't return it anymore. I intended to buy the expansions once they were reprinted, but that is now not going to happen.

What is now the best option?

1) Try and sell the base game and get what I can even if I make negative profits. Then pre-order fourth edition?

2) Try and find used expansions? So far I have only seen complete sets (Base Game + expansions) on sale in my country.

3) Just play the base game as long as its fun and then move on to 4th?

I actually already pre-ordered 4th edition, but am not sure if this is the right move at the moment. Coughing out another $150 just after spending $90 for 3rd edition base game somehow hurts my stomach.

Would appreciate some honest opinions about what you'd do in my stead.

Cheers

Alain

I can sympathise with your situation... what's the reason you can't take it back for a refund?

Yeah you got in late m8. I think at this point TI3 isn't going to be worth a whole lot. Even now you can buy shrink wrapped 3rd editions on Ebay for less than 20 bucks and TI4 isn't even out yet. There are a lot of people trying to shake their 3rd editions on E-bay, I looked it over and while prices range from 20 bucks for the box to 300 bucks for the game and all expansions, as it stands I don't see a single bid on even one of the postings with the exception of the guys selling it for 20-30 bucks.

The good news is that you can probably pick up the expansions on Ebay dirt cheap. People are putting out their entire sets at 200 bucks or best offer, I bet you could low ball those for 40-50 bucks and they will sell it to you. Boardgamegeek markets haven't caught up yet, but people are out of their minds their trying to sell expansions for 300 bucks and stupid stuff like that, obvious attempts to take advantage of the fact that they are out of print and trying to make people think that they are worth more as a result.

I would say right now the actual value of TI3 is like

TI3 Core = 20-30 bucks

Expansion = 15 bucks max

With a bit of patience you might be able to get a bit more for it, but I wouldn't count on it.

On the bright side, since TI4 is basically a TI3.5, many of the components are re-usable. For example you can use the plastic for 7 & 8 player games, or systems for creating a larger variation of galaxies. You could use the Strategy Cards as alternatives to change up the game a bit, you can add leaders back into TI4, you have distant Suns that can be used in TI4. I mean I doubt most TI4 converters will be getting rid of their TI3 stuff, its still got some value towards the new game in particular for the variants and expansion possibilities.

I would personally keep the core and just call it a loss. It would have been nice for FFG to give us some heads up, I thought the way they handled the release was really ***. Lots of people have been waiting for the expansion reprints and there really was no warning at all about a new edition and then suddenly its already coming in October. A bit of a bait and switch, I can understand your frustration.