Glossary · CIB
What Does Complete In Box (CIB) Mean?
CIB stands for Complete In Box — a complete retail copy of a game.
Definition
Complete In Box usually means the game cartridge or disc, the original case, the original manual, and all inserts that shipped with that edition (reg cards, maps, stickers, etc.). What counts as "complete" can vary by platform and title — see our CIB collecting guide and loose vs CIB.
Why it matters
CIB games often command roughly 2–5× a loose price for the same title — sometimes more for rare printings. Collectors pay for completeness, authenticity, and display quality.
What's included
Expectations differ by era: CD jewel cases, DVD cases, and cardboard boxes each have different "complete" standards. Check community notes and our per-game franchise pages for CIB complexity and warnings.
Authentication tips
Compare manual printing, paper and insert quality, and case wear — they should match the era and region. Inconsistent prints or "too clean" inserts with beat-up cases can be red flags.
CIB vs loose vs new/sealed
Same title, three common market buckets — what you're buying and why prices diverge.
| CIB (Complete in Box) | Loose | New / Sealed |
|---|---|---|
| What's included | ||
| Game media, original box or case, original manual, and pack-in inserts that shipped with that retail edition (maps, reg cards, etc.). | Cartridge or disc only — no retail box, manual, or inserts. Sometimes includes a non-original/generic case. | Factory-sealed retail unit: intact seal, presumed complete contents inside as originally shipped. |
| Typical price premium | ||
| Above loose — often a sizable step up; see the next section for typical ranges. Rarer print runs widen the gap. | Baseline for pricing comparisons — lowest completed-sale bar for playable media alone. | Often highest completed prices; premium over CIB varies wildly by title, print, and seal grade. |
| Collectibility | ||
| High for collectors who want authentic packaging, inserts, and shelf display without chasing sealed scarcity. | Moderate — common for players and bulk builders; fewer points for box/minimal completeness. | Peak for sealed hobbyists — seal integrity, variant labels, and long-term storage condition dominate value. |
How CIB Affects Game Value
CIB copies typically command a 40–80% premium over loose cartridges or discs for the same title — and that spread is only an average. Heavy hitters like EarthBound and Chrono Trigger routinely push 3–5× the loose price when genuinely complete with correct paperwork. The value gap is not uniform: it shifts by franchise and era. NES and SNES CIB premiums tend to run higher than many PS4 / PS5 titles in part because vintage cardboard survived less often — boxes and inserts were discarded, so complete sets scarcer relative to loose carts.
CIB on eBay — What to Watch For
Always anchor bids to sold listings, not optimistic Buy It Now asks — completed sales show what buyers actually paid.
Watch for replacement boxes and reproduction manuals listed alongside authentic games: sellers sometimes bundle aftermarket paperwork without calling it out clearly.
Even honest CIB lots can be wrong-completest: the wrong manual for that variant, a mismatched cover art revision, or a non-matching regional insert (PAL paperwork in an NTSC box, etc.). Compare photos to verified references for that exact print and region.
Popular CIB franchises
Track CIB prices by franchise