Did you have insurance on this package?
If not, that is a very expensive lesson to learn.
If not, that is a very expensive lesson to learn.
The tough part is that byuu's probably going to have to make it right with the person who shipped him the games - he's already said that if they can't be retrieved, he's going to do that even though he's really not at fault, and I understand why.
If you know any popular Twitch streamers or YouTube gaming superstars, now might not be a bad time to reach out, as I'm going to be doing later today. It would be amazing to see the huge retro gaming fan community come together and solve a problem like this for someone to whom we all owe so much.
However, I don't understand why the shipper didn't insure the package for a full amount. If you are sending something wortk 10k, insure it for 10k. It's simple as that. If it made shipment expensive, then I'm sure the community would have sent him some money to cover the cost(or byuu himself would).
https://byuu.org/emulation/preservation/lost-package/
"... when I went to return the first box of 100 games, I was surprised to learn that FedEx would only insure packages for up to $2499. Anything higher would require documented proof of value, and the faxing of many forms, which the retail employee I worked with had no interest in even contemplating."
I get that, if you want to be cheese-paring about it, what you say is in a narrowly technical sense correct. But the motivation here is identical to that which moved my first real boss to cover a $200 parking ticket I incurred through what I'm willing to admit, and stated to him at the time, was inexcusable carelessness on my part in failing to observe a sign. He nonetheless covered the fine, considering that, since I was in a position to make the mistake as a result of carrying out his business, it was reasonable for him to relieve me of the consequence. (Once - his exact words as I recall them were "now, you fuck it up again, you're on your own".)
That's the same kind of motivation I see in byuu's intent to make this situation right with the shipper, instead of blaming him and doing nothing. You can argue if you like that byuu shouldn't feel responsible. But I think we'd all enjoy a better world if more people more often did.
He doesn't know me from Adam's off ox, but I bet there's someone here of whom that's not true. I'll concentrate on people with whom I'm already acquainted, and hope someone comes along who can put a word in Notch's ear and hope to be heard.
Whether or not that means you owe him anything is yours to decide. If you decide that you don't, that's fine. I suspect I'm not the only one who would decide otherwise.