CCG Hires Video Game Expert to Lead New Grading Service
Matt McClellan, an authority on video game authenticity and a champion of the hobby, will build new grading team at Certified Guaranty Company.
SARASOTA, Fla. — One of the country's top experts on video games will build and lead a new grading team at Certified Collectibles Group.
CGC Video Games is the latest division of Certified Guaranty Company, the world’s leading grading service for pop culture-related collectibles, including comic books, trading cards, magazines and concert posters.
With Matt McClellan on the controller as Senior Video Game Grading Finalizer, CGC Video Games will continue hiring, establish grading standards and begin developing a superior, state-of-the-art holder for video games, with a projected launch of early 2022.
Prior to joining CGC Video Games, McClellan operated an independent video game store for nearly a decade, becoming an authority on video game authenticity, condition and rarity. His video game knowledge is broad and encompasses a vast range of video game consoles, but McClellan is particularly well-regarded for his expertise in authenticating sealed original Xbox games and modern systems in general, as well as all Nintendo games, the company said.
When he established his business, McClellan also became a serious video game collector, championing the importance of the hobby and the significance of video games not only to his life but many others. A Super Nintendo with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past was his first foray into gaming, and the release of the original Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved intensified his interest. Currently, he is eager to see what Halo Infinite has in store for the player base.
At CGC Video Games, McClellan looks forward to working with CCG's highly experienced team to develop a grading service that provides high-quality authentication, grading and encapsulation services that benefit the hobby. He sees a bright future for video game collecting, with CGC Video Games offering the confidence to collectors that will further grow and strengthen the market.
“Video games have been part of my entire life, and I’m not the only one who recognizes the influence of video games on our personal identities and our culture, as shown by the growing interest in video game collecting,” said McClellan. “CGC Video Games will bring a proven and trusted certification process along with high standards of expertise to the video game collecting community, and I am proud to drive that delivery.”
“We are thrilled that Matt McClellan will help build and lead the CGC Video Games team,” said Steven R. Eichenbaum, CEO of CCG. “CGC is the definitive leader in the certification of pop culture-related collectibles and adding video game grading will further solidify this position by bringing our proven processes and expertise to the world of video game collecting.”
For more information about the video games team or to apply to join, visit collectiblesgroup.com.
