Recently, a copy of Super Mario Bros that was sealed sold at an auction for $3 million. That is insane that a video game from the 80s sold for that much money. You would even wonder why it sold for that amount when you can play the game for cheap or even for free. The question has to be asked: why are these types of games selling for hundreds of thousands and, in this case, millions of dollars?
Collector’s Items
Let’s face it, these things are bought for the novelty and collection mentality. You can play the game on different systems for free, but the physical copy is what people are after. It is a sealed copy, so this means that it was never opened, played, or manipulated. That can sell for a lot of money, and there are a lot of other games out there like it, but they don’t necessarily sell for millions of dollars.
People love to collect gaming memorabilia, so that’s why this is so expensive and games like it. You would be surprised to find out that it’s not just video games but also other related materials. There are a lot of other items like consoles. There are a lot of video game collectors’ items that are selling for outrageous prices, but there’s a market for them, so that’s fine.
Rarity and scarcity
There are some games that are a bit rare or were made in scarcity. Meaning, there aren’t a lot of copies to go by, and that’s why the prices are driven up. A good example is Cheetah Men 2. While not a good game, there were only 1,500 copies made during its time. While it’s not certain all of these are still around, they command high prices in online shops or auctions, if they ever pop up.
Nostalgia factor
A lot of collectors today have money to spend and the knowledge to boot. That’s why nostalgia plays a factor in it, since most of them grew up with the product. Now, they have the purchasing power and the insight to know if the item is worth the money or worth the time to get.
Investment potential
There is a market for these types of things. Why did you think the Super Mario game got sold for $3 million? It’s a bit of a weird market because the value of these games can be manipulated by the people who partake in them. That’s the thing, though: if there are people willing to pay these outrageous prices, then there’s not much we can do. This isn’t a grocery store where these games are being sold for low prices.
Would you buy these games or items?
That would depend on the purpose and the price. If you feel the price is just right, then you can pretty much do so. Collecting isn’t for everyone, and when you just want to buy the game to play it, there are other avenues without paying those high-end prices. Only buy them if you have the money to spare, and we’re sure you’re not buying them if they’re priced at millions.