Video games are an expensive hobby. After all, purchasing a console or a hefty gaming PC on its own comes with a decent price tag out of the gate, and then there are games, accessories, and anything else a gamer may need to enjoy virtual worlds. Of course, that's almost nothing compared to the cost of a Nintendo PlayStation prototype currently being auctioned.
The prototype, a relic of a failed partnership between Sony and Nintendo, has now reached a record-high price of $350,000, with the next minimum bid being $360,000. That's a mind-numbing amount of money for a video game console, albeit one with an incredibly special place in gaming history. In fact, the current price tag makes it the single most expensive video game item ever sold.
Better yet, the auction isn't even finished, so there's still some time left that the console could go up in price– it simply depends on how much someone is willing to pay for it. There are quite a few collectors out there with big pocketbooks and an urge to own interesting pieces of video game memorabilia, like the dentist with the $1 million game collection. The Nintendo PlayStation prototype auction doesn't end for 19 more days, so there's no telling how expensive it could get.
While the history behind the prototype is awkward, involving a PG version of a Game-of-Thrones-style betrayal on Nintendo's part, everything definitely worked out for Sony. After all, PS4 sales just reached some impressive new milestones, with the console dominating global markets for the past few years.
Regardless of the now ancient drama between Sony and Nintendo, it's interesting to see so many people interested in a prototype for a console attachment. It's evidence of just how popular video games have come, with stories similar to it popping up more and more frequently. After all, an unopened copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for $100,000, proving just how influential games can be.
With plenty of time left between now and the end of the auction, there's a good chance that the Nintendo PlayStation prototype will go up in price even more. With a new king of the most expensive video game accessories, who knows what will eventually be able to top it.
Source: IGN