This is the most expensive video game ever sold at public auction and it sold for $114,000

News
By published

The sealed 1985 Super Mario Bros cartridge sold for $114,000/£90,300

(Image credit: Heritage Auctions)

A 1985  cartridge of Super Mario Bros. has sold for $114,000/£90,300, setting a new world record for the most expensive video game ever sold at public auction.

The game, which has been sealed and unplayed for 35 years, was sold during a public auction earlier this week, knocking the previous record-holder – a 1987 sealed copy of Mega Man, which was sold for $75,000 last year – off the top spot. 

According to a press release, "collectors coveted the copy because it has been sealed since 1985 and retained its original hangtab".

In related news, the world's only known Nintendo PlayStation was recently sold at auction for an eye-watering $360,000 (£275,000), generating twelve times its opening bid of $30K. That $360K includes a 20 per cent "buyers premium" fee, but it's still a bargain, really, given how quickly the bid accelerated when the lot was first put up for sale. 

"This prototype has been around the world and back again, admired and appreciated by video game enthusiasts from all over," the item description teased when it went up for sale. "Even though this is the closing of this portion of its narrative, it will continue to remain a pivotal piece of video game history no matter where it ends up."

Vikki Blake
Vikki Blake
Weekend Reporter, GamesRadar+

Vikki Blake is GamesRadar+'s Weekend Reporter. Vikki works tirelessly to ensure that you have something to read on the days of the week beginning with 'S', and can also be found contributing to outlets including the BBC, Eurogamer, and GameIndustry.biz. Vikki also runs a weekly games column at NME, and can be frequently found talking about Destiny 2 and Silent Hill on Twitter.