Someone Just Paid $42,500 For A Copy of Fortnite, a Free-To-Play Game
In a remarkable auction event, a pristine boxed copy of *Fortnite* has sold for an astonishing $42,500, raising eyebrows given that the game itself is free to play. This particular copy is notable not just for its price tag but also because it is a sealed version from the original 2017 print run of *Fortnite*, specifically for Xbox One. Graded with a perfect 10 A++ by the video game grading company Wata, this copy is considered to be in the highest possible quality. The sale, conducted by Heritage Auctions, highlights the rarity of physical copies of *Fortnite*, especially as the game has evolved into a massive metaverse encompassing various modes, collaborations, and media franchises.
While *Fortnite* is primarily known for its popular battle royale mode, this boxed version also grants access to the original Save the World mode, which Epic Games still monetizes. Currently, access to Save the World is bundled with additional content for $18.49, making the auction price seem exorbitant, even when considering the collectible nature of the item. In the broader context of video game collectibles, the value of this *Fortnite* copy, while steep, is still dwarfed by previous sales in the gaming world. For instance, a factory-sealed copy of *Super Mario Bros.* fetched a staggering $2 million in 2021, though debates about the auction’s authenticity persist. Officially, the record for the highest successful video game auction is held by a *Super Mario 64* copy that sold for $1.56 million. As the gaming landscape continues to evolve, it will be intriguing to see how the value of this *Fortnite* copy changes over the decades, particularly as the game remains a cultural phenomenon with ongoing developments, including collaborations with notable figures like Quentin Tarantino.
For those interested in gaming deals, especially with Black Friday approaching, there are numerous offers on video games and tech being compiled in various sales hubs. Whether you’re a collector or a casual gamer, this auction serves as a fascinating reminder of the intersection between gaming culture and collectible value.
A pristine copy of Fortnite has just been sold for $42,500 — which seems a lot for a free-to-play game.
To be fair, this is a boxed version of
Fortnite
— something that also grants access to the game’s original Save the World mode, which Epic Games still requires you pay a small amount to access.
But there’s no suggestion this sealed copy of the world’s biggest battle royale will ever actually be played. Indeed, it has been sold encased in a box, and labelled with a 10 A++ rating from video game grading company Wata — its highest possible quality score.
Sold by
Heritage Auctions
, this copy of Fortnite is an Xbox One version from the game’s original 2017 print run. Only a limited number of physical copies were ever produced, and this edition dates back to when the game’s now-ubiquitous battle royale mode was just a side-offering.
As mentioned, it does include access to Save the World, which is worth… something. Epic Games has bundled the original Fortnite mode in numerous ways over the years, but currently sells access as part of a $18.49 add-on that includes 1,500 V-Bucks (which would separately cost $18) as well as an exclusive skin.
Even with this in mind, though, you’re still paying $42,482 over the odds.
These days, Fortnite is a very different beast — a metaverse of battle royale modes, user-generated maps, plus LEGO and music offerings. Oh, and it’s home to pretty much every media franchise that has ever licensed itself for a video game, as well as real-life popstars and now even Quentin Tarantino.
Earlier today,
Tarantino fans got a first glimpse at the director’s new ‘Lost Chapter’ of Kill Bill
, which stars an animated Uma Thurman and Fortnite’s Peely the banana, and will debut first within the game. Tell that to someone back in 2017, and I doubt they’d believe you.
Of course, video games attracting huge sums as collectible items is nothing new — and within the grand scheme of things, $42,500 pales in comparison to other auction prices. Back in 2021, a factory-sealed
copy of Super Mario Bros. sold for a record-breaking $2 million
, though there’s debate over whether the sale counted as an auction in the traditional sense. Officially,
Guinness World Records
recognizes a copy of Super Mario 64 sold for $1.56 million as the highest amount successfully bid for a video game to date. But who knows how much that copy of Fortnite will be worth in another 100 years?
If you’re hunting for the best offers this week, we’re actively rounding up the strongest Black Friday deals on video games, tech, and more. You can find all our top picks and price drops in our full
Black Friday hub
, or check out our relevant pages for
PlayStation
,
Nintendo
, and
Xbox
deals.
Image credit: Heritage Auctions/HA.com
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky
@tomphillipseg.bsky.social
