In recent months, video games have grown monstrously: if in February 2019 $ 100,500 for an antique copy were considered a record Super Mario Bros., then in August 2021 the upper bar rose to $ 2,000,000. Video blogger Karl Jobst (Karl Jobst) conducted his own investigation: he believes that the cost of rarities is artificially overstated by companies and people who organize these auctions.
Among the main characters:
Wata Games – an organization that assesses game antiques and sets a quality rating.
Heritage auctions – the company and the site where auctions with unimaginable records for video games were held.
According to the version Juper, History spun just in the area of 2019. Super Mario Bros. For $ 100,500, three people bought together – co -founder Heritage auctions Jim Halperin (Jim Halperin), owner of the Just Press Play game store Zach Gig (ZAC GIEG) and game collector Rich Lech (Rich Lecce).
Next, says Jobst, Heritage auctions And Wata They released a press release where they said that video games were only growing and not going to stop. That is, it turns out that Halperin He himself acquired a rarity and himself, with the help of his company, inflated the significance of the purchase.
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Both companies get a direct benefit from increasing the cash speeds of auctions:
When Wata conducts quality assessment, it takes a certain percentage of the market value of the goods. For example, if the goods are estimated at $ 10,000, then Wata receives $ 400. If the cost is $ 1,000,000, then Wata receives already $ 20,000. (Apparently, the percentage changes depending on the amount.)
When the goods are sold at auction through Heritage auctions, The auction house receives a commission from the reached cost – 20 % from the buyer and 5 % from the seller. For example, if the auction has reached $ 1,000,000, then Heritage auctions will earn ($ 200,000 + $ 50,000) = $ 250,000.
As claims Jobst, Rarities with huge prices almost never fall to these collectors: they are bought by groups of investors who chase light and quick money. Entire companies specialize in this: they offer to purchase a share in the auction of another rare thing, and then make a profit when the same thing is resold at increased cost.
Jobst The following example gives: in 2020, a company with shared participation Rally I bought a copy Super Mario Bros. for $ 140,000, and already in August 2021 I sold the same copy for $ 2,000,000. That is, in just a year Rally and her investors multiplied their investments by more than 10 times!
I have not heard of any real collector who would buy one of these expensive games. This is the purest speculation for profit.
A passage from the popular show Pawn Stars, which is dedicated to the work of a large pawnshop in Las Vegas. Here the head of Wata Deniz Kahn asks $ 1,000,000 for a rare copy of Super Mario Bros. It is believed that Wata deliberately inflated the cost of playing antiques with such statements.
Wata actively helps to increase value. As suggested Jobst, Leading position in Wata Builds Jeff Meyer (Jeff Meyer). He put it through the bypass through Wata The rating of his collection of video games and even gave it a special name, which only increased the auction price. Then Meyer I immediately sold games through various organizations, including Heritage auctions.
The income from the trick exceeded $ 540,000. Moreover, in public comments, representatives Wata claimed that the company’s employees are prohibited from having or selling games that have been evaluated by Wata. In addition, involvement Meyer To Wata Try not to disclose, tells Jobst.
Investigation Juper Another journalist echoes – echoes – Set Abramson (Seth Abramson). According to him, assessment companies and auction houses hide from extra eyes the fact that well -preserved games for NES are actually not so much. How suspects Abramson, Interested investors rated and bought over 750 copies Super Mario Bros. 3, And now they slowly throw them into auctions to maintain the illusion of rarity. Wata It helps them-she began to evaluate video games in 2018 and quickly occupied a leading role in this area.
So, Jobst And Abramson We are sure that the market is artificially inflated, hiding behind the historical value of games at auctions. Heritage auctions VGC official commentary: the company denies its involvement in illegal or unethical practices and says that in the material Juper There are a number of distorted facts.
Heritage auctions regrets that she did not have the opportunity to give an answer before the publication of the video, because it contains a number of distorted facts and incorrect conclusions.
Heritage categorically denies any accusations that its employees are involved in fake tenders, “market manipulations” or other similar illegal or unethical practices. Heritage proud of its transparency and the fact that the company was created by collectors for collectors. At the same time, we welcome the opportunity to discuss the game market and want to invite Mr Juper to our head headquarters in Dallas to introduce him to our processes and arrange a conversation with the leadership.