Three first print copies of Pokémon Red, Pokémon Blue, and Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition have been sold for $2 million, marking the second-largest transaction for a graded video game in history. The sale was facilitated by collectibles brokerage Nostalgix and the games were acquired by the owner of the Dubai Collection, a significant collection of graded video games and trading cards.
These specific copies are noted for their pristine condition, with each being first-print and having intact original seals. They were graded by PSA, a prominent third-party grading agency, receiving scores of 9.8 for Blue, 10 for Red, and 10 for Yellow. These scores represent the world's highest-graded first print collection for these foundational Pokémon titles.
Nathan Howerton, owner of Nostalgix, highlighted the enduring value of physical media in an increasingly digital gaming landscape. "In an increasingly digital world, collectors continue to place extraordinary value on physical media,” Howerton stated. "The sale of these three PSA-graded Pokémon games shows that truly exceptional physical copies aren't just nostalgic artifacts — they're irreplaceable pieces of gaming history."
The $2 million sale trails only the record $3 million sale of a Super Mario Bros. copy for the NES that occurred in June. PSA's grading standards are exceptionally stringent, particularly for video games, making the perfect 10 scores for two of the Pokémon titles a remarkable achievement. Claire Shelton, Head of PSA Video Games, previously explained that the company seeks "perfection, or at least as close to it as you can come," acknowledging the inherent imperfections in manufacturing processes.
Howerton described the $2 million transaction as a sign of the collectibles market's evolution, suggesting that "the rarest physical games are now being viewed alongside the world's most significant collectibles." He further noted that such a sale would have been difficult to imagine a decade ago, but now reflects a growing recognition of investment-grade games as valuable historical artifacts on par with rare comics and sports memorabilia. The significance of this sale also underscores the continued demand for physical game releases, a sentiment amplified by recent player reactions to decisions, such as Sony's planned discontinuation of physical game printing in 2028.