An incredibly rare plastic-sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES has sold at auction for a world record-breaking $660,000. That hefty price tag makes it the most expensive price ever paid for a video game collectible.

The copy of Super Mario Bros., sold this week by Heritage Auctions, is a copy from the game’s fourth printing run. This means that it did not have the “Game-Pak NES-GP” code and is missing the “™” trademark symbol normally seen to the right of “Nintendo Entertainment System,” which was officially added to all black boxes in early 1987.

[caption id="attachment_2495661" align="alignnone" width="419"] Credit: Heritage Auctions[/caption]

“For Nintendo, it was just stuff they had to do internally, but collectors are using this information now,” Chris Kohler, editorial director at Digital Eclipse, tells IGN. “It’s not like a collector cares if there’s a “™” on their box or not, but it’s the ability to use that information to figure out what the earliest printings are.”

The copy of Super Mario Bros. ranks at a 9.6 on the WATA scale, a rubric commonly used to rate comic book value.

“So if you’re an expert in comics, you know a 9.6 is very hard to get on the WATA scale, especially for black box NES games because those are so old,” Kohler said. “They really narrowed it down to when was this copy on sale, when did Nintendo start tweaking parts of the box?”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/03/18/13-awesomely-rare-nintendo-artifacts"]

Kohler notes that many of the players who grew up with classic video game franchises like Super Mario, Zelda, or Punch-Out are now comfortably in their 40s and 50s, and likely possess much more disposable income they can spend on collector’s items.

“The constraint of video game collection 20 or 30 years ago was that there just wasn’t a lot of money being thrown around. Stadium event copies would sell for $30,000 but because there would only be a small number who could pay that much. The fact that this [copy of Super Mario Bros.] sold for $660,000 means that there’s at least two people who would have paid over half a million dollars for it, probably more.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/15/nintendo-playstation-prototype-will-be-the-most-expensive-video-game-item-ever"]

Kohler added that this particular copy of Super Mario Bros. sold so high is in part because sealed copies have proven incredibly difficult to find.

“The fact that you just can't find nice sealed copies of this kind of indicates that when something like this does come up you should probably jump on it,” Kohler said, noting that there are currently no known sealed copies of Super Mario Bros.’ first printing. “So I think there's people who are jumping on it now thinking that it may go up and it probably will go up in the future and also just that they may never have an opportunity to buy one.”

The previous record price for a video game collectible was $360,000 for the unreleased Nintendo PlayStation prototype, which sold in February 2020. The highest price for a single copy of a game was $156,000 for a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 in late 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/auctioneer for IGN.

An incredibly rare plastic-sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. for the NES has sold at auction for a world record-breaking $660,000. That hefty price tag makes it the most expensive price ever paid for a video game collectible.

The copy of Super Mario Bros., sold this week by Heritage Auctions, is a copy from the game’s fourth printing run. This means that it did not have the “Game-Pak NES-GP” code and is missing the “™” trademark symbol normally seen to the right of “Nintendo Entertainment System,” which was officially added to all black boxes in early 1987.

[caption id="attachment_2495661" align="alignnone" width="419"] Credit: Heritage Auctions[/caption]

“For Nintendo, it was just stuff they had to do internally, but collectors are using this information now,” Chris Kohler, editorial director at Digital Eclipse, tells IGN. “It’s not like a collector cares if there’s a “™” on their box or not, but it’s the ability to use that information to figure out what the earliest printings are.”

The copy of Super Mario Bros. ranks at a 9.6 on the WATA scale, a rubric commonly used to rate comic book value.

“So if you’re an expert in comics, you know a 9.6 is very hard to get on the WATA scale, especially for black box NES games because those are so old,” Kohler said. “They really narrowed it down to when was this copy on sale, when did Nintendo start tweaking parts of the box?”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2014/03/18/13-awesomely-rare-nintendo-artifacts"]

Kohler notes that many of the players who grew up with classic video game franchises like Super Mario, Zelda, or Punch-Out are now comfortably in their 40s and 50s, and likely possess much more disposable income they can spend on collector’s items.

“The constraint of video game collection 20 or 30 years ago was that there just wasn’t a lot of money being thrown around. Stadium event copies would sell for $30,000 but because there would only be a small number who could pay that much. The fact that this [copy of Super Mario Bros.] sold for $660,000 means that there’s at least two people who would have paid over half a million dollars for it, probably more.”

[ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/02/15/nintendo-playstation-prototype-will-be-the-most-expensive-video-game-item-ever"]

Kohler added that this particular copy of Super Mario Bros. sold so high is in part because sealed copies have proven incredibly difficult to find.

“The fact that you just can't find nice sealed copies of this kind of indicates that when something like this does come up you should probably jump on it,” Kohler said, noting that there are currently no known sealed copies of Super Mario Bros.’ first printing. “So I think there's people who are jumping on it now thinking that it may go up and it probably will go up in the future and also just that they may never have an opportunity to buy one.”

The previous record price for a video game collectible was $360,000 for the unreleased Nintendo PlayStation prototype, which sold in February 2020. The highest price for a single copy of a game was $156,000 for a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. 3 in late 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Joseph Knoop is a writer/producer/auctioneer for IGN.

Zack Snyder continues to provide audiences with the bizarre things they demand to see online, having shared an alternate version of a scene from his cut of Justice League, in which Jared Leto (as Joker) finally gets to say "We live in a society." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/02/zack-snyders-justice-league-justice-is-grey-we-live-in-a-society-extended-deleted-scene"] Okay, the exact line is "We live in a society...where honor is a distant memory." He's responding to Bruce Wayne's promise to honor Harley Quinn's dying request that he kill The Joker slowly, which takes place in a dream sequence at the end of the film. There's a bit more to the scene that follows that also differs from their encounter in the actual Snyder Cut, too. If you're not sure why this is a thing, it's because the line "We live in a society" has been used as a part of Joker memes online for the last few years, evolving from goofy absurdist humor into either a phrase taken way too seriously, or used to mock people who took it way too seriously. Until now, The Joker had never actually said any variation of this line, though the line as it's said in the above cut was included in a trailer for Justice League from back in February. This alternate scene was posted today to Zack Snyder's Twitter account and did not appear in his original four-hour long cut of the film, though Snyder shared it today to promote the just-released Justice is Gray version on HBO Max, which puts the entire film in black and white. Zack Snyder's Justice League, whether in black and white or in color, includes a number of differences from the original 2017 Justice League, and earned an 8/10 in our review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine. A previous version of this article erroneously indicated that this scene was viewable in the Justice is Gray version. This has been amended above.

Zack Snyder continues to provide audiences with the bizarre things they demand to see online, having shared an alternate version of a scene from his cut of Justice League, in which Jared Leto (as Joker) finally gets to say "We live in a society." [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/04/02/zack-snyders-justice-league-justice-is-grey-we-live-in-a-society-extended-deleted-scene"] Okay, the exact line is "We live in a society...where honor is a distant memory." He's responding to Bruce Wayne's promise to honor Harley Quinn's dying request that he kill The Joker slowly, which takes place in a dream sequence at the end of the film. There's a bit more to the scene that follows that also differs from their encounter in the actual Snyder Cut, too. If you're not sure why this is a thing, it's because the line "We live in a society" has been used as a part of Joker memes online for the last few years, evolving from goofy absurdist humor into either a phrase taken way too seriously, or used to mock people who took it way too seriously. Until now, The Joker had never actually said any variation of this line, though the line as it's said in the above cut was included in a trailer for Justice League from back in February. This alternate scene was posted today to Zack Snyder's Twitter account and did not appear in his original four-hour long cut of the film, though Snyder shared it today to promote the just-released Justice is Gray version on HBO Max, which puts the entire film in black and white. Zack Snyder's Justice League, whether in black and white or in color, includes a number of differences from the original 2017 Justice League, and earned an 8/10 in our review. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Rebekah Valentine is a news reporter for IGN. You can find her on Twitter @duckvalentine. A previous version of this article erroneously indicated that this scene was viewable in the Justice is Gray version. This has been amended above.

Bridgerton's Rege-Jean Page will not be returning for the Netflix series' second season. Bridgerton's Twitter shared the news in a letter from Lady Whisteldown, who is bidding adieu to Page's Simon Basset. "Dearest Readers, While all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton's quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Rege-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings. We'll miss Simon's presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family. Daphne will remain a devoted wife and sister, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to offer - more intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear. Yours Truly, Lady Whistedown." The Twitter account wrote. THR's sources have reported that Page only "had a one-season deal and completed his contractual obligation to the Shonda Rhimes-produced drama." This deal is said to be in line with how the producers, including Netflix, have always envisioned the show, with each new season focusing on a different one of Julia Quinn's novels. The second season of Bridgerton will focus on Jonathan Bailey's Anthony Bridgerton and, despite Page's departure, will see Pheobe Deynevor continuing on in the role of Daphne Bridgerton. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-bridgerton-season-1-official-photos&captions=true"] For more on Bridgerton, check out our review of the first season and why we think the show should be Hollywood's next cinematic universe inspiration. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Bridgerton's Rege-Jean Page will not be returning for the Netflix series' second season. Bridgerton's Twitter shared the news in a letter from Lady Whisteldown, who is bidding adieu to Page's Simon Basset. "Dearest Readers, While all eyes turn to Lord Anthony Bridgerton's quest to find a Viscountess, we bid adieu to Rege-Jean Page, who so triumphantly played the Duke of Hastings. We'll miss Simon's presence onscreen, but he will always be a part of the Bridgerton family. Daphne will remain a devoted wife and sister, helping her brother navigate the upcoming social season and what it has to offer - more intrigue and romance than my readers may be able to bear. Yours Truly, Lady Whistedown." The Twitter account wrote. THR's sources have reported that Page only "had a one-season deal and completed his contractual obligation to the Shonda Rhimes-produced drama." This deal is said to be in line with how the producers, including Netflix, have always envisioned the show, with each new season focusing on a different one of Julia Quinn's novels. The second season of Bridgerton will focus on Jonathan Bailey's Anthony Bridgerton and, despite Page's departure, will see Pheobe Deynevor continuing on in the role of Daphne Bridgerton. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=netflixs-bridgerton-season-1-official-photos&captions=true"] For more on Bridgerton, check out our review of the first season and why we think the show should be Hollywood's next cinematic universe inspiration. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

According to the Director's Guild of Canada, The Last Of Us HBO series is set to film in Calgary from July 5, 2021 to June 8, 2022. As reported by CBC.ca, Calgary's union for film and stage technicians - the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE 212) - also confirms that the series is set to begin production this July. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/20/the-last-of-us-hbo-series-will-cover-the-first-game"] The Last of Us HBO series will star The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal as Joel and Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The first season is said to adapt much from the original game from 2013, but some episodes will "deviate greatly" from its events. This series based on The Last of Us will be written and produced by Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl's Craig Mazin. The Last of Us is just one of the 10 shows and movie currently in development based on PlayStation games. The recent announcement of a film based on Ghost of Tsushima adds to that list that already includes Uncharted and Twisted Metal. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"] For more on The Last of Us, check out why we think this could be perfect as an HBO series and why we chose The Last of Us Part 2 as the best PlayStation Exclusive of 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

According to the Director's Guild of Canada, The Last Of Us HBO series is set to film in Calgary from July 5, 2021 to June 8, 2022. As reported by CBC.ca, Calgary's union for film and stage technicians - the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE 212) - also confirms that the series is set to begin production this July. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2021/03/20/the-last-of-us-hbo-series-will-cover-the-first-game"] The Last of Us HBO series will star The Mandalorian's Pedro Pascal as Joel and Game of Thrones' Bella Ramsey as Ellie. The first season is said to adapt much from the original game from 2013, but some episodes will "deviate greatly" from its events. This series based on The Last of Us will be written and produced by Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann and Chernobyl's Craig Mazin. The Last of Us is just one of the 10 shows and movie currently in development based on PlayStation games. The recent announcement of a film based on Ghost of Tsushima adds to that list that already includes Uncharted and Twisted Metal. [widget path="global/article/imagegallery" parameters="albumSlug=every-video-game-movie-in-development-almost&captions=true"] For more on The Last of Us, check out why we think this could be perfect as an HBO series and why we chose The Last of Us Part 2 as the best PlayStation Exclusive of 2020. [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Xbox has won Twitter's first-ever #BestOfTweet Brand Bracket Championship and, after a promise from Xbox's Aaron Greenberg, will be making Xbox Series X Mini Fridges for the public. Xbox was in a tough fight with Skittles in this championship battle, and won by only 1% after 341,731 votes. When it was coming down to the wire, Greenberg tried to rally Xbox fans by saying the company would make real Xbox Series X Mini Fridges if Xbox won. This is another chapter in the Xbox Series X Fridge saga that began when Microsoft, perhaps in a nod to those like Niko Partners' Daniel Ahmad and an example of why it won this contest, compared the size of its next-gen console to a refrigerator. It didn't end there, as Microsoft sent Snoop Dogg and iJustine an Xbox Series X Fridge and held an Xbox Series X Fridge sweepstakes that gave fans a chance to win one of these glorious kitchen appliances inspired by the Xbox Series X.

The one.

The only. Xbox Series X Fridge giveaway. Follow and retweet with #XSXFridgeSweeps for a chance to win the Xbox Series X Fridge. Ends 11/04/20. Rules: https://t.co/4P5hCSBPcy pic.twitter.com/MAt7xcTTQ4 — Xbox (@Xbox) October 28, 2020

Following the victory, Greenberg thanked everyone for voting and shared that the "first [Xbox Series X Mini Fridge] will be filled with games & headed to our friends @Skittles of course!" Skittles tried to rally its fans in a similar fashion, by promising to bring back lime skittles, but it appears the allure of a fridge shaped like an Xbox won out. "Congratulations to @Xbox on the win," Skittles wrote on Twitter. "Definitely a tough one, but a HUGE thanks to all of our friends, family, fans and #mcyt for rallying for SKITTLES. We love you all! (but what are we going to do with all these non-refundable limes we ordered? If only we had a fridge)." Luckily, for Skittles and Xbox fans, there will be a chance to own your very own Xbox Series X Mini Fridge in the future. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/16/xbox-series-x-size-compared-to-a-banana"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

Xbox has won Twitter's first-ever #BestOfTweet Brand Bracket Championship and, after a promise from Xbox's Aaron Greenberg, will be making Xbox Series X Mini Fridges for the public. Xbox was in a tough fight with Skittles in this championship battle, and won by only 1% after 341,731 votes. When it was coming down to the wire, Greenberg tried to rally Xbox fans by saying the company would make real Xbox Series X Mini Fridges if Xbox won. This is another chapter in the Xbox Series X Fridge saga that began when Microsoft, perhaps in a nod to those like Niko Partners' Daniel Ahmad and an example of why it won this contest, compared the size of its next-gen console to a refrigerator. It didn't end there, as Microsoft sent Snoop Dogg and iJustine an Xbox Series X Fridge and held an Xbox Series X Fridge sweepstakes that gave fans a chance to win one of these glorious kitchen appliances inspired by the Xbox Series X.

The one.

The only. Xbox Series X Fridge giveaway. Follow and retweet with #XSXFridgeSweeps for a chance to win the Xbox Series X Fridge. Ends 11/04/20. Rules: https://t.co/4P5hCSBPcy pic.twitter.com/MAt7xcTTQ4 — Xbox (@Xbox) October 28, 2020

Following the victory, Greenberg thanked everyone for voting and shared that the "first [Xbox Series X Mini Fridge] will be filled with games & headed to our friends @Skittles of course!" Skittles tried to rally its fans in a similar fashion, by promising to bring back lime skittles, but it appears the allure of a fridge shaped like an Xbox won out. "Congratulations to @Xbox on the win," Skittles wrote on Twitter. "Definitely a tough one, but a HUGE thanks to all of our friends, family, fans and #mcyt for rallying for SKITTLES. We love you all! (but what are we going to do with all these non-refundable limes we ordered? If only we had a fridge)." Luckily, for Skittles and Xbox fans, there will be a chance to own your very own Xbox Series X Mini Fridge in the future. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/16/xbox-series-x-size-compared-to-a-banana"] [poilib element="accentDivider"] Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com. Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.