We'd bet that everyone reading this has a game collection of some size. It may have been amassed over multiple decades and contain a range of retro classics, it may be mostly from the past couple of console generations, and in every case there are likely some titles we wish we still had but have traded-in for a newer, shinier game.
It's safe to say that Michael Thommason, from New York, wasn't one to trade anything in. He owned the largest certified collection — as acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records — which was officially totalled at 10,607 games, though unofficially he placed the number at nearer 12,000. It's a staggering range that you can see in the video below.
Due to real-world and family commitments, however, Thommason decided to auction off the collection, which includes the games, the Guinness record certificate and a lifetime subscription to Retro magazine; 56 bids were made before Peeps_10091970 secured the collection, paying a whopping $750,250 at its close. That includes over 2600 factory sealed games, with the remainder boxed with manuals.
Though Thommason will lose his collection, it seems like a handsome financial reward for his outstanding efforts.
[source eurogamer.net]
Comments 54
This is the best sub-headline ever!
@HarryK so true. lmao right now
Would love it, and the 10 lifetimes required to play them all
It would break my heart giving away everything
LOL yeah. I agree with the first two posters.
I hope he just wanted the money and wasn't forced into selling his collection by an evil wife! Not a bad average price per game though
That is so many games. Some of my friends think my collection of about 100 is large. I would be so devastating parting with a collection of that size. But that $750k in reward would make it a little better.
Dat subheading... Hilarious, as others have already mentioned. Mostly because it's true.
That's a decent take for 12K games. I have no idea what he paid originally for most of them but he could have actually made a profit on the investment. Hope he has a small collection left to keep himself busy.
@Nintenjoe64
Since that is about the cost of a custody battle I'm guessing evil ex-wife.
He will regret selling off the collection. I think that his wife persuaded him to do it.
@Nintenjoe64 I agree. I posted a similar comment.
dont see why the record would be 10,000 games. Hell i know at least 5 people with close to that number
That subheadline is so true.
Ever wonder what the difference between a hoarder and a collector are? I feel like it's only organizational skills, but both will trap you when your possessions own you. I'm proud of this guy for breaking off that stuff, I can't imagine how exhausting it was to keep up that collection.
Didn't NL make an interview with this guy a few months ago? Where he clearly said that his family was his priority?
For some reason, that doesn't quite sound high enough for so many games, all of which are apparently complete packages.
Oh my gosh that is the best sub headline in the entire history of this site.
So Eurogamer, did peeps pay already? I think him and catch were shill bidders. One of them activity of taking the auction from 100k to 500k all by them-self is very suspicious for one. I think their aim was not to win but give it to someone below by blocking any other bids from taking place (as you would have to beat 500k rather than 70k). The collection is not worth 700k at all (the interviews make it sound like it is padded out by buying anything that is $10 or less) in the traditional sense. In a time and effort sense, possibly.
So yeah until there is evidence of being collected by someone and money transfered it is not a closed book if you ask me. The auction ending at 750k is fact but it is unclear if it has been sold.
If it does go trough I wonder if gamegravel will waive some of the fixed 5% fee here. 37.5k is a lot...
@slidecage He reached 10,000 and contacted the records people (he thought it was a good figure). They came round to verify 10,000 unique titles.
@shigulicious I think he has plans to rebuild a collection.
I try to keep my collection personal on a "these are the games I like" scale not just every cheap or boxed version i come across that i don't own yet
this helps to keep the collection not extremely space consuming but they are also games i have fond memories of playing as a kid or man(child).
These games are for me what pictures are to some. containers of my memories,
I'll take 3/4 of a million over a video game collection
The digital age has ruined any chance of me ever amassing a large trophy room of games. But considering the size of my apartment, that's probably a good thing.
That is the best subheading ever.
I'd take 750k for all of my games... then you can just rebuy ones you want to play and still be set for life.
Statistically, $750,000 / 10,000 games = Approx $75 per game. This guy definitely made a profit.
@hypercoyote A hoarder is a collector of everything. Hoarding is saving things with no real value and no real common ground. Considering these are all video games, this is a collection, not a hoard.
@sinalefa That was someone else, unless my memory deceives me.
75 per game is an hell of a value. Personally ilke to think collections on the narrowest waypossible. For exemple. I only collect albums made by Ritchie Blackmore. This includes side projects and participations. Collet "hard rock albums" is way out of hand ij my view. This guy made a nice deal. Hope he can build a new. More focused collection.
He's an Arsenal fan, he clearly doesn't know what he is doing.
@ThomasBW84
True, it was Aaron Norton, aka NintendoTwizer. He "only" has around 5,200 games.
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2014/03/ninterview_aaron_nintendotwizer_norton_and_the_ultimate_retro_collection
@ShadJV I guess that's in the eyes of the collector. I've seen people collect some pretty worthless things before. I think part of collecting things is the hit or miss chance of the value increasing on the items.
That subheading almost made me choke on my own laughter.
Brilliant sub-title!!
To Peeps_10091970, good luck whittling down your backlog.
@Genesaur I was thinking the same thing. I feel like he should have gotten little over a million for it.
The GameSpot joke just seems so right.
FOOL!!! I would've sold it for so much more...
Will the winning bidder actually follow through with payment? I hear so often of high bid video game auctions where the buyer doesn't follow through...
The World's Largest Video Game Collection is Sold for $750,250...
Probably would have only got $100 store credit in a GameStop trade-in
You won the internets in the whole history of Nintendolife, Sir @ThomasBW84.

What about that Adol guy that listed his collection at a million Euros on ebay (it was a million something, probaby ebay's max amount) a couple years ago?
(complete sets for 22 consoles, I recall he said)
It ended up in a museum but did he sell it or donate?
That's about $70 a game, which is profit depending on what games were in the collection.
wow what a rubbish price i bet buying each game new would have cost triple that. If he had sold the most costly games off on ebay could have got 1000 for 4 games. Why did he sell them all to get a ps4 ? lol
This didn't sell for the final price. I don't consider it sold until money and product have changed hands. There is zero chance someone will pay 750K USD for this lot. That price is too high per game, and as noted, the bidding patterns and jumps in bid increments scream fraud. He might be able to work down the list of bidders and get 80-90 K for it.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmrXdGeIgAAEcFM.png:large
Seems to apply
Worlds largest video game collection & it only got him $750k? I think he got ripped off. I would've thought it would be worth at least $1 million. Probably would've earned more selling it individually but I guess that's too much leg work.
The tagline...nothing could be closer to the truth.
Its pretty cool that guy sold his collection for so much, but Im with everyone else, the tagline is so true and funny
@KodyDawg their trade-ins are good when you have a game to trade in that is not that old, otherwise they're real rip-off artists, but it is your decision to say yes or no to there price
@KodyDawg
Sorry, but they pretty much suck! Sure, I've found some real gems in the used sections, but it's extremely rare (99% of the time I won't trade in games I own). Considering eBay exists and is trustworthy, there are better deals to be had on both sides of buying and selling new and used video games. Oh, and they're the only 'crappy game store' left in the country.
Friends dont let friends shop at gamestop....
dat sub HD graphics tho.
@antipop621
I don't think they have any intention of paying, the bidding looked suspicious
And we complain about our backlog of games.
"Probably would have only got $100 store credit in a GameStop trade-in."
That figure is probably a bit too generous. Maybe $80 and a 20% off any item coupon.
I'm probably just past 6,000 games in my collection but wow his collection makes mine look silly!!!!
Oh no! Poor Michael... I'd have sold vital organs before selling off a collection THAT vast.
Also, those shipping charges are gonna suuuuuuuck.
@HarryK I love that the very first comment says exactly what I was hoping to say. Minus the t.
@kurtasbestos Sorry, German auto-correct Fixed it.
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