The limited-edition Nintendo Wii Supreme is the most expensive game console ever made, but is it truly worth its weight in gold? When the Nintendo Wii first became available in 2006, it cost $249. It quickly became one of the company’s most successful home consoles, selling over 100 million units. However, Nintendo was unaware of the various unofficial luxury variants of its popular console.
One of these variants was a gold-plated Wii made specifically for Queen Elizabeth by defunct game developer THQ in May 2009 as a sort of publicity stunt (via CNN). This gleaming custom-made Wii was not given to Her Royal Highness, but was instead auctioned off by its new owner years later. The royal edition Wii was originally priced at $300,000, but here’s the kicker: even at that price, it wasn’t the most expensive game console. Enter the Wii Supreme, yet another glitzy custom job that debuted the same year, albeit at a much higher price than any previous Wii.
NES is silver, this Wii is golden … literally
Stuart Hughes designed the Nintendo Wii Supreme, who also designed the $190,000 iPad Supreme. According to its seller, the Wii Supreme costs £299,995 (approximately $365,000) and is made of over 2,500 grams of 22-karat solid gold. Multiple flawless diamonds totaling 19.5 karats adorn the golden Wii’s buttons, complementing its solid gold exterior. It took six months to construct the “ultimate gaming station,” according to its creator.
Aside from being the most expensive game console ever created, the Wii Supreme is also quite scarce due to its limited production of only three units. Its raw materials alone are worth around $200,000 to $300,000. (via Engadget). If that’s the case, a buyer should be a huge Wii fan if they’re willing to spend an extra $100,000 or more just to get those valuable materials on a decades-old machine. Who, after all, would be willing to do such a thing?
Is the most expensive console worth the money?
When it comes to expensive video game consoles, the most expensive console sold online was $360,000. (via Guinness World Records). A rare Nintendo PlayStation prototype that served as a historic piece representing Nintendo and Sony’s failed joint venture held the record. THQ’s gold-plated Wii, on the other hand, did not receive comparable bids when it was auctioned off at Goldin. Bidding for the royal-themed Wii began at $1,500 and progressed to a winning bid of $30,000.
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The Nintendo Wii Supreme, of course, contains a lot more gold and precious stones than the aforementioned console, but whether its value will hold in the long run remains to be seen. One thing is certain: the buyer will have a difficult time finding replacement parts because Nintendo has already closed its Wii service center. Perhaps the most expensive game console ever created isn’t even meant to be played on, but rather to be admired as a collector’s piece of art.
