In a move that stunned gamers and collectors alike, a sealed 2017 copy of Epic Games’ Fortnite—originally priced around $60—recently sold at auction for a record-shattering $42,500. The sale, held by Heritage Auctions, marks the most expensive copy of a modern, online-only game ever recorded.
Why This Copy Is Worth So Much
Ultra-rare physical release — The copy is an Xbox One version from Fortnite’s original 2017 print run, produced in limited quantities before the game exploded in popularity.
Perfect condition, graded to mint standard — It received the highest possible rating from video game grading firm Wata Games (10 A++), indicating the box, seal, and contents are effectively flawless. No other copy—for Xbox or PlayStation—had achieved that grade.
Historic context: pre-Battle Royale rarity—This disc includes the original “Save the World” PvE mode and an early “Storm Master Weapon Pack” cosmetics bundle—content that predates the free-to-play Battle Royale phenomenon that turned Fortnite into a global juggernaut.
Scarcity plus hype—after Fortnite went digital-only and became a cultural phenomenon, unopened physical copies like this became exceedingly rare—and the combination of rarity, condition, and historical significance drove bidding to astronomical levels.
From $60 to $42,500: The Market Leap
This isn’t just a steep increase—it’s a rewriting of what collectors thought possible for modern games. Previous sales of Fortnite discs rarely cracked five figures. The copy’s $42.5K sale more than tripled the former high mark (which had been under $15,000) and drastically raised the bar for what a “rare modern game” can fetch.
Collectors now see Fortnite not just as a game but as a cultural artifact—a snapshot of gaming history just before one of the industry’s biggest paradigm shifts (to free-to-play, live-service games).
What’s Inside (And What You’re Actually Buying)
The disc comes sealed — meaning no one has opened it — and includes:
The 2017 “Save the World” PvE mode (the original mode before Battle Royale took over)
The “Storm Master Weapon Pack”—a cosmetic/weapon pack bundled at launch.
Because modern players largely download Fortnite digitally—especially the now-iconic Battle Royale mode—this physical copy no longer holds functional value for most. What it represents now is history, rarity, and nostalgia: a relic of a different era of gaming.
What This Sale Means for Gaming Collectibles
This record-breaking sale is more than a headline—it could reshape the market for modern game collecting:
It proves a “recent” game—one released in the past decade—can become a high-value collectible.
It highlights the power of grading (like Wata’s 10 A++). A simple plastic seal can transform a cheap game into a high-ticket item.
It underscores how much the gaming world has changed: physical copies of games are increasingly rare as digital downloads dominate. That rarity—especially for sealed, early-run editions—can translate to big money.
It might encourage other collectors to dig through old storage boxes, local game shops, or resale platforms to hunt for similar sealed gems.
