Reddit user Lanai recently received a very belated birthday present from their parents and was surprised to find it was a still-sealed copy of Pokémon Blue now worth thousands of dollars. Pokémon Blue is the first installment of the now insanely popular franchise, released in Japan in 1996 alongside Pokémon Red for the Nintendo Game Boy.
Combined, Pokémon Blue and Red were the fastest-selling Game Boy titles in the US, selling over 4 million copies merely four months after their release in North America in 2018. Globally, Blue and Red have sold over 31 million copies, and Pokémon is the highest-grossing franchise of all time, surpassing even the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and Star Wars, with over $100 billion in revenue. Initially inspired by game designer Satoshi Tajiri’s interest in insect collecting, the game introduces players to the first generation of 151 Pokémon, which can be captured, traded, and used to fight in battles.
As first reported by Dexerto, Reddit user Lanai posted a picture of a sealed copy of Pokémon Blue, stating that their parents had purchased the game for them as a birthday gift, but promptly forgot about it, until now. Lanai was surprised to find that the “new” Pokémon game their parents wanted to give them was in fact, the 1998 Game Boy title. The post quickly went viral as Pokémon fans rushed to inform Lanai that the sealed game was now worth anywhere from $3000 to $20000 USD, and was urged to have the title sent off for professional grading.
My parents called and asked if I was interested in a new Pokemon game. Wasn’t exactly expecting this one. from gaming
Despite being informed of the incredible rise in the Pokemon games’s value, Lanai was not interested in selling their gift as it held more sentimental value rather than monetary, stating “I am beyond lucky to have this game in such great condition but even luckier to have it as a physical representation of my parents love and what was a blessed childhood. This will be a keepsake I plan to hold onto.” They did, however, go on to mention their copy of Pokémon Blue will be sent off to be professionally evaluated, and stored in a protective case for preservation. Considering the continued popularity and success of the Pokémon franchise, it comes as little surprise that rare collectibles such as the sealed Pokémon Blue are fetching so much in price.
Recently in 2020, a Pokémon Red copy with a grading of 9.8 was sold at an auction for $84,000. Similarly, the Pokémon Trading Card Game, also released around the same time in 1998, is more popular than ever. Sales of the cards were up 500% in 2020, and a first edition Charizard card sold for over $200,000 just last October. Those looking to get their hands on older Pokémon collectibles should look to do so sooner rather than later, as it’s doubtful the world’s love for the franchise is dissipating anytime soon. In the case of Reddit user Lanai, their belated present was no doubt a very lucky find.
Source: Dexerto, Lanai/Reddit