Gaming
New Study Reveals the Hidden Gaming-Gems Worth a Fortune
- Slotswise reveals the card games, video games and gaming consoles you could own that are worth up to $85,100
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Investing in retro games for the future? Trends predict how much they could be worth by 2050
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Own a copy of Stadium Events on Nintendo? Its current sale price is more than $30,000
We’ve all heard of retro-tech and old school games that have ended up being worth a fortune, whether it’s a 1st Edition Shadowless Charizard that sold for $360,000 at auction or an original gaming console – so could you potentially have a gold mine hidden in the loft?
Slotswise has produced a study looking at how much your retro games are worth in 2021 and what they could be worth should you be wanting to make an investment for a future sale.
Taking into account the product release price, release date and current price, a prediction for 2050 was made based on its increase in value over time.
Blue Eyes Shining Dragon Retro Pack Could Be Worth $30,000 by 2050
The study analysed gaming cards such as Pokemon and Yu Gi Oh to find the top 10 most profitable. When looking at the top five alone, the average predicted percentage price increase by 2050 is 162%.
|
Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Release Price ($) |
Current Value ($) |
2050 Prediction ($) |
% Increase to Current Value |
% increase to 2050 Value |
|
1 |
Blue Eyes Shining Dragon Retro Pack |
2009 |
$2.50 |
$9,000 |
$30,743.96 |
359900% |
241.60% |
|
2 |
Blue Eyes White Dragon First Edition PSA 10 |
2002 |
$2.50 |
$85,100 |
$214.985.66 |
3403900% |
152.63% |
|
3 |
Red Eyes B. Dragon 1st Edition |
2002 |
$2.50 |
$13,600 |
$34,354.08 |
543900% |
152.60% |
|
4 |
Base Set 1 Charizard #4 |
1999 |
$2.50 |
$15,000 |
$34,769.43 |
599900% |
131.80% |
|
5 |
Base Set 1 Blastoise #2 |
1999 |
$2.50 |
$2,000 |
$4,633.07 |
79900% |
131.65% |
Blue Eyes Shining Dragon Retro Pack is the most profitable pack you can find. Released in 2009, the card sold for just $2.50 but if you were lucky enough to pull this particular pack, it could be with up to $9,000 today.
Would you be tempted to sell if you do own one, or is it better to hold out a little longer? According to the analysis, if the pack continues to rise in value at the same rate, it could be worth more than $30,700 by 2050 – a 241.6% increase.
Another stand-out card is the Base Set 1 Charizard #4, which when released as a pack, sold for $2.50. Now, the card itself is worth a staggering $15,000 and could be worth up to $34,769.43 by 2050.
Shantae Shows a 150% Increase in Value by 2050
If video games are more of your style, there’s plenty of opportunities to make money from your collection. The research also looked at retro video games across a number of operating systems to find which have seen the highest increase in value from their release date.
|
Rank |
Game |
Release Date |
Release Price ($) |
Current Value ($) |
2050 Prediction ($) |
% Increase to current Value |
% Increase to 2050 Value |
|
1 |
Shantae |
2002 |
$30 |
$1,863.42 |
$4,661.81 |
6111.41% |
150.17% |
|
2 |
Harvest Moon |
1996 |
$54.99 |
$609.93 |
$1,253.65 |
1009.16% |
105.54% |
|
3 |
Mega Man V |
1994 |
$30 |
$948.20 |
$1,934.42 |
3060.68% |
104.01% |
|
4 |
Earthbound |
1994 |
$70 |
$1,160.58 |
$2,331.95 |
1557.97% |
100.93% |
|
5 |
Stadium Events |
1987 |
$40 |
$36,753.33 |
$68,067.64 |
91783.33% |
85.20% |
Shantae, released in 2002, proves to have the highest increase in resale price if it continues to rise in value. At its current rate, it will be worth $1,253.65 in 2050. With a release price of $54.99, its current value has jumped to more than $600.
A noticeable standout game from the study was Stadium Events for Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). Released in 1987 for a then retail price of $40, the game has seen a huge leap in its collectable prowess. If you own a copy of the game, 2021 prices are showing it to be more than $36,000 – a 91783% increase.
Just 2 of the Top 5 Games Consoles Show an Increase in Value
However, not all retro tech is profitable. When looking at video game consoles, just two of the eight studied have seen an increase in value since their launch price.
If you happen to own a Nintendo 64 Gold Edition, its current value is $775.80 – an increase from its release price of $199. Based on its current trajectory, in 2050, the console could be worth up to $1,445.02.
The original GameBoy is also a console that would see you make a profit. Released in 1989 at a price of $89.99, its current value is $128.82, increasing to a potential $164.01 in 2050.
As the study shows, the second-hand gaming industry is a very desirable place for those looking to sell old games. With prices in the thousands, it might be a good time to start digging out your old stock.
You can full the full study here: https://www.slotswise.com/past-present-and-future-gaming-investments/
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Adam Smart Director of Product Gaming at AppsFlyer
AppsFlyer State of Gaming Report: AI Is Flooding Mobile Gaming Marketing Channels and Raising the Cost of Standing Out
State of Gaming for Marketers 2026 reveals how AI-driven scale, global UA spend, and China-based publishers are reshaping mobile gaming competition
AppsFlyer, the Modern Marketing Cloud, today released the State of Gaming for Marketers 2026, an in-depth analysis of how AI, creative scale, and rising paid pressure reshaped mobile gaming marketing in 2025. Drawing on AppsFlyer data, the report examines how studios adapted as marketing activity expanded faster than player attention.
In 2025, AI-enabled production coincided with a sharp increase in advertising across iOS and Android. Creative output scaled rapidly across all spending tiers, with top gaming advertisers producing between 2,400 and 2,600 creative variations per quarter, up 25–30% YoY. That expansion increased pressure on paid acquisition channels. Paid install share rose 10% YoY across iOS and Android, while ad impressions increased 20%, indicating a significant rise in the number of ads competing for the same pool of players. To manage rising marketing volume and fragmentation, AI-enabled tools became a common part of daily workflows with 46% of AI assistant queries focused on reporting and performance breakdowns, reflecting the need for faster visibility as data volumes grew.
“AI has dramatically increased the speed and volume at which games and marketing assets reach the market,” says Adam Smart, Director of Product, Gaming at AppsFlyer. “The result is not a shortage of creativity, but a surplus of it. As paid activity and creative supply expand faster than player attention, marketing success depends on how effectively teams can measure, interpret, and act on an increasing volume of fragmented signals.”
Additional key insights from the State of Gaming for Marketers 2026
- Global gaming app UA spend reached $25B in 2025. Midcore UA spend increased 28% YoY on iOS, while Android spend remained largely flat.
● China-headquartered publishers increased their share of global gaming UA spend. Their share grew by 26% YoY in the UK, and 22% globally, with gains strongest on Android.
● iOS paid installs reached record highs. Share in the UK rose across Casino (+13%), Hypercasual (+10%), and Midcore (+30%).
● iOS advertisers expanded media mix to find incremental scale. iOS gaming advertisers increased the number of media sources they used by up to 15% YoY, reflecting growing fragmentation and the need to diversify beyond core channels.
● AI is still used primarily to manage marketing scale, not strategy. With 46% of AI assistant queries focused on reporting and performance breakdowns, teams are using AI to keep pace with rising data volumes rather than replace decision-making, but some genres are already employing more complex tasks and asks.
Methodology
AppsFlyer’s State of Gaming for Marketers 2026 is based on anonymized, aggregated data from 9.6 thousand gaming apps worldwide, analyzing 24.8 billion total installs, including 14.1 billion paid installs, alongside ad spend, creative production, monetization, AI-assisted workflows, and media source usage across iOS and Android during 2025.
The full report is available at: appsflyer.com/resources/reports/gaming-marketers/
The post AppsFlyer State of Gaming Report: AI Is Flooding Mobile Gaming Marketing Channels and Raising the Cost of Standing Out appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Arena Racing Company
Arena Racing Company awarded United Arab Emirates Gaming-Related Vendor License
Arena Racing Company (ARC) has been granted a Gaming-Related Vendor license from the United Arab Emirates’ General Commercial Gaming Authority (GCGRA), an independent entity of the UAE Federal Government with exclusive jurisdiction to regulate, license, and supervise all commercial gaming activities.
The license, operational with immediate effect, affords ARC the opportunity to provide its products and services to licensed operators in the region. Notably, the Racing1 Markets service, an all-in-one horse and greyhound racing solution delivered in conjunction with Racing1 alliance media rights partners at 1/ST CONTENT, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), and Tabcorp, alongside technical partner Pythia Sports. ARC has been added to the list of licensed vendors as per the GCGRA website.
Jack Whitaker, Commercial Manager at ARC, said: “Obtaining this license is a great achievement for ARC and its Racing1 partners. The emerging regulated UAE market is incredibly exciting, and we look forward to showcasing our innovative products and services in the region.”
The post Arena Racing Company awarded United Arab Emirates Gaming-Related Vendor License appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry Newsroom.
Battle of the Tribes
POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER
Reading Time: 2 minutes
Celebrated strategy game The Battle of Polytopia confirms its first ever World Championships has exceeded expectations with over 10,000 sign-ups in its qualifying rounds. While no stranger to tournaments, previously hosting smaller scale, local tournaments called ‘Polysseums’, developer Midjiwan’s first step into global esports has been met with extreme success. The inclusive esports event has a $10,000 prize pool and will conclude on 6 December 2025, 14:00-21:00.
The finals will take place in front of a live-studio audience, with expert commentary and a chance to peek behind the scenes at Midjiwan itself. First place will receive $4,000, the runner-up will take away $2,000, the third and fourth place finishers will get $1,500, and the fifth and sixth place $500.
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 is being hosted by eSports platform, Challengermode, who Midjiwan has relied on for its monthly local tournaments since 2022. Midjiwan also partnered with Black Molly Entertainment to help organise and manage the event. Black Molly Entertainment have years of experience managing eSports tournaments, with notable events including the Geoguesser World Cup and CS:GO Pinnacle Cup Championship.
Midjiwan has worked closely with its community to ensure engagement is high with each round, building a bespoke ‘Spectator Mode’ into the game so fans can watch each game live through the game itself. In the spectator mode the viewer has visibility of all players simultaneously, with stats on how many cities, technologies, kills and more available for quick access.
Christian Lovstedt, CEO of Midjiwan commented:
“Polytopia has always been about welcoming all kinds of players into the world of 4X strategy. That’s why our championship is open to everyone – not just pros with sponsors. We’ve been thrilled at the amount of interest this tournament received from our community, reaching participation numbers way beyond our expectations. We’re excited to bring the finalists to Stockholm and can’t wait to see the strategies that emerge.”
The Polytopia World Championship 2025 kicked off in September, with its ‘Battle of the Tribes’ qualifying round – weekly battles where players competed to be the best in each of the game’s 12 tribes. After an exciting six weeks, the top player from each tribe faced-off, reducing the qualifiers to six finalists. These six winners are listed down below.
|
Tribe |
Qualifying Player |
|
IMPERIUS |
ArthurL248 |
|
BARDUR |
slimmingboy |
|
OUMAJI |
Dreamlander3000 |
|
HOODRICK |
Theetat |
|
XIN-Xi |
LeLiberateur |
|
LUXIDOOR |
Meisterlampe |
Recaps of each round of the tournament prior to the finals can be watched on the official Battle of Polytopia YouTube channel.
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Part 1: Polytopia World Championship 1st Qualifiers Wrap-Up – BARDUR, IMPERIUS, KICKOO, ZEBASI
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Part 2: Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Oumaji Hoodrick Yadakk & Quetzali – World Champoinship 2025
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Part 3: Final Qualifiers Wrap-Up – Xin-Xi, Luxidoor, Ai-Mo & Vengir – World Championship 2025
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Face-off stream: https://youtube.com/live/GnU6mWPoJiY?feature=share
To watch the finals live on December 6,visit here: https://polytopia.io/stream/
To stay up to date on the Polytopia World Championship 2025, or purchase one of the limited tickets for the live event, visit the official website or join the Official Polytopia Discord.
The post POLYTOPIA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2025 BREAKS RECORD PARTICIPATION AS FINALS DRAW CLOSER appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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