Video Games

Gamers will be soon able to play football on the new generation of consoles for the first time. Madden NFL 22 is set to be released Aug. 20 (with preorder access available on Aug. 17), marking the debut of the series on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.

As the game moves forward into the next generation, there are some notable changes coming to the series. Many of these are improvements or additions that should only make this year's Madden better.

Even though the game won't be released until later this month, plenty of information has already been released. So we have an idea of what to expect when hopping on to the virtual gridiron this year.

Here's some of the latest information regarding Madden NFL 22, which will feature both Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on the cover.

                

Player Ratings

EA Sports has already revealed the ratings for every player in this year's game, which can be found on its online database. So there won't be any surprises when you load up Madden NFL 22 for the first time.

Each year, the best players in the game get 99 overall ratings. In Madden NFL 22, there are only five players in the exclusive 99 Club to begin the year: Mahomes, Los Angeles Rams defensive end Aaron Donald, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.

Your #Madden22 99 Club members. 🔥 (via @thecheckdown)@EAMaddenNFL pic.twitter.com/4earGhq20D

— NFL (@NFL) July 30, 2021

That means four of the five 99 overall players are on either the Chiefs or Rams. Kansas City also has one of the four players with a 98 rating, which is wide receiver Tyreek Hill.

One of the most exciting parts of a new Madden game is seeing how the incoming rookies are rated. This year, the rookie with the best rating is Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, who came in at an 81. Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 pick, is close behind at a 78.

After Pitts and Lawrence, there are five rookies who are rated at a 76: Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, Denver Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II, Pittsburgh Steelers running back Najee Harris, Cleveland Browns cornerback Greg Newsome II and Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr.

The initial ratings aren't permanent for any player as updates will be released throughout the year, meaning players' ratings could go up or down based on performance.

      

New Features

Finally, there are some noticeable improvements coming to franchise mode. Gamers have been clamoring for EA Sports to provide upgrades for several years, and the company has listened and implemented some for Madden NFL 22.

There will be staff management so that coordinators can be hired and fired underneath your team's head coach, along with skill points and talent trees for upgrades. Scouting and weekly strategies have been greatly improved, as well as the season engine and cinematics. Plus, the franchise hub has been redesigned for a fresh look.

A full look at all the improvements to franchise mode can be found at EA.com.

Face of the Franchise, the story-driven career mode featured in recent years, will also have some substantial improvements. Now, your player can be either a quarterback, running back, wide receiver or linebacker. And again, college flashbacks and NFL draft events will be implemented into the mode.

The Yard and Superstar KO will also have some new features. The Yard will have new locations and a ranked mode, while Superstar KO is introducing a co-op eliminator mode.

            

Ultimate Team

Every year, Madden Ultimate Team is one of the modes where gamers dedicate a ton of their time. That will again be the case for Madden NFL 22.

Not a ton has been announced about this year's edition of Ultimate Team, but gamers know what to expect. There will be challenges and competitions as players try to collect the best cards and assemble the best possible team to take into games, both online and offline.

Promotions held throughout the year will release better cards into the game. But at launch, the best cards won't be rated too highly.

EA Sports recently revealed the top 10 cards to start, with Adams coming in with the best one at an 88:

#Madden22 MUT Top 10:

10.) @thegob70
9.) @RyanRamczyk1
8.) @DeAndreHopkins
7.) @cheetah
6.) @jalenramsey
5.) @KingHenry_2
4.) @PatrickMahomes
3.) @AaronDonald97
2.) @tkelce
1.) @tae15adams pic.twitter.com/JCwIakZwrO

— Madden Ultimate Team (@EASPORTS_MUT) July 30, 2021

The cards will get better from there, and later in the year, gamers will be fielding teams with all 99 rated players. But a lot of work (or money spent) will have to be put into the game during the season to get to that point.

EA Sports named Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes a member of the exclusive 99 Club for Madden NFL 22 on Friday.

Madden made the announcement with the following video of Mahomes receiving his 99 Club-related swag:

9️⃣9️⃣ Club (x3) @PatrickMahomes 🚀

@brittanylynne8 @Chiefs | #Madden22 pic.twitter.com/CB6miHcho2

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 30, 2021

Mahomes, who is the Madden NFL 22 cover athlete along with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady, has now been part of the Madden 99 Club in each of the past three years.

Along with Mahomes, EA Sports named Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams, Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and Los Angeles Rams teammates Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey to the 99 Club for the game's latest iteration.

In just four NFL seasons and three as a starter, Mahomes has already made a massive impact.

The 25-year-old is a three-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All-Pro in addition to being an NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP.

In 2018, which was his first season as a starter, Mahomes threw for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns and 12 interceptions en route to being named league MVP.

The following year, Mahomes led the Chiefs to the Super Bowl and a win over the San Francisco 49ers. That marked Kansas City's first title in 50 years.

Last season, Mahomes was terrific again, throwing for 4,740 yards, 38 touchdowns and six picks, which was good for a third-place finish in the MVP voting.

Mahomes also took the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year, although they fell to Brady and the Bucs 31-9.

With Mahomes at the helm, the Chiefs will remain one of the top title threats for years to come.

We may not fully know how to pronounce his name, but we do know exactly where Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce stands among his peers.

The three-time All-Pro received a 99 overall rating in Madden NFL 22, making him one of three players so far to earn the coveted distinction. Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and Green Bay Packers wide receiver Davante Adams are the others.  

Third member of this year’s @eamaddennfl 9️⃣9️⃣ club: @tkelce

Last year:
— 2nd in rec. yards
— 5th in catches
— 6th in rec. TDs

Undisputed best TE in the NFL? pic.twitter.com/gW3oPB6AHJ

— B/R Gridiron (@brgridiron) July 28, 2021

Kelce set career highs across the board in 2020, catching 105 passes for 1,416 yards and 11 touchdowns in 15 games. He was also excellent in the playoffs, finishing with 31 receptions for 360 yards and three touchdowns as Kansas City won its second straight AFC title.

Rob Gronkowski is no longer the aerial threat he was during his prime with the New England Patriots. George Kittle is coming off a 2020 campaign in which he missed eight games. Darren Waller was a Pro Bowler last year but hasn't put together a strong body of work beyond the last two seasons.

Madden ratings are an inexact science, but Kelce is unquestionably the NFL's best tight end. Since entering the league in 2013, he's first at the position in receptions (612) and yards (7,881) while sitting second behind Jimmy Graham in touchdowns (48), per Stathead.

The 31-year-old may not be the only Kansas City player in the 99 club. The quarterback ratings have yet to drop, but it's a safe bet that Patrick Mahomes, who's sharing the Madden NFL 22 cover with Tom Brady, will earn the game's highest overall rating.

An injury-plagued 2020 season wasn't enough to knock Christian McCaffrey off his perch as the top running back in the Madden NFL video game series. 

The Carolina Panthers star won't begin the season in the 99 Club like he did last year, but he is still the No. 1 player at the position with a 97 overall rating in Madden NFL 22. 

Derrick Henry of the Tennessee Titans (96), Nick Chubb of the Cleveland Browns (96), Dalvin Cook of the Minnesota Vikings (95) and Alvin Kamara of the New Orleans Saints (94) round out the top five. 

1️⃣ @CMC_22
2️⃣ @KingHenry_2
3️⃣ @NickChubb21

Give us your Top RBs #Madden22 pic.twitter.com/KCmUX5ILsx

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 28, 2021

McCaffrey was one of five players who started last year in the 99 Club. He was coming off a 2019 season in which he led the NFL in touches (403), yards from scrimmage (2,392) and total touchdowns (19). 

Ankle, quad and shoulder injuries limited McCaffrey to three games in 2020. The Stanford alum was still highly productive when healthy, racking up 374 yards from scrimmage and six total touchdowns on 76 touches.

It wouldn't be a surprise to see new Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold target McCaffrey early and often this season, so the likelihood of the runner getting back to a 99 overall seems high as long as he stays healthy. 

Based on 2020 performance, Henry would have seemed like a lock to be the No. 1 back in Madden NFL 22.

The Titans superstar was named Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year after leading the league in rushing attempts (378), rushing yards (2,027), rushing touchdowns (17), touches (397) and yards from scrimmage (2,141). 

Henry's 96 overall rating represents a three-point jump from last season's initial number.

Kamara made the most significant year-to-year leap among the top running backs. The four-time Pro Bowler was an 88 overall and No. 9 running back in Madden NFL 21. He received a six-point boost and climbed four spots into the top five thanks to a league-leading 21 total touchdowns in 2020. 

The biggest year-to-year decline among the top 10 running backs is that of Ezekiel Elliott. The Dallas Cowboys star set career lows in rushing yards (979) and yards per carry (4.0) in 15 games last season. 

Elliott went from a 92 overall in Madden NFL 21 to an 88 for this year's game and the No. 9 running back. 

EA Sports is releasing Madden NFL 22 on Aug. 20 for the PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.   

Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald was named to the Madden 99 Club for the fifth consecutive year as part of the video game's ratings reveal week on Tuesday.

Not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5️⃣ for @AaronDonald97!!

Welcome to the #99Club | #Madden22 pic.twitter.com/VQhNxeUQmb

— Madden NFL 25 (@EAMaddenNFL) July 27, 2021

Donald's overall rating is built on a group of terrific secondary ratings, including 99 strength, 99 awareness and eye-popping 82 speed for a 6'1", 280-pound lineman.

Count ‘em.

5x #99Club for @AaronDonald97. pic.twitter.com/oSwFxwAZ6W

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) July 27, 2021

The 30-year-old superstar's place in the 99 Club wasn't in much doubt. He's been the NFL's best defensive player for the better part of a decade since the Rams selected him with the 13th overall pick in the 2014 draft.

Donald tallied 45 total tackles, 13.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2020. His 85.5 sacks since he entered the league are six more than the No. 2 player on the list, the Arizona Cardinals' Chandler Jones (79.5).

The Pittsburgh native been named the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, 2018 and 2020 and has earned six straight first-team All-Pro selections on top of numerous other accolades.

From a video-game perspective, it's hard to imagine a better model for dominance. His combination of size, unmatched power and first-step quickness makes him a nightmare matchup in the virtual world much the way he is in the real world.

While Donald has likely led countless Madden players to Super Bowl titles, that's the one achievement he hasn't been able to obtain for his otherwise tremendous resume.

In February, the Pitt product said raising the Lombardi Trophy is his main goal after winning his latest Defensive Player of the Year honor.

"I know I still got a lot of work to do, a lot of room for improvement. The ultimate goal is to be holding that trophy up," Donald said. "That's what we're chasing, that's what I'm chasing, that's what I want to accomplish. And I until I accomplish that, I ain't going to be satisfied."

The Rams bolstered their roster in the offseason, highlighted by the addition of quarterback Matthew Stafford, and should be a top-tier contender in the NFC.

L.A. will kick off the regular season Sept. 12 when they host the Chicago Bears in the first Sunday Night Football contest of the year.

Madden NFL 22 will be released Aug. 20 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One.

2K Sports released the first details on new features coming to various game modes ahead of the NBA 2K22 launch on September 10.

The company says a revamped City is coming to next-gen consoles, along with new matchmaking features that should help players find a game faster. Last-gen consoles will also see an update to the Neighborhood, which will now be built on a cruise ship.

MyTEAM will see the return of the much-requested draft feature, along with making progress transferrable between console generations. 

Bringing all the modes together is the new Seasons feature, which 2K says will "bring more content, more rewards and more ways to play."

Additional new gameplay features include new signature dribbles, precision jump shooting and a "completely revamped" shot-blocking system.

In MyCAREER on next-gen consoles, players will be able to find their "hidden talents" and branch off on their careers off the court. 

"Players can now pursue side ventures to build a profile in lucrative and trendy spaces. Brush up against the fashion world, where the art of promotion will drive your success as a mogul. Or get involved in the hip-hop business, where your music talent opens up an intriguing lane in the industry," the release read. 

Further details on each mode are expected in the coming months ahead of NBA 2K22's release.

The team at Codemasters, in tandem with EA Sports, one-upped itself last year with the superb F1 2020—and now has to do so again this year with F1 2021.  

A year ago, the task was sending off the old console generation in style, signaling the storied racing series had reached its apex at the right time. Thanks to tried-and-true racing, deep systems and a My Team mode, it earned a strong response (88 on Metacritic). 

Now F1 2021 gets the torch and the task is building upon that elite foundation while breaking in the series on the next-generation consoles for the first time. 

In an effort to exceed lofty expectations, F1 2021 boasts a new narrative option with Braking Point, an underrated career mode change and a bigger emphasis on customization.  

       

Gameplay

Even to casual observers, Codemasters has been synonymous with superb simulation racing for a long time. 

F1 2021 isn't the exception. 

The series has no equal in sense of speed. It borders on breathtaking to see the screen shake, world blur and feel the rattle of the vibration as a vehicle's speed increases dramatically. 

That's expected from the series by this point, but not everything is the same or as expected. 

That F1 2021 feels notably different isn't unintentional given its desire to mimic real life as much as possible. A lessening of downforce levels in real life has led to slower times on the track. That translates to the virtual tracks and vehicles, where setups from past games won't work out well anymore and players will have to rethink everything. 

Not that it isn't an unwelcome challenge. Gameplay as a whole is still as snappy and responsive as ever—the tracks can be a harsh mistress in the confines of the new rules. Tweaking the right things, in tandem with generally improving one's skill before whipping around bends and getting podium finishes remains one of the most rewarding things in sports games. 

It seems Codemasters wasn't content to take a bow and do little else for the gameplay, either. A Casual mode added last year helped cast a net over a wider audience of players and made things more enjoyable for that crowd. 

This year, F1 2021 goes the opposite direction with Expert race style. There are more options and settings to tweak than in the past. This might not seem like much more than additional menu navigation, but it's everything to players who want every semblance of control over vehicles and game modes alike. 

It all equates to a brilliant gameplay experience. Newcomers can feel right at home gently learning the ropes. But those on the other end of the spectrum can dive even deeper. The A.I. is good, racing is fun and the speed remains top notch, earning F1 2021 a tip of the hat.

    

Graphics and Presentation

One could rightfully argue gameplay is quite a bit more important than the visuals and level of immersion in a game like this. 

That doesn't mean F1 2021 is a slouch, though. 

Each of the 21 tracks (eventually 24 after free patches) have a distinct feel like their real-world counterparts. Even better, there is droves of detail baked into each one. Granted, that doesn't mean much when the world starts to blur when speeding along a straight, but slowing it down to take it all in isn't something one could blame players for doing. 

In short, presentation and immersion is as good as it gets. The locales look just like they should for a next-gen release, and some of the highlights from last year remain. Directional sound, for example, plays a big role in cueing the player in to what other drivers are doing. 

At the same time, so does helpful commentary from teammates. Pre-and-post-race presentation is strong. It has a broadcast feel one should rightfully expect from a sporting game in 2021. Whether it's creative camera angles to show off the intricate locales or good quips from well-acted voicelines, F1 2021 is a bit of an underrated powerhouse. 

One thing seasoned players will notice is some of the UI (user interface) overhauls in various spots of the game. In online multiplayer, for example, browsing servers got a facelift, so it is a much smoother experience with plenty of information readily available. 

Over in career mode, R&D got a visual makeover that goes away from the more traditional, video-game skill trees and instead uses simplistic, informative menus to accomplish its task.

F1 2021 also runs like a dream on the next-generation consoles and PC, hitting 60 frames per second (FPS) while keeping much of the newfound graphical fidelity. 

   

Braking Point, Esports and Features

Braking Point is the big-ticket item this year.

The narrative-based mode throws players in the shoes of Aiden Jackson, who starts as a Formula 2 driver and over the course of three "seasons" the task is to move up the ladder, navigating drama, teammates, rivals, sponsorships and more. 

That's keeping it simple, of course. The mode features a whole cast of characters, including opponents and friends alike. That mentioned broadcast feel to the presentation plays a big role in the storytelling element, especially before and after races. 

It's a nice peek into the real-life pressures racers feel. That, and it's just plain fun to romp through the mode, even if it is a bit on the short side. We'll have to see how replayability feels over the long run, but it's something both new players and experts alike should try out. 

Like other sports titles lately, the story mode can almost function as a tutorial of sorts. It's a good way to get accustomed to both categories of vehicles as well as enjoy some narrative-based fun. 

Introduced last year, My Team also makes a return. One of the biggest things about the already-strong mode is a new focus stat added to the original four attributes. It's a fun wrinkle that measures a racer's performance across all stats, meaning it emulates real-world things such as motivation. It's especially interesting to see how answers to questions in pressers, for example, actually have a big impact on a teammate's performance during a race. 

Also somewhat new are the day-to-day happenings in a garage, dubbed department events. It's another strong element to the total package players can enjoy (or gloss over if it's too much micro-managing). There are even streamlined practice sessions in the form of time-saving minigames that still dole out bonuses and points. 

Career mode gets a notable boost, which is a bit of a welcome surprise—plenty of sports games have instituted new "My Team" type modes in the past and let traditional "career" modes fall to the wayside but not here.

Besides the ability to start a career in line with the current 2021 season, players can also fire up Career mode with a friend (or swap that friend out later for a different one). That can happen locally or online and said friend can be a teammate or rival, which is just enough in the way of options to make it really appealing. 

And while Braking Point is the big back-of-box mode for this year's game, it's the career mode that really moves the needle. There aren't many sports games that let a co-op career unfold like this. For example, even if players start the career mode as rivals, organically progressing and inking different contracts, etc., could have them winding up on the same team. It's an experience that doesn't have much of an equal in the sports realm. 

There's something to be said for the difficulty factor too. While normal career mode has been just fine in the past for other players, the very best of the best have walloped the A.I. on even the hardest settings. Throwing an actual human player of comparable skill into the career-mode equation is appealing. 

Here's another big mark in the positive column for F1 2021—online play. Some of the emphasis in expanding the beginner-level options to lure in more players from a year ago have made their way over to multiplayer. 

There, players can enter a Beginner Friendly section of multiplayer, which uses the Casual settings and keeps every player's car ghosted. No worries about toxic players, or even mishaps that ruin races. It's a fun, why hasn't this been done before? feature that will only help players of all skill levels enjoy the multiplayer side. 

This is also where the esports discussion comes up. Like last year, F1 2021 is bound to be a hit. Codemasters goes overboard on things like leagues, playlists and official events (and servers, of course). 

The esports segment of the game has its own section on the menu, just to stress how serious it is about it. There, players can check in on leagues, see what the pro scene is doing and participate in qualifiers. 

Giving players control of important things like rules and ways to organize tournaments only engages the competitive community even more. And especially this year, it should be thrilling to watch (via streaming) how the very best in the world adapt to the real-world changes mentioned above that have been reflected in the game itself. 

There are a wealth of options availabke. Players are free to dive into the menus and do things like boosting A.I in career mode. There's even the option to turn off media meetings at press events, R&D management or even facility management. These are welcome additions and ones that aren't seen in many sports games.  

There is also still the multiplayer via split-screen available to play and the usual suspects like Grands Prix and time trials round out a robust offering. 

    

Conclusion

F1 2021 is quite the achievement for Codemasters. 

The series has made as smooth a transition to the next generation as possible while upscaling everything in a way players have come to expect from annual releases. 

Braking Point is good fun that will hopefully continue to expand, career mode got an underrated boost and a healthy online scene will keep the community going for a long time without interruption. 

And as always, it's a deep-as-you-want experience. Tried-and-true methods to appeal to casual players last year remain and new ones help those same players in multiplayer. Would-be experts have seen options expanded, too. 

With an overarching theme of more customization and immersion, it shouldn't come as any great shock to see F1 2021 praised as the best game in the series yet. 

The market for old video games is exploding, with an unopened copy of Super Mario 64 selling for a record $1.56 million at auction Sunday.

The 1996 game for Nintendo 64 sold at Heritage Auctions in Dallas, nearly doubling the previous mark for a video game set two days earlier:

On Friday, an unopened NES copy of The Legend of Zelda set the record for the most expensive video game ever sold: $870,000 🎮

That record lasted about 48 hours.

An unopened copy of Super Mario 64 has shattered the previous mark, selling for $1.56 million at Heritage Auctions. pic.twitter.com/Xlee8AlsQm

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) July 12, 2021

According to Will Feuer of the New York Post, the game received an "A++ grade" for its impeccable condition, the highest possible rating.

"We're a bit speechless on this one," Heritage Auctions said in its item description. "What can we even say that would do this copy the justice it deserves? The cultural significance of this title and its importance to the history of video games is paramount, and the condition of this copy is just so breathtaking that we're really at a loss here."

Super Mario 64 was the best-selling game for the Nintendo 64 console, and it was the first to feature the famous Mario character in 3D.

It was enough to break the record of $870,000 for a rare sealed copy of The Legend of Zelda sold Friday. The previous mark before that was $660,000, set by a copy of Super Mario Bros. in April.

The Super Mario Bros. (9.6) and Legend of Zelda (9.0) copies were each rated highly by WataGames, but the latest copy of Super Mario 64 surpassed them both as a 9.8.

It sadly means the cartridge sitting in the back of your parents' closet for the past 20 years likely won't fetch the same return at auction.

 

EA Sports released a gameplay trailer for the FIFA 22 video game Saturday featuring its new HyperMotion technology.

The trailer heavily features Paris Saint-Germain star and FIFA 22 cover athlete Kylian Mbappe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1igaMv46SY?start=1s

In a press release Saturday, EA Sports noted that HyperMotion technology and Advanced 11v11 Match Capture will allow FIFA 22 to provide gamers with "the most realistic, fluid and responsive football experience" yet.

EA added that HyperMotion technology allows it to integrate a motion capture of 22 professional soccer players playing at high intensity for the first time ever.

Regarding HyperMotion technology, EA Sports FIFA general manager Nick Wlodyka said:

"FIFA 22 offers millions of fans around the world a chance to engage with the sport they love in an unprecedented way. Each player experiences FIFA in their own way but on-pitch gameplay is the unifying constant, so we're excited to offer deep innovation there. HyperMotion elevates that even further on next-gen consoles and Stadia and completely changes the feel of the game."

FIFA 22 marks the continuation of the highly successful video game franchise, which began in 1993 with FIFA International Soccer.

Mbappe, who stars for both PSG and the French national team, is the cover athlete for the second consecutive year.

FIFA 22 is set for worldwide release on Oct. 1, and it will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Stadia, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.

A sealed and graded copy of The Legend of Zelda for the Nintendo Entertainment System set a new record Friday for the most expensive video game to ever be sold at auction.

According to Daniel Kreps of Rolling Stone, the game sold for $870,000 through Heritage Auctions, breaking the record of $660,000 set by a copy of Super Mario Bros. in April.

Video game grading company Wata gave The Legend of Zelda a grade of 9.0. While it didn't fare as well to the 9.6 grade that Super Mario Bros. received, the scarcity of that particular copy of The Legend of Zelda put it over the top.

The Zelda game that sold for $870,000 was a NES R variant. The first production run of the game yielded the NES TM variant, followed by the NES R variant and then the far more common Rev-A variant, per Heritage Auctions.

Only two sealed copies of the NES R variant produced in 1987 are known to have been graded by Wata, and only one sealed copy of the NES TM variant is known to exist.

Since it is possible the NES TM variant will never become available to the public, Heritage Auctions noted that the NES R variant that sold Friday "is the earliest sealed copy one could realistically hope to obtain."

Regarding the sale, Heritage Auctions video game specialist Valarie McLeckie said: "I had a lot of confidence in this game, and, yet, I still feel like the reality of today's bidding exceeded my vision of how it would play out. Making history is never an easy thing. I'm just really proud we got to be part of this yet again."

Much like sports trading cards, the graded video game market has hit an all-time high since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Friday's auction is further proof that there is no end in sight to the video game boom.

Zelda is one of the most popular and recognizable franchises in the history of video games, though, meaning it will take something truly special and unique to top the record it set Friday.