Here are some of the most expensive in-game items of all time ever sold. No kidding, the prices of these items can soar to hundreds of millions.
In the immersive world of video games, virtual goods often command a higher price than the games themselves. These digital assets, be it rare weapons or limited character skins, have turned into premium items with incredible prices.
There are several factors that make items in this game expensive, such as their functionality and rarity. However, you need to remember that these items are not available to you in the real world. From MMORPGs to FPS games, the in-game item industry is expanding and growing rapidly, providing high-value items that can cost billions of dollars.
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Most expensive in-game items so far
14. Gada Echoing Fury – Diablo 3 (US$14.000)
Released in 2012 by Blizzard Entertainment, Diablo III is also known for its extremely expensive transactions and auctions, even to the point of being illegal. Within months of its launch, there were already cases of auctions with fantastic prices.
One of the items auctioned off was a mace weapon called Echoing Fury. After being auctioned, the price of this mace soared to US$14,000.
Despite the exorbitant price, there are still people who dare to buy it. Of course, Echoing Fury offers damage that is worth the price. To date, Echoing Fury remains the most expensive item in Diablo III history.
13. Dragon Slaying Saber – Age of Wushu (US$16.000)
The next most expensive in-game items is the virtual sword from Age of Wushu. During Age Of Wushu’s beta period, one year before the servers opened to the public, the developers held an auction for rare weapons in the game, including a unique weapon that looked like a meat axe called the Dragon-Slaying Saber.
The sword eventually sold for around $16,000. Hopefully, the owner who spent that much money had five happy years of dragon-hunting, as the game was shut down in 2017.
12. Treasure Island – Entropia (US$26.500)
Next up is the game Entropia. In this game, you can have your own private island, provided you are willing to pay a very high price! Interestingly, the first virtual item sold in Entropia is a treasure island.
In 2004, Entropia held an auction for the island known as Treasure Island. A player named Zachurm “Deathifier” Emegen won the auction with a bid of US$26,500.
With ownership of Treasure Island, Zachurm had the right to charge fees from other players who wanted to hunt for treasure there. In less than a year, Zachurm had already earned back his capital.
11. Gold Magnate – Eve Online (US$33.500)
Buying gold-colored items, such as pizza, toilets, or underwear, may not sound appealing to the general public today. However, in the midst of this, the decision to buy a gold-plated virtual spaceship in EVE Online has a positive impact on the world.
Scott Manly, a YouTuber from the UK who is also a gamer and astrophysicist, chose to buy a rare gold-plated Magnate-type airplane in a charity campaign called Plex for Good, which aims to raise funds to help fight wildfires in Australia.
Manly spent one million PLEX on his luxury frigate, which is worth about $33,500. On top of that, he also attracted public attention. Of course, it’s hard not to notice such a gilded ship, even in the darkness of space, both in the EVE Online game and beyond.
10. Ethereal Flames War Dog – Dota 2 (US$38.000)
The next most expensive in-game item comes from one of the most famous MOBA games in the world, Dota 2. In its collection, Dota 2 offers items with exorbitant prices. One of them is the Ethereal Flames Pink War Dog, which is a pink dog-shaped courier tasked with delivering goods from the headquarters to the team and vice versa.
In November 2013, a player was willing to spend up to US$38,000 just for this item-bearing “dog”. It may sound excessive, but for some people, the Ethereal Flames Pink War Dog is worth the price. After all, there are only four units that have that pink look and color.
9. Amsterdam – Second Life (US$50.000)
The numbers in this transaction are staggering, but the item in question is far more interesting. Not a gun or a vehicle, but a city: the Dutch capital of Amsterdam. This highly detailed reconstruction was created by a Second Life player using real photographs of the location, including running trams, shops, and also the “dark” side of the city.
The city was then auctioned online and bought by a media company based in the Netherlands. The company spent an astonishing $50,000 for the simulated city. That’s enough to pay for a very nice vacation to the real Amsterdam.
8. Souvenir AWP Dragon Lore – Counter-Strike: GO (US$61.000)
Some might consider this a form of showing off wealth, but that only applies if the owner can’t shoot fast, far, or precisely. This sniper rifle from the game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive can be found in one of the loot boxes, but the chances of getting it are slim.
So, this way of gambling is very risky for those of you who want to spend money. One CS: GO player (sort of) avoided the tedious task of spending $61,000 on this magnificent cumin-colored skin.
7. Nest Egg – Entropia (US$70.000)
With an exorbitant price tag and a luxurious backdrop, the Nest Egg is a virtual embryo known as the “spawn” of the monster Atrox Queen. This green-colored egg was sold in 2013 for a staggering US$70,000.
After waiting for six years, the Nest Egg finally hatched. However, unfortunately, what emerged from the shell was a dangerous creature named “Feffox”. Feffox’s mission was to destroy Calypso. As a result, all Entropia players were competing to defeat Feffox. Unfortunately, the price tag seemed to be in vain.
6. The Moon – Entropia (US$150.000)
Want to be the owner of the Moon? Of course you can in Entropia. In 2013, a group of investors led by a player named “Modified Akoz Power” managed to buy the Moon with an offer of US$150,000. They then renamed the Moon as “Monria”.
5. M4A4 Howl – Counter-Strike: GO ($215.000)
The next most expensive in-game item is back from CS:GO. The M4A4 Howl skin in CS:GO is a perfect example of the high value placed on aesthetics and personalization in the gaming community.
Despite being purely cosmetic and providing no in-game benefits, this rare skin, with its striking design, sold for around $215,000. This transaction highlights the importance of individuality and style in gaming, where standing out is sometimes as important as winning.
4. Crystal Palace – Entropia (US$300.000)
The Crystal Palace on Entropia is a virtual space station that is very popular as a tourist attraction. In December 2009, the Crystal Palace was sold at auction for a fantastic price of US$300,000.
Buzz Erik Lightyear was the one who won the auction. As an investment strategy, Lightyear decided to recoup his capital by setting an entrance fee of US$300.000 or the equivalent of 10 Entropian dollars for players who wanted to visit the Crystal Palace.
3. Club Neverdie – Entropia (US$635.000)
One of the most famous figures in the Entropia world, Jon Jacobs, better known as Neverdie, was recorded in the Guinness World Record book in 2010. The reason is because he is the owner of a resort called Club Neverdie, which is an exclusive place for Entropia players to gather.
Earning US$200,000 annually from Club Neverdie, Jacobs was bored and wanted to try new opportunities. Eventually, he decided to sell Club Neverdie for US$635,000.
2. Karambit Case Hardened Blue Gem – CS:GO (US$2.000.000)
The next most expensive in-game items is again from CS:GO. This Case Hardened, Factory New, 387 pattern (blue gem) Karambit was purchased in 2016 for over US$100,000. However, it could be worth much more today. The owner rejected an offer of €1.2 million (about $1.5 million USD at the time). This suggests that people should be prepared to pay more than US$1.5 million USD.
In 2023, the price went up and may now be more than US$2 million. One factor is the possibility of getting the same knife from the case at a ratio of about 1 to 371 million. This is the Karambit with blue gems, the best pattern, and the only one that is in Factory New condition.
1. Planet Calypso – Entropia (US$6.000.000)
Entropia Universe is perhaps best known for its incredible deals. The game is a Swedish development from MindArk, which proudly emphasizes the capitalism aspect of more than just gaming. One player, Jon Jacobs, even went as far as mortgaging his house to buy an asteroid for US$10,000, which he later turned into “Club Neverdie.”
Jacobs then used the club to build residences for the players and managed to recoup his investment from other players. He eventually sold it for the staggering sum of US$635,000.
Another player known for his glamorous lifestyle, Buzz Eric Lightyear, also famously bought a space station that sits above the game’s first major planet, Calypso, for US$330,000.
However, the most notable sale was that of the planet Calypso itself, which was sold by MindArk to another studio, SEE Virtual Words, for a fantastic US$6,000,000.
Unfortunately, in 2011, the cooperation between SEE and MindArk ended, and Calypso returned to MindArk’s hands.
