So is David Perry’s two-player Computer Space arcade machine, apparently. Perry, the programmer of 1994’s Earthworm Jim and co-founder of the game streaming company Gaikai, is selling a fully functional two-player Computer Space cabinet on RR Auction, and the bids are rolling in. As of August 12, it’s sitting at $6,748 with 12 bids, and it’s estimated to sell for more than $20,000.
Perry explained on social media, “I ran out of space and am selling my Computer Space arcade machine at auction (two-player). It’s probably the rarest arcade game in existence, found in museums.”
And here’s how the cabinet is described on the RR Auction page:
“The front control panel features a 25-cent quarter slot, a coin return button, a red ‘Start Game’ button, a green ‘Two Player Operation’ button, and two original rotational joysticks topped with red ‘Fire Missile’ buttons…. The cabinet is in fine condition, with some slight scuffing and scratching to the body; the machine itself lights up, and the screen is functional. Original working 2-player Computer Space arcades are practically unobtainable and very rarely offered for public sale, with this example all the more impressive for its immaculate cabinet and original parts.”
The auction went live on July 24 and it ends on August 20 at 7PM ET, though bids must be placed by 6PM ET on the final day in order to participate in the final round, which always gets wild. After 7PM, participants have 30 minutes to challenge the top bid, and the timer restarts after each new high bid. It’s exactly the kind of tension-addled system that should appeal to fans of space combat sims, actually.
The Computer Space arcade machine lot is part of a broader auction called Steve Jobs & the Computer Revolution: The Apple 50th Anniversary Auction Part Two, which features a wealth of early-tech-days memorabilia, including personal belongings of Steve Jobs, signed photos of notable CEOs, an Atari Video System X ‘All Black’ Prototype Console, plus vintage computers, iPods and iPhones. It’s all going down on RR Auction, and bidding ends at 7PM ET on August 20.