[UPDATE] Auction To Aid Japan: Nintendo DS Signed By Industry Luminaries

[Update #2] The autographed Nintendo DS sold for a whopping $4,050! I've contacted the seller to see if I can share a little information about them, and will update with more details tonight or tomorrow. Thank you for everyone who helped spread the word. I consider this a massive success!

[UPDATE] We’re already at $1,750! I can’t believe it! The generosity and support of the gaming community/industry is overwhelming.

On the technical side, I never expected the price to skyrocket like this. My original intent was to pay out the auction via Paypal, as most eBay business is conducted. From there I would make the donation to the Red Cross, choosing the Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami relief option and providing public proof of said donation. Now that bids have surpassed my wildest expectations, I’m not willing to let eBay take such a massive chunk out of the sale by using standard sale practices.

eBay has an option to donate 100% of proceeds to specific non-profits, including the American Red Cross. I’m working with the Red Cross directly (as I hit several frustrating roadblocks with eBay) to ensure “honor of intent” for the donation, meaning that when I alter the listing to donate directly to the Red Cross, they will guarantee the money goes to the relief effort in Japan.  I’ll keep you updated when the process is finished, but I’m positive this is the most effective way to make the donation.

Thank you all!

[ORIGINAL STORY] Hey everyone!

I spent the entire weekend brainstorming ways to utilize my skills to raise money for relief in Japan. My original idea was to create a custom Munny to sell on eBay, but time unfortunately won’t allow for that. After much thought, I’ve decided to part ways with my prized keepsake, an autographed Nintendo DS signed by some of the biggest names in gaming.

As the story goes, I was attending my first GDC back in 2007, writing for a small blog prior to my gig at Game Informer. I was asked to present awards during the annual Game Audio Network Guild ceremony, and as such was introduced to all the individuals listed below. I happened to have my Nintendo DS handy and asked each to sign it.

Meeting Miyamoto, Kondo, and the other individuals is still one of the highlights of both my career and life as a geek. I was completely dumbstruck when I walked away from the event, cradling the DS like it was a bar of gold. Someone made a joke that evening that they hoped it wouldn’t end up on eBay. Something tells me that the Nintendo creatives won't mind.

Securing my job at Game Informer a few years later has presented me with similar opportunities that I am very grateful to have experienced, and I’ve learned to rein in my fangirl tendencies a bit. Ultimately, my memories are more than enough to hang on to and if I can raise a donation of any size to aid the people of Japan, it is unquestionably worth it.

Please share this link with anyone you think may be interested in the purchase. For gamers, this is a one-of-a-kind collector’s item, and the individual also gets the satisfaction of knowing that their contribution will be fully donated to the Red Cross. Proof of the donation will be provided publicly as soon as the auction draws to a close.

You can find the auction here. I apologize for the poor quality of the photos, as our nice camera seems to be out of office on a trip, and as such I had to use my phone. I wanted to get the auction up sooner rather than later.

Thank you for your help and please spread the word!

Product Details

• An original model Nintendo DS in red.
• The DS is adorned with a Mario Kart sticker on the front, and four similar stickers on the inside. Please refer to the images.
• As far as quality, the handheld features slight wear from use before I preserved it. Again, please refer to the images.
• The DS is fully functional, but doesn’t come with a charger. I can track one down if the buyer so desires, but I highly recommend that it not be handled as it will degrade the quality of the signatures. The DS has been in a glass case for four or so years, and I urge the highest bidder to opt for a similar treatment.
• The Nintendo DS features signatures from the following industry icons.
  • Shigeru Miyamoto: One of the most iconic video game designers in history. Miyamoto is credited with the creation of Mario, Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda, Star Fox, and more.
  • Koji Kondo: A legendary video game composer who composed the classic Mario and Zelda tunes, among many others.
  • Charles Martinet:  Mario’s official voice actor since 1995. He also provides voices for Luigi, Wario, Waluigi, and more.
  • Eiji Aonuma: A video game designer and director who oversaw several Legend of Zelda titles including Ocarina of time, Majora’s Mask, Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Phantom Hourglass, and  more.
  • Martin Leung: Known as the video game pianist, Martin became famous for playing the Super Mario Bros theme blindfolded. He now tours the world and performs with Video Games Live.

If you have any questions about this item, feel free to contact me.

Thank you!