Nintendo Enthusiast Devastated After Nearly Complete NES Collection Stolen

Physical video game collections are starting to feel like a thing of the past. With Sony’s recent announcement to halt the production of physical PlayStation discs by 2028, concerns about game ownership, resale, and preservation are on the rise. While physical games can act as a safety net when digital titles vanish from online stores or become unavailable, they come with their own set of challenges, such as damage, loss, and theft.

Roger Holler experienced this harsh reality firsthand when his home in Puyallup, Washington, was burglarized last week, resulting in the theft of over 860 classic Nintendo Entertainment System games.

Holler and his family were away when the break-in occurred. Upon returning home Sunday evening, they discovered that someone had forced their way in and cleared out the shelf housing nearly 40 years of his collection.

Valued between $50,000 and $100,000, Holler was just three games shy of completing the entire NES library. The collection held deep sentimental value, as Holler received his first NES console from his mother at the age of 11, sparking a collecting journey that took him through various stores, gaming conventions, and trips across Washington. This passion evolved into a shared hobby with his family, including his son, Chris Sterling.

“I shake, I get headaches,” Holler expressed. “I don’t even want to look at them — the shelf.”

Holler had intended to pass the collection down to his grandchildren, hoping it might help fund their college education. Sterling reflected on the experience, saying, “To watch that essentially lifelong collection just ripped out is heartbreaking.”

Interest in Nintendo’s classic games remains robust, even more than 40 years after the NES’s debut. In June, a sealed copy of Super Mario Bros. fetched a staggering $3 million at auction, while classic NES titles dominated the event’s top sales, including a copy of The Legend of Zelda that sold for $375,000. The auction generated over $5 million in total sales.

For those looking to relive Nintendo’s legacy without hunting down pricey cartridges, Nintendo Switch Online provides access to a library of NES and SNES games, featuring titles like Super Mario Bros. 3, The Legend of Zelda, and Super Mario World.