In 2009, THQ sent special delivery to Buckingham Palace. The video game company that filed for bankruptcy in 2012 had intended to give the Queen a golden Nintendo Wii as a PR stunt to advertise its newest game title release at the time. Royal security personnel blocked the console when it arrived, which was 24-carat gold-plated, citing security protocol.
Just recently, we learned that the Queen had grown a particular interest in Nintendo virtual bowling. According to a recent Tech Times feature, Queen Elizabeth II was a gamer-at-heart and might be the biggest Nintendo fan.
Queen Elizabeth II and Nintendo Wii
Back in 2008, the Queen discovered Prince William playing "Wii Bowling" in one of the royal residences on a particularly lazy afternoon. According to a Wired report, this console was given to the prince as a Christmas gift from the most recent Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton.
Much to the prince's amusement, Queen Elizabeth II "begged to join in" his grandson's gaming session. According to reports, the Queen played a single game of ten-pin "Wii Bowling," to which she aced like a bowling vet.
The British monarch is also known for her quick wit and humor. We could only imagine the queen flexing strikes after strikes to her grandson on that particular afternoon, also sharing laughter with him. This news quickly spread at the time, and game publisher THQ had one audacious marketing team for even attempting to send the bespoke Wii as a PR stunt.
The Golden Nintendo Wii
After Buckingham Palace declined the THQ package, it was reportedly returned to the publisher's headquarters unopened. The game company shut down a few years after the stunt due to bankruptcy. The golden Nintendo Wii console ended up with a man named Donny Fillerup, who purchased it in 2017.
After acquiring the regal-looking gadget, Donny Fillerup, a Utrecht native, posted the item on eBay for a staggering $300,000. According to a report from Mirror UK, images of the gaming console on the eBay listing showed the console resting on a red cloth with an incredibly metallic exterior.
"24 Karat Golden Nintendo Wii that was made for Queen Elizabeth the 2nd" was the title of the eBay listing. Perhaps the Wii being intended for the Queen is what made Fillerup pump the gadget's price tag. This could be a great addition to any British monarchy or Nintendo memorabilia collectors.
Leicestershire Live tells us that one Wii remote control and the game "Big Family Games" were included with the console. The item may show some cosmetic wear, but it is fully operational and performs as intended, according to the condition description.
Donny told publications: "A good friend who works at Nintendo told me I should sell it for a price which is so high it would never find a buyer. He even advised me to start with $500,000."
"He even advised me to start with $500,000. I want to be reasonable with buying a place for myself, and $300,000 is the price that I came up with," Donny added. There have not been any updates if Donny landed a buyer.
