Glendale to auction off vintage game arcade machines

The city of Glendale will soon be auctioning off dozens of vintage game arcade machines, including two Ms. Pac-Mans and a Galaga game, worth tens of thousands of dollars that were acquired using redevelopment funds.

The more than 50 machines — and the arcade in downtown Glendale that they once filled — were bought for roughly $1 million as part of a plan to redevelop the property. But when California lawmakers scrapped local redevelopment agencies and froze their assets, the arcade games were moved into storage, where they’ve been gathering dust for roughly three years, the Glendale News-Press reported.

Now, Glendale officials have received word from the California Department of Finance that it is only interested in the forced sale of real property, such as land and buildings, formerly held by redevelopment agencies.

The machines include games such as Galaga, a space-shooter game; Ms. Pac-Man; and Extreme Hunting 2. There is also a two-seat, sit-down racing game called Initial D Arcade Stage Version 3.

Although the machines were collectively valued at roughly $100,000 several years ago when Glendale took over the arcade building, council members called for a second opinion from an appraiser who specializes in game arcade machines before scheduling the auction.

“Maybe there’s something old and funky and valuable,” Councilwoman Laura Friedman said.

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Brittany Levine is a Times Community News staff writer.