Rare Intellivision Amico Prototype Sells for Over $2,200 on eBay: A Closer Look at the Ill-Fated Console

In an extraordinary development in the saga of retro-themed gaming hardware, a rare Intellivision Amico prototype has been sold on eBay, fetching €1,900 (approximately $2,210 USD).

The Amico, once positioned as the revival of the classic Intellivision brand, has been defined by postponements and uncertainty, with no retail release after years of delays.

This recent sale marks a significant milestone for collectors and followers of the Intellivision story. The auction, first reported by prominent retro gaming personality Pat the NES Punk, saw the Amico prototype change hands after a previous attempt to sell the unit.

The seller, identified as eBay user "klemens_lars," is believed to be Dr.

Klemens Kundratitz, the co-founder and former CEO of Plaion (formerly Koch Media).

Kundratitz led the company from its founding with Franz Koch in 1994 until his departure in January 2024.

Koch Media, notable for distributing video games across Europe, was acquired by the Embracer Group—then known as THQ Nordic AB—in 2018 and rebranded as Plaion in 2022.

Plaion had been set to handle European distribution for the Amico before the project stalled. The sold Amico prototype came with one fully functional controller, one non-functional prototype controller, the only known EU Amico power supply, and three sealed game packs: Biplanes, Brain Duel, and Rigid Force Redux Enhanced.

Each game pack included a working RFID card (designed to launch a website on a smartphone), a commemorative coin, and a 3D lenticular card.

According to the generous item description, the console's classic Running Man logo lights up and animates upon startup, accompanied by the "Amico" voiceover before revealing a dashboard with applications like "AmicoControllerTest," "Farkle," and "RoShamBoo." The listing emphasized that although one of the controllers' LED screens was defective, it could potentially be repaired by hobbyists and developers, given the Android-based system architecture and Wi-Fi connectivity. A translated excerpt from the listing, as shared by The Escapist, described the Amico as a “worldwide rarity,” highlighting both its functional elements and its significance as a collector’s item.

The seller notably stressed in communication, as observed by Ian Ferguson, that the unit would not be sold to those critical of the project and reiterated support for the Amico’s original vision. Despite mass production never materializing, several prototypes were publicly demonstrated by former Intellivision CEO Tommy Tallarico at gaming events, and further units may eventually appear in the secondary market.

The recent high-value sale will likely only intensify interest among retro hardware enthusiasts and collectors worldwide. In a related industry move, legendary publisher Atari recently acquired the Intellivision brand but opted not to pick up the Amico console or its associated hardware as part of the deal.

The business entity driving the Amico has since rebranded as Amico Entertainment, with many of the planned Amico-exclusive games now seeing release on alternative platforms.

Notably, anticipated titles like Earthworm Jim 4 never advanced beyond concept art, leaving many early backers and crowdfunding supporters without the system they hoped for. This unique eBay sale underscores the ongoing interest in historical gaming hardware and highlights the enduring passion within the collector community for rare, unreleased consoles.

For those tracking the trajectory of the Intellivision Amico, this auction represents both a poignant footnote and another chapter in gaming history.

Rare eBay console Intellivision Intellivision Amico Plaion Embracer Group Koch Media Atari Amico Entertainment Tommy Tallarico Dr.Klemens Kundratitz Ebay Biplanes Brain Duel Rigid Force Redux Enhanced