This is one of those situations where $31k seems expensive now, and when it’s resold in 20 years you’ll see it move for $1mil. Rare things like this tend to increase in value enormously.
In 20, 30, 40 years the vast majority of people who cared about these machines will be dead. Those who still care will be such a minority that there won't be upward price pressure.
It's the same way you don't see people going nuts for Sperry and Burroughs gear today.
It's like finding a pair of shoes made by Adidas but branded Nike, or a can of Coca-Cola made by Pepsi. It's more than just an oddity.
https://arcadeblogger.com/2020/01/17/free-play-florida-2019-...
IN NH arcade machines are now housed in a playable museum:
(Wondering how the gum that came in those packs held up.)
Classic video games are fun for nostalgia, but one of as the Broderbund software guys (Doug Carlston) says during an interview that he has old machines and the sometimes plays the old games:
"They not as great as they are in memory, in truth is our tastes change and become more sophisticated over time"
The rebooted Karateca for IOS and it didn't do well, and maybe he's rationalizing. Its kinda a fun listen, though not as good as others in the series:
That is most certainly true. Emulators have taken away a lot of the value, and the people who collect for actual nostalgia will eventually die.
How many people collect video arcade games vs the really old arcade novelties?
Edit: BTW - Marvins Marvelous Mechanical Museum