In the last few years, many companies have begun to sell a collector’s edition for some of their big games. Microsoft’s Halo 2 had one, as does the more current Lost Planet from Capcom. Usually they contain a nice metal case, a DVD filled with exclusive content and maybe another miscellaneous item. All of this comes with a $10 price increase over the regular version. So if you buy a Collector’s Edition PS3 or 360 game, you will most likely spend $70 for it.
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So what say you, videolamerians? Are you excited that companies are doing this, supplying even more content with their games for a small price, or do you only see companies bleeding their customers’ wallets with useless “behind the scenes” footage that was probably edited in an hour?
Personally, I couldn’t care less about a collector’s edition. I just don’t see the value in it. I’m sure that at some point down the road someone will want to buy it off me to fill their ginormous games collection, but for right now, those things are just an excuse to waste $10.
The content is always the same, too: DVD with behind the scenes footage, metal case, and maybe an art book/pamphlet. We’ll get an OST if we’re lucky, but the majority of the time those collector’s editions are filled with crap I would never use. Do I really need to see someone walk around an office filming everyone looking at a monitor? Sorry, but no. I get enough of that at work, thank you.
I’m probably in the minority of course, as there seems to be no end in sight for these things. Companies must see a financial advantage from them, or they wouldn’t keep doing it.
As for the optimistic side of this argument, I will say it’s somewhat cool to get something that isn’t available everywhere, as the collector’s editions are manufactured in a very limited supply. If you have one, you get to say you’re one of the elite. An uber-game, if you will. And some of the extra content isn’t completely useless, especially the aforementioned OST’s.
So what’s it gonna be: Yay or Nay for Collector’s Edition games?
I say nay. I never buy the collectors edition its a waste of money.
Collectors editions are generally bullshit. They’re extra bullshit in online games when they give you in-game stuff, even if it’s meaningless (like the pets in World of Warcraft) from a gameplay standpoint. Still, I know some people who really dig the extras, especially if they’re related to the game’s art or music, because that’s their "thing." If the content is good enough, it’s worth it, but it rarely is.
The thing that bugs me about CE junk is that you always get behind the scenes shit and interviews, etc, but very few actually give fans something they really want, like an artbook or a soundtrack CD.