Are Video Game Special Editions Worth It?

[Games Retrospect]

I was looking at a pretty comprehensive list of most American-released video game special editions on Wikipedia and most of them are not that good. So I was thinking if anyone had a great experience with a specific special edition that you love to this day? I notice that most special editions come with bonus DLC or content that's not even physical or they come with cheap goodies that are good for nothing. I have a video game collection that although it's nothing special, I'm pretty proud of. I'd love to add a special editions to it, but I can't find anything I like. The only ones that stood out are fighting game special editions like the MK9 one that came with a great quality fightstick and the Fallout 3 one that came with lunchbox, a bobblehead and a pip-boy. So is there anything worth having when it comes to special edition or are most of those overpriced packages that you immediately regret getting?

[mr_me]

I thought special editions are just re-releases of previously released games to serve continuing demand. They often add extras when available to help it compete with newer games.

[xenomorpher]

So far the only one that really impressed me was the Doom 2016 one. The light up statue is really cool. So is the box and even styrofoam insert that has the Doom logo etched in, which makes it that much harder to throw out. Actually, now that I think about it, the Retro City Rampage 486 is another one that really impressed me. I just found an old Gateway DOS PC I thought was thrown out that I need to get running and give that game a go on real hardware. The Fallout 4 one is pretty cool, but not my favorite. I think I used the Pip-boy rig once or twice, so maybe I need to give it another go during a Survival mode playthrough. There isn't really one that I regret getting, it's often the other way around for me. Just nice to have "just in case".

[KeeperofLindblum]

The only time I ever liked a "special edition" was if it was basically just the regular edition with the metal case (and a regular case included) OR includes the soundtrack with the game.

 

I'm kinda tired of seeing so many action figures and statues of games that don't really fit with having the action figure or statue. I mean I got the Bioshock 2 one (comes with a big ass case and some records) as well as the Bioshock Infinite one (came with a big Songbird statue). They're cool but... they just sit in a closet. IMO special editions are generally overrated if it is much more than a fancy case (steelbook) or a soundtrack added in.

 

OH THAT IS RIGHT! The game Catherine had a really good one that was a pizza box, t-shirt, underwear, the game, and a few other small items.

EDIT - Found an image to contribute.

 

Edited September 3, 2018 by KeeperofLindblum

[digdugnate]

we picked up the WoW Collector Editions because they came with artbooks, soundtracks, and the like. I do wish that feelies still came in standard boxes like in the old days.

[godslabrat]

It's "worth it" if you see yourself actually making use of the additional trinkets, or if you like the game enough that you want them FOR YOU.

 

They're pretty much worthless in terms of resale value, though. Chances are excellent no one will want it as much as you do when it's brand new.

[82-T/A]

Back in the day, they used to come with some really cool stuff.

 

 

There was one... anyone remember Sentinel Worlds - Future Magic 1?

 

My brother got that for Christmas back in like 1988. It came with the game, a t-shirt that said "In a battle helmet, no one can hear you scream!" (haha)… a poster that said the same thing, and then a novel.

 

All of it is gone, except the manuals and floppy disks. But I've been trying endlessly to find the novel that came with it (paper back). I'd like to just read it, and then unload it.

[Tanooki]

We're talking about like when a game comes out they do some special edition where it's not like $60 but more like $100-150 and you get a lot of fluff in a bigger box right? And sometimes they can be little more than the same game but inside of a steelbook too on the lower end.

 

For the most part I'd say are they worth it? No. Unless you're an absolute fan of the game, really committed, and the toys and stuff in the box are so excellent you know you'll utilize most/all of them, they're a waste of money fan service for zero-day type people who just want to have it all and have a little more money in their pocket to burn.

 

On the lower end, stuff like what Nicalis does on the Nintendo Switch, their special edition of sorts is their first pressing. You'll get in every game (same price too) a printed 80s/early90s style game manual, and then usually a mini CD with music tracks, a key chain, perhaps some stickers or other little things as a thank you. Stuff like that or when Atlus used to sell DS games and include a cardboard sleeve and an audio CD of the games tracks with it for same price or +$10 -- those I'd consider very nice and special. It's a marginal bump and with really useful stuff, not just fan service junk.

 

Any time I've put up for a bigger intended special edition like with Uncharted 3 or Street Fighter IV I was very much let down. With U3 I would have probably used the necklace and buckle but I figured I'd feel silly and the statue wasn't that interesting so it was a huge space waster. And with SF4 the Ryu statue was cool as it was small like an Amiibo on my desk, but the rest was dumb useless stuff. Yet on the high end, depending on your taste the Call of Duty people have done a couple really badass bit ones with night vision goggles once and the other time was this cool remote controlled car.

 

I guess in the end your mileage will vary but usually it's the same or minimally higher priced ones that usually are worth it for what you get.

[Austin]

DOOM 3 Collector's Edition on the original Xbox was sweet. The packaging difference wasn't a huge game changer (steelbook case with slip cover), but this version came with the original DOOM and DOOM II included in full. This was a big deal at the time because up to then, there hadn't been straight, 100% conversions of the PC games to console. Very nice bonus.

[Tanooki]

DOOM 3 Collector's Edition on the original Xbox was sweet. The packaging difference wasn't a huge game changer (steelbook case with slip cover), but this version came with the original DOOM and DOOM II included in full. This was a big deal at the time because up to then, there hadn't been straight, 100% conversions of the PC games to console. Very nice bonus.

You're right, that would fall into what I said of the cheap increase or same price extra in that kind of packaging deal. That was huge. I think before that the only one to come close was oddly GBA for Doom 2, it's a total conversion except one stage was cut into 2 as it was larger than system memory could handle and the blood was green to get a T rating. Kind of sad if you think about it after all that time it took a Doom3 SE to bring back such old games unmolested. That D3 CE release also hit Android (on nvidia shield only) and PS3 too.

[RetroLucky]

If you're a fan and actually want the extras, yes.

 

If you're not using the extras at all, probably not.

 

A good example was Saints Row 2, because it came with a USB drive. You could backup the dlc and profile on that to keep in the case and down the road when you might not be able to download that stuff again, it might be handy.

 

Fallout 3 came with a bobblehead and while not useful, it and the lunchbox make good display items.

 

Playing cards or clothing will probably devalue the CE if you actually use them, so it's not quite as good, and generally it doesn't hold value when you sit on it.

 

Of course there's exceptions out there, but nowadays a collector's edition is just a way to get more money and have a bit of bragging rights.

[Jim Pez]

[ m e d i a ]

[ / m e d i a ] Edited September 4, 2018 by jim1174

[Games Retrospect]

It's "worth it" if you see yourself actually making use of the additional trinkets, or if you like the game enough that you want them FOR YOU.

 

They're pretty much worthless in terms of resale value, though. Chances are excellent no one will want it as much as you do when it's brand new.

I guess you're right. Thing is, it's extremely time consuming to look at a comprehensive list like the one I mentioned and look for something specific. I was wondering if there was a dedicated site that specializes on just special or collector's editions. There has to be, right? Looking at pictures of all the trinkets and stucff isn't the same as reading a short description on a Wikipedia page with black text and nothing else.

[BawesomeBurf]

I never buy Special Editions, most of the extras don't interest me. The only exception is the occasional Launch/Day One Edition that has bonus stuff but doesn't charge extra.

[spacecadet]

I don't think I've ever intentionally bought a special edition - the extras just never seem worth it. Like, here's an action figure that would cost $20 if you bought it separately, and we're going to charge $40 extra for it as part of the SE.

 

Some people buy SE's as an investment, thinking they'll be worth more later if they ever re-sell the game, but that almost never happens in my experience. Usually SE's depreciate *more* than the regular edition of the game. They may still be worth a little more in absolute terms, but they've lost more of their original value. The most extreme example of this that I can think of is the Halo SE from the original Xbox, which is actually worth *less* than the non-SE. (The non-SE is less common.)

 

I do have a few SE's that I bought secondhand because, as mentioned, they often go for not much more than the regular version, or sometimes they're even all that's available. I don't have any really cool ones, though, which is another thing that turns me off from buying new ones. The ones I have are just like, a book or soundtrack or something with the game in a slightly nicer slip case or bigger box. I've been in the market for Puyo Puyo Tetris on Switch recently (it's not an expensive game, but I already have it on PS Vita so I'm trying to get it as cheap as possible), and I keep almost buying the SE because it's only like $5 more whenever I see it. But all it has are a couple of keychains and a cardboard box. Probably really worth about $5.

 

I go to Japan once or twice a year and some of my SE's are from there - they are SE-crazy. *Every* freakin' game seems to be available as an SE. So about half the SE's I do have came from there. The one thing I do like about their SE's is that they usually come in that *really* thick, glossy cardboard, with really nice outer artwork, which US SE's don't seem to. For me, that's actually worth paying a little extra for, even moreso than the extras you might get inside. But I still probably wouldn't pay the extra cost for most games packaged like that when new.

[jhd]

Do the SE "extras" often come up for sale separately?

 

A few years ago, I purchased a small hardcover art book at a thrift shop for about $3. It was somehow related to the Fallout game series, but that was all I knew when I bought it. Apparently, it was part of a (larger) SE package (and the online selling price is much higher than I paid).

[Eltigro]

I haven't ever bought a special edition of anything. So to me, they're not worth it. But then, I don't have much interest in statues and trinkets or whatever... I mean, there have been some that looked kinda cool... like the Sonic statue that came with Sonic Mania or the Fat Man bomb thing that came with one of the Fallout games a while back... but still, they just sit on a shelf, so I'm not willing to shell out extra dough for that. I'd rather save all that extra cash for the DLC that the Special Edition will eventually have. lol not funny...

[dj_convoy]

I rarely buy special editions unless you get something like a soundtrack or if, thru some fluke of Amazon pricing or whatever, they are cheap (I bought an SE of Deathsmiles for the 360 this way; it was cheaper to buy the SE than the normal game for some reason when I got around to buying it on Amazon a few years ago; I also have some random visual novel for the PS3 that was the same thing; it was far cheaper on Prime as a Special Edition).

 

The ones that come with statues or whatever do nothing for me, but if you like 'em, more power to you.

[NE146]

If it's worth it to you, that's what matters. I remember I got the Space Invaders "cocktail" controller special edition for PS2 some time ago and I would not give up that thing for the world. I love it. To everyone else though it's probably bulky junk.

[BassGuitari]

Nah.

[Video]

Mostly depends on if you like the extras that come with it. I like some stuff. I got the statue for duke nukem forever, and the Dragon for skyrim. Last one I got was busy which came with an audio cd.

 

Most don't interest me, but I'm a fan of those.

[+davidcalgary29]

It's like a LP vs. digital track thing for me. I love thoughtful game packaging, and while I don't expect we'll see anything on the level of Infocom's feelies in the future, some recent homebrews, such as Adventure II for the 5200 and Spies in the Night, did a great job with their packaging that enhanced the overall experience for me. And then there was that limited release of Venture II in the treasure chest...I'm sorry I missed out on that one!

[+thanatos]

Wish I would have bought a second copy of the original WoW collector's edition back in the day. Those are up to $2000 sealed now.

 

- wait, I just looked. $3-$5K.. Now I'm extra sad.

 

That and the Diablo II CE.

 

Or, I wish I would have just bought Amazon stock back then, I'd be even better off.