Who the heck buys all these “Collector’s Edition”s?

[+jgkspsx]

This might just be venting because I’m not paying $125 for two CDs, but I got an email about the pending preorder for Axiom Verge 2 and the doublepack from Limited Run today. It has the following options:

 

The game:

 

 

and the Collector’s Edition:

 

Okay, the figurines are kind of cool, though too much clutter for me. The posters are understandable. Artbooks and making ofs are neat, though I’m pretty selective about what I get in that vein. Does anybody on earth really want a steelbook or “keycards” or this other stuff, though?
 

However, I really want the soundtracks. I’m an old fogey when it comes to music. I want a CD, or a record, or even a cassette tape. But I don’t really care for all the other extras. I think maybe Axiom Verge has enough hardcore fans that some people would like all these extras, but do all these games that get collector’s editions really have enough fans to justify all the excess?

 

I wonder how many people are like me. If game companies sold just the soundtrack on physical media, would  anybody still buy these sets? Or would they sell just as many, and just make more money from the music sales?

[Punisher5.0]

It really has become ridiculous.  I used to be a big fan of LRG but I don't plan on buying anything from them again. Overpriced and these days it takes 6 months to get what you ordered. It's unfortunate that they aren't what they used to be.

[Steven Pendleton]

I buy stuff from LRG sometimes, although I haven't bought a lot of stuff from them lately. I've also never once bought one of their special edition things. They're way too expensive for what they are and honestly not that appealing, which is I suppose why I don't buy them.

1 hour ago, jgkspsx said:

I wonder how many people are like me. If game companies sold just the soundtrack on physical media, would  anybody still buy these sets? Or would they sell just as many, and just make more money from the music sales?

They do that all the time in Japan. I just bought Sega's 60th anniversary music thing the other day and it's showing up here soon. The soundtrack for Thunder Force IV was just rereleased only about a month ago, as well. I might buy it, but seeing as most of that CD was recorded directly from a Mega Drive, I can basically make the same thing myself for free.

[roots.genoa]

I'm not very fond of ultra collector editions, they take too much space unfortunately. I like when the goodies fit in a regular box though.

 

I ordered two Game Boy games (not collector editions, just reprints then) from LRG that were supposed to be released in July, then August, now September lol (well, one of them is still listed for August ?‍♂️), but it was a kind of "test" for me actually. I expected to get my Analogue Pocket first anyway... ? That being said, I couldn't help ordering the collector edition of Huntdown with the action figure, because it was my 2020 GOTY (and it was "only" $90) so it's special for me. And I guess every game must be "special" for someone, hence the answer to the OT question. ?

[derSammler]

I don't buy anything that was produced from the outset for collectors. Time will tell what becomes collectible, not publishers.

 

These may not hold any value in the future. A good example is the Xbox 360: collector's editions of games for that system are worth nothing these days. I know because I got quite a few from bulk sales and checked what they sell for (e.g. Halo 4 CE is worth less than a regular copy of GTA V - not even 20 bucks).

Edited October 1, 2021 by derSammler

[+jgkspsx]

I have the “Collector’s Edition” of Alan Wake which I got for $15 (which was very well done, and is what it still sells for) and the Bioshock limited edition for $25 (which came with a well-pressed vinyl record of the excellent score). More like that, at those prices, would be welcome

[Steven Pendleton]

4 minutes ago, jgkspsx said:

I have the “Collector’s Edition” of Alan Wake which I got for $15 (which was very well done, and is what it still sells for) and the Bioshock limited edition for $25 (which came with a well-pressed vinyl record of the excellent score). More like that, at those prices, would be welcome

I bought a factory sealed limited edition copy of Sakura Taisen on the Saturn last year for 3000 yen, so I suppose there is that if you want to have a copy of that for whatever reason. Opened copy will be even cheaper than that. Comes with the mouse so you can play the game with the mouse and maybe some other stuff. Not sure what the other stuff might be since I haven't opened it lol

 

Limited edition of Japanese Saturn Magic Knight Rayearth can be found for about 1000~1500 yen at most, as well. Much better than paying $1000 for Working Designs' ruined version.

[digdugnate]

I haven't picked up one of the fancy fancy sets in a long time, but I will occasionally get a Steelbook edition, or one with a neat box.    Several of my Switch games are the 'big box' kind that came with artbooks/etc.

 

I simply don't have the space in the house for the 'uber one with 12 figurines', hehe.

[NeonSpaceBeagle]

these are designed for people who are only able to self-sooth by spending.

[NeonSpaceBeagle]

I will say though that my Mario Kart 8 Limited Edition for Wii U (only 350 of them were sold at the Nintendo World Store in NYC) is def. worth something, but i can't figure out how to sell it or who to unload it on.  They pop up on ebay every once in a while and one sold for 1700 and one for 3000.  I don't want to sell it on ebay though (i refuse to pay the ebay fees and i sure as hell will not be paying taxes on it now with the new stupid law put in place that ebay has to report to the IRS any sale over 600).  any advice?  i prefer to unload it before the crash.

[DragonGrafx-16]

19 hours ago, Steven Pendleton said:

I buy stuff from LRG sometimes, although I haven't bought a lot of stuff from them lately. I've also never once bought one of their special edition things. They're way too expensive for what they are and honestly not that appealing, which is I suppose why I don't buy them.

They do that all the time in Japan. I just bought Sega's 60th anniversary music thing the other day and it's showing up here soon. The soundtrack for Thunder Force IV was just rereleased only about a month ago, as well. I might buy it, but seeing as most of that CD was recorded directly from a Mega Drive, I can basically make the same thing myself for free.

I feel with OST releases that are just game audio are neat for some games I wish it was the arranged version for others. Like with the Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack that was released on vinyl, but was literally just the chiptunes. If it was all done up with period correct 90's house music gear it would be sick.

Edited October 2, 2021 by DragonGrafx-16

[Steven Pendleton]

45 minutes ago, DragonGrafx-16 said:

I feel with OST releases that are just game audio are neat for some games I wish it was the arranged version for others. Like with the Streets of Rage 2 soundtrack that was released on vinyl, but was literally just the chiptunes. If it was all done up with period correct 90's house music gear it would be sick.

Yeah, especially for chiptune, it's like I can literally make this exact thing myself by plugging my system into my computer and recording everything using the game's sound test if it has one. The new Thunder Force III/AC and Thunder Force IV soundtracks have newly arranged music and it's pretty excellent judging by the preview of it on Youtube.

[+jgkspsx]

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but it is never a good idea to put in writing that you are trying to avoid paying federal income taxes you owe ? 

[KeeperofLindblum]

Personally, I enjoy getting steelbook versions, but that's about the only extra I like for "collector's" editions. 

 

Otherwise, yeah I agree that all the extra guffaw is just... crap at this point. Give me a fancy case (preferably a case with limited edition artwork you can reverse), a soundtrack, and an artbook at most. Beyond that, I generally just want the game. 

 

LRG seems like they are just getting high on their own supply at this moment, but unfortunately they have such a large fan base that they'll continue to succeed and sell their high dollar nonsense collector's editions. 

The real question is... Who the hell can afford their MEGA bundles!? The ones where they just dump everything they are releasing that week into a big box and charge you like $300+++ for it!?

[Tanooki]

On 9/30/2021 at 11:16 PM, jgkspsx said:

I  wonder how many people are like me. If game companies sold just the soundtrack on physical media, would  anybody still buy these sets? Or would they sell just as many, and just make more money from the music sales?

Same boat here entirely.  I've only ever picked up special editions like 2-3x, and it was in the PS3 era and regretted it both times as it was just a waste of money.  I had it for sure with SF4 and Uncharted 3.  SF4 was for the audio but also that neat Ryu figure, but the game ende dup just being unbalanced and awful so I dumped it.  U3 though was magnificent, but the box and Drake were just huge, and while I liked the other pieces, I never could see a point of actually wearing them but had considered it.  I kept it until the thing got too in the way being stored for a time.

 

Recently I did finally buckle twice down on a $60 package from LRG and in both cases I didn't explicitly need the game though physical I buy over vapor, it was me upgrading to double cost because of the extra I'd have rather owned alone.  The first I think was the Konami Castlevania Collection, while learning my lesson about asinine oversize boxes and clutter I did want the soundtrack.  Annoyingly they wouldn't tell me what was on it, I tried asking them twice, and they would give an I don't know or a dodgy answer of ask later.  That did not amuse me.  The other was the NGPC collection because entirely of the book because Jeremy Parish wrote it, it covers every single release, all his usual info into each game, background, any of them that have MVS/AES ties get the cross coverage too.  IT will never be sold outside of that, so to me, it was a must.

[+jgkspsx]

6 hours ago, KeeperofLindblum said:

The real question is... Who the hell can afford their MEGA bundles!? The ones where they just dump everything they are releasing that week into a big box and charge you like $300+++ for it!?

I think those are targeted at resellers, which is kinda gross.

[Parker77]

Would have to buy a game I really loved. Massive Souls fan but never bothered to spring for any of the deluxe versions, and although the LRG stuff is kind of cool, I've been enjoying Bubble Bobble 4 for months now instead of waiting for badges, arcade boxes, snow globes etc.....

 

I did see a Monkey Island one that I might have bitten on had it not already sold out though....

[jhd]

 

I just wait until this stuff eventually trickles down to the thrift shops. ?

 

For example, I have picked-up the "collectible" art books for both one of the Fallout games and Spore for like $1 each. (I am much more of a book collector than anything else.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lord Innit]

These days I just buy the standard versions of most games, and sometimes a steelbook.  The last thing I want is my game room filled with collectible tat. 

 

If I was 30 years younger though.....................

[Ninjabba]

Learned my lesson pre-ordering FF-Type 0 collector edition for the PS4, was hoping for something that would fit on my shelf next to the other games, instead got a box the size of a medieval tome that would require a shelf on its own. Had to put it away in the attic. I mainly got it because it came with a manga of the story, so I guess I could've expected an oversized box.

 

Not much fan of the overload of special/collector editions lately, but back in the PS1 era some of these RPGs got amazing packages. Lunar 2: Eternal Blue is one of the reasons I still get a special edition once in a while if its not at some crazy price. I buy art books separately instead, much better value for money.

Recently acquired Yoshitaka Amano's art book The Sky, beats all the Final Fantasy collector editions I have combined.

 

[NE146]

On 9/30/2021 at 11:34 PM, Punisher5.0 said:

It really has become ridiculous.  I used to be a big fan of LRG but I don't plan on buying anything from them again.

 

Oh come on, who could resist the Shantae grip tape?

 

[Metal Jesus]

I have certainly slowed down on the big collector's editions in recent years... only jumping on the ones I'm really excited for.

[DragonGrafx-16]

7 hours ago, Metal Jesus said:

I have certainly slowed down on the big collector's editions in recent years... only jumping on the ones I'm really excited for.

I've stopped buy any collector's edition release of a game... especially since the last one I bought I looked at the bonus materials in the box the day I got it and never looked at them again.

[Tanooki]

I have to have a specific justifiable reason to get a collector anything anymore, and I mean the specific item in it has to be as desirable as the game if not more before I'd even consider it.  Even more of an issue if that item will only ever pop up within that set too, to where you know it will end up being a problem to get it.

 

That's why I got the NGPC Collection because of Jeremy Parish's book on the handheld and the mvs games tied to it, it will never retail he said, limited run and done.  And same with the castlevania music soundtrack with that bundle of old 8bit games too.

[Keatah]

The most "collectorish" stuff I might chase after would be a book or strategy guide or a poster. That's it. The game itself is the essence of the experience. The rest is clutter that needs storage space or constant cleaning.

 

Like for example when Sigil came out - I was debating whether to buy it. Some time later, like today, I don't give a rat's ass. The downloadable level pack is sufficient - and time will be spent playing the levels. Not staring at the box.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Keatah