By Kieron Gillen on July 7th, 2010 at 11:30 am.
I was just reading the VG247 story about someone getting hold of their Starcraft 2 collector’s edition early, and then excitedly unpacking it all on video (and failing to get the game working because of the online aspect of it). The video’s below the cut, but the growth of special editions across the last five years is an undeniable trend (For extra money! And you can’t pirate a little key bobble in the shape of Shodan’s head, natch). I was thinking about what – if anything – makes me throw down for the full bells and whistles version. I often don’t, simply because I don’t have room for the gargantuan boxes… but I like that they exist. So, to throw the question to the floor, what attracts you to these editions? Do you often buy them? What would you like to see them? And what games in history do you wish had one – and what would be in it?
07/07/2010 at 11:34 Rob Lang says:
UT3 had some cool videos about how to make levels. I liked the Fallout lunchbox too.
07/07/2010 at 11:35 Ian says:
I have neverevereverevereverever bought a game in a big special edition box.
Invariably stuff in them, for me, falls into the “sorta neat but not enough to want to pay for” category.
07/07/2010 at 11:36 Batolemaeus says:
If collectors boxes were what theoretically could bring back manuals like the Civ3 one, I’d be all for it.
I mean, that thing felt good. Huge. Massive. I’d love to hold something like that in my hands again. Back when games were complex monsters that wanted to be tamed, they just had bigger boxes with plentiful content.
Instead nowadays you just get some tiny, weak, floppy piece of paper with your dvd, if at all. Might as well buy it online then.
07/07/2010 at 12:07 Robert says:
This.
Tech Charts, world maps and massive books.
07/07/2010 at 12:15 Shazbut says:
I, too, mourn the loss of enormous manuals
07/07/2010 at 12:42 Cooper says:
Oooh…That beings back wonderful memories of when I got CivIII
I remember I used to read manuals cover to cover before I played a game. Took mae ages with CivIII…
07/07/2010 at 13:37 dancingcrab says:
I was flicking through my old big box versions of the Fallout manuals the other day. They were good manuals…. *sigh*
07/07/2010 at 13:41 Phinor says:
Manuals are the #1 thing I miss about gaming. Not that gaming is dead but you know.. it has moved on towards inferior products over time. I’d pay extra for a good manual. Good as in good, not one of those “guides” Prima tries to sell. A real manual. A game that doesn’t need a manual is a game that has a very slim chance of being great (sports and few other genres not included in this definition.)
As for actual special editions – I rarely buy them. It has to be one of my most anticipated games of the year and the SE has to include something nice like a figurine. Art books aren’t my thing. Also games that sell extra game content in special editions are games I usually don’t buy.. at all. If it’s a game I wanted to play, I can always borrow it and play it giving the greedy developers/publishers exactly 0€ of my money.
I might prefer Steam over physical products in most genres if it wasn’t for the fact physical products are about 50% cheaper in €uro zone. So I always go for physical unless Steam is having 70-90% sales. And even then, physical product is sometimes cheaper.
07/07/2010 at 15:08 Ice-Fyre says:
Manuals were great, as when you stopped to go bog, you could read the manual while sitting there, felt like you were still playing in a way lol
07/07/2010 at 16:43 shinygerbil says:
I still go back and read my old Homeworld manual from time to time.
Good times.
07/07/2010 at 16:50 Psychopomp says:
I too miss the manual. When I was a kid, and my parents would buy me a new game, I would carefully open the box and read the manual from front to back several times. This was followed by staring at the cartridge/disc and reading staring at the box.
I miss that :(
07/07/2010 at 18:14 Dodo says:
@Phinor
It used to be cheaper in the eurozone, but they now have ‘normal’ prices. So 50 dollar == 50 euro.
08/07/2010 at 00:27 Wulf says:
I think the thing that probably grabs my attention with collector’s editions are cloth maps, artbooks, and sizeable figurines. If Guild Wars 2 had a version with an 8in (or taller) Charr figurine, a cloth-map of Tyria, and an updated version of their hard-cover artbook, I might be tempted to buy the first collector’s edition that I have in a long while.
What bothers me most about collector’s editions? The quality of stuff is usually cheap and tacky, so it’s not worth it, you rarely get a cloth map, instead you get a paper map, and sometimes the stuff in the box just isn’t hugely relevant to the game, or exciting.
08/07/2010 at 01:39 Zerotonine says:
I miss cloth maps! But then again, there weren’t collector’s editions until relatively recently.
Starsiege was a massive box and came with two thick books, one was a manual, the other was a history of game universe to that point. Homeworld was nice too. I seem to recall Wing Commander 1 to 3 coming with books that gave background on the carriers you were stationed in addition to ship schematic liftouts. The Ultima games always went that bit extra too, too many to mention.
Also, I remember when game boxes were cool. I have to admit that whilst I like DVD cases for storage, as a kid, the boxes made things so much cooler. Remember the Marathon: Durandal game box? Same with CyberRace.
I feel old :(
08/07/2010 at 04:50 Firestem4 says:
I agree. I am very much a digital person and I’d love to digitize everything, however I have a sentiment for those massive manuals filled with information that you could just pour over on the car ride home. I grew up doing that and it takes some adjustment to this day. A PDF isn’t quite the same, and you can’t really read it on the way home.. (well you could but for the sake of the arguement).
At the very least what i’ve really liked with GoG (Good old games dotcom) is they give you a lot of extra features when you purchase some of the games from there. Many of the games come with PDF versions of their manuals, also artwork/wallpapers and often the game soundtracks.
The biggest reason I have always enjoyed collectors editions (I don’t buy them regularly, but the ones I have) are usually because of behind the scenes/making of and Soundtracks from the game. Although I have noticed that lately some of these “Behind the Scene’s” extra’s are really cheap post-production videos. (Dragon’s Age comes to mind, nothing was filmed during the actual “Making of”; Oblivion however had a lot of footage of the making of the game which I really enjoyed).
07/07/2010 at 11:37 Freud says:
I don’t buy boxed games any more. I had some resistance to switching to digital distribution because of the weird idea that I wanted a cd. But seeing as I have all these useless cd’s that I never use, why bother. And all the boxes and manuals have been long tossed.
With how efficient internet is these days, you don’t really need a manual. And you certainly don’t need a cloth map of Britannia (Ultima IX).
I do have to admit that I don’t have a collector personality. If I had, perhaps I would value boxes and cds much more.
07/07/2010 at 11:38 Dawngreeter says:
I like special editions. Whenever possible, it’s those that I buy. I don’t buy a lot of games, most get me bored after a couple days of playing. When I do love a game enough to buy, though, I want something awesome to put on my shelf. I like that I have Dragon Age cloth map and I am very fond of artbooks from Guild Wars: Nightfall and Mass Effect 2. If I do decide to buy StarCraft II (and I’m very angry at Blizzard currently so that likely won’t happen) it’s a box like this that I’d wish for.
08/07/2010 at 00:16 Jesus says:
Greeteru jel moguce od tebe ikako pobeci :D
Totentanz ;)
07/07/2010 at 11:41 Bill says:
What would you like to see them?
Peril Sensitive Glasses?
…God, I’m old.
07/07/2010 at 12:08 Rich says:
Belgium man, you are old!
07/07/2010 at 17:11 Bret says:
Hey. Language.
That does NOT look like a play commenting on modern life.
08/07/2010 at 03:59 Rufust Firefly says:
Don’t forget the microscopic spacefleet!
I would really love to see a well-done Homeworld Collection with all the soundtracks and the awesome manuals. Also I would like a pony.
07/07/2010 at 11:42 KikiJiki says:
For me, it’s ‘Cool Stuff’ that makes me shell out for CEs.
Artbooks etc are a pretty obvious choice for cool stuff, pretty much everything in the SC2 CE EXCEPT the stupid Thor pet is what I’m shelling out for (twice in fact, getting one for a family member too).
And even if artbooks/soundtracks etc can still be pirated I vastly prefer having the physical object. The fact that seemingly random extras like the Fallout 3 bobblehead can turn up is a nice bonus.
07/07/2010 at 11:43 CMaster says:
I’ve never bought a collectors edition, nor ever really felt the urge to.
I was bought the collectors edition of Civ II as a gift, which came with both expansions, all the normal civ stuff (big but still pretty incomplete manual, tech tree wallchart) and a stratergy guide.
I’m trying to think what would make me actually go for a special edition. Not statuettes or similar tat like that, to me those are just clutter (I was really pleased to get a foam Darwinian from eurogamer expo last year – now I often think about binning it).
I dunno, cloth maps, tin signs, maybe a second copy for a friend? Some kind of coffee-table book might be nice as well – something glossy, hardbacked and full of pictures. Some kind of special peripheral to enhance the gameplay would be very clever?
The big problem I have with all these special editions is that well, at the time, I don’t know if I like the game enough to have all this assosciated stuff around. The games that I’ve loved enough to want that kind of thing, I didn’t know that I would before hand. Sequels often aren’t as special. Does anyone else see that, think it odd to collect guff for a game they may not love?
07/07/2010 at 11:44 Garg says:
I would have bought a Fallout 3 Collector’s Edition if it had come with a real life Dogmeat. My fingers are crossed for New Vegas.
07/07/2010 at 12:56 Optimaximal says:
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/05/11/bethesda-announces-fallout-new-vegas-collectors-edition-for-hi/
No Dogmeat for you.
08/07/2010 at 14:03 Tom O'Bedlam says:
I will happily splash out for that set.
07/07/2010 at 11:52 c-Row says:
Soundtrack CDs and artbooks are great to get my attention. Still keeping fingers crossed for a proper ME2 artbook.
07/07/2010 at 11:54 Maxheadroom says:
There are some special edition goodies that make me want to rush out and buy it. Things like cloth maps, figurines or anything thats actually useful (my GTA4 safety deposit box is great for holding unpaid bills and the duffel bag is perfect for short trips away).
Things that put me off are soundtrack CDs (does anyone listen to them?), making of DVDs and pointless cosmetic in game items.
Best special edition I’ve bought was probably World in Conflict which came with an actual piece of the Berlin Wall (with certificate of authenticity!) as well as a set of headphones and DVD documentaries on the origins of the SAS and the Berlin Wall.
07/07/2010 at 12:02 Clovis says:
lulz. C-row’s comment above followed directly by, “Things that put me off are soundtrack CDs (does anyone listen to them?)”
I agree that listening to game soundtracks is strange. I’m usually sick of the soundtrack before the game is over. Or even half-way over.
07/07/2010 at 12:38 Okami says:
The WiC special edition was absolutely brilliant. I hadn’t really planned on buying the game, but when I saw the special edition in the store I had to buy it just for the piece of Berlin Wall in it. Of course, I could have just walked 200 metres from my flat and uses a hammer to get myself a piece from the Wall itself for free. But that wouldn’t have been the same…
07/07/2010 at 13:02 Desvergeh says:
Picked up a few soundtrack CDs in my time, some worth it, some not.
Absolutely love the soundtracks to Half-Life 2 and Red Dead Redemption… although admittedly I got neither through special editions of games (thanks to my postman stealing my RDR special edition!)
Personally think it would be better if special editions were some kind of pre-order bonus. Would be much more tempted to an early purchase if I got a cool figure, soundtrack, or some such. It would be a far preferable option than the current in-game store exclusive rubbish.
07/07/2010 at 16:52 Fumarole says:
If you’re sick of the music before the game is over obviously it’d be strange to listen to the music further. With good music this is not a problem. I still listen to Warcraft 2 music as well as many others. It really is a shame gamingfm is no longer around.
07/07/2010 at 11:55 Shazbut says:
The next time someone makes a special edition that , I’ll think about it. Until then, no. I have no need for bobbleheads and plastic eve hypos
07/07/2010 at 11:57 Shazbut says:
I don’t know what I’m doing. Can you tell?
“looks like this” is the missing bit of that sentence. I don’t understand why the rest of the message became a hyperlink but what the hey-
07/07/2010 at 13:59 Maxheadroom says:
Ahh early 90′s Psygnosis games, now that was art.
I was working in a computer shop about the time Shadow of the Beast 2 came out. Shifted many an Amiga just by showing people the intro. Looks like a bad flash animation nowadays though:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnZ7l6jvXjU
07/07/2010 at 22:37 Boldoran says:
Since I made the same mistake as you recently when trying to post a link I will try to explain it. I most likely will make an Idiot of myself because I will forget to escape stuff properly but here goes:
You probably (and [almost] correclty) used the
<a href="" title="">tag. Your mistake was thinking that what you put in the title attribute is what will be displayed. Unfortunately the ‘title’ attribute defines what the tooltip will be if you hover over the created link.The correct way of linking should be something like this:
To visit the best PC Gaming Site on the Internet that has a horrible comment system click
<a href="http://www.rockpapershotgun.com" title="tooltip"> here <a>07/07/2010 at 22:41 Boldoran says:
Yeah this was bound to happen: I forgot to close the second tag. It should be
</a>07/07/2010 at 11:57 Ravenger says:
I bought the Dragon Age Digital Deluxe Edition to get the in-game soundtrack only to find that a week or so later they released an extended ‘double album’ version on iTunes. I was under impression that I was getting the full soundtrack, but it turned out to be just half of it. I won’t be caught out by that again.
07/07/2010 at 12:01 dave says:
I buy games not spangly artwork and the like. Never seen the point tbh tbh tbh tbh tbh tbh tbh
07/07/2010 at 12:01 Ginger Yellow says:
Just give it time. As 3D printers get cheaper, we’ll have peer to peer pirating of special editions, with thousands of people mailing each other little slices of figurines and CDs and such.
07/07/2010 at 12:03 Demon Beaver says:
Never bought one of these… and I didn’t buy boxed games ever since getting Oblivion in 2006.
I’d buy Morrowind with a stuffed Cliff Racer.
Half-Life 2 with a plush headcrab (yeah, I know those exist, but they’re impossible to get a hold of).
Any Legacy of Kain game with a full size metal Soul Reaver in it…
Well, nothing they’d really ever put in, I guess…
07/07/2010 at 12:11 Rich says:
“Half-Life 2 with a plush headcrab”
Me too, if it was full size.
07/07/2010 at 14:08 Wisq says:
Actually, I think Half-Life might go better with this:
http://glowbar.myshopify.com/products/glowbar-classic
07/07/2010 at 15:56 Corrupt_Tiki says:
plush headcrab, glowbar?
GLOWBAR?
OMG I love you people!
07/07/2010 at 12:05 Risingson says:
I buy collector’s editions… on sales. It means:
- I have an extremely beautiful Far Cry 2 collector’s edition with a t-shirt. I love when they give me t-shirts.
- I have another collector’s edition of Disciples 2 with 10 cd’s – which mostly repeat data all over those cds.
- I have a beautiful Gabriel Knight box with the first and the second games, and a comic of the third one. And the novel for the first one. Very big, but I’m proud for having it.
- I have another nice collector’s edition of Stalker. It has a big metal box and a DVD I’ll never play. It’s cool.
- I have a collector’s edition of Mass Effect 2 unopened. It costed 20 euro, I couldn’t resist it.
- I love the metal box limited editions, so I have the one for Bioshock (i missed the sale of the collector’s edition with this one), the one for Supreme Commander and the one for Titan Quest. Which I also own on steam.
And maybe others that I forget.
07/07/2010 at 15:08 solipsistnation says:
Yeah, I like the big metal boxes– I gave a bunch of mine to my old university’s library, but I had the Quake III and Return to Wolfenstein boxes, which were quite attractive (if you like iD’s design style, I guess).
Lately I’ve bought the German special edition of the STALKER games because they come with LIGHTERS. I spent all winter lighting our wood stove with a Call of Pripyat lighter.
The German Call of Pripyat also came with a bandanna with a gas mask printed on it (tie it around your face and look like you’re wearing a very flat gas mask!) and a couple of patches and a big map and stuff, all in a metal box. It’s the best special edition I’ve ever seen.
08/07/2010 at 20:16 matte_k says:
Yeah, that Far Cry 2 t-shirt was quite good, also, the Bioshock 2 SE was pretty smart, vinyl LP, artbook and posters with UV graffiti, wrapped in a splendid but unwieldy box. The Guild Wars expansions had pretty good SE’s too, hoping that Guild Wars 2 follows suit. The Witcher Enhanced Edition box was quite smart, lots of extras in and out of game-which is probably the best reason for a special edition-something interesting in the box, and extra stuff in game, be it new levels or armour, etc.
@solipsistnation: where did you get the German Edition of Stalker? I’ve seen pictures of that special edition, and a couple of different Ukranian ones which look fantastic, but can’t seem to find somewhere that sells them. Already have the game, but the other stuff would be cool-i’m a bit of a magpie for shinies like those!
07/07/2010 at 12:05 Clovis says:
The only time I bought a special edition was for Prey. But that was just because it was on sale for like $5 somehow only a few months after it was released. I just want to play the game really, and I buy most games online.
Speaking of digital distribution, I don’t like the trend of special editions featuring gaming content. Now I just feel like I’m losing out on part of the game because I didn’t buy it at Best Buy or Steam or whatever.
07/07/2010 at 12:06 Centy says:
Bought the Stalker Call of Pripyat special edition the German one couldn’t get hold of the Russian or Ukrainian ones and loved the free gubbins the poster map the lighter the bandana and jacket patches all cool stuff in a nice metal box. Art guides are good too.
07/07/2010 at 12:07 flexm says:
I tend to have to pay extra just to avoid regular-boxed copies of games, paying even more to get a big box filled with junk just makes no sense.
For instance both left 4 dead 2 and modern warfare 2 were about 13$ more expensive on steam than getting the non-special-disc-version in sweden.
The only special edition that ever contained something useful was those unrealed tutorials mentioned above. Otherwise it’s all “Oh look at the pretty toys I desperately use somehow trying to validate my gaming problem”
07/07/2010 at 12:10 Richard Beer says:
I will never buy a Collections Edition box. What an incredible waste of money for some meaningless figurine or metal box that, within a week or two of purchase, will just be gathering dust somewhere. I guess I don’t have a collector mindset. Hah, it suddenly occurs to me that they call them ‘Collectors Editions’ for a very good reason: they appeal to collectors.
I will, however, by a ‘Digital Deluxe’ edition of something if the extra content it offers is especially worthwhile and the price isn’t prohibitively high. I didn’t care about Total War’s specialist units, for instance, but I was very keen to get Shale in my Dragon Age: Origins party.
07/07/2010 at 12:10 Item! says:
Infocom always used to give Good Box.
Peril Sensitive sunglasses as mentioned above, cloth maps, actual clues to in game puzzles…scratch ‘n’ sniff anyone?
07/07/2010 at 12:11 Alexander Norris says:
I want a nice, sturdy box (wooden or hard cardboard or something) with very pretty artwork, possibly looking like something that isn’t a video game box as long as it will fit in a pile of normal boxes. Inside, I’d like a nicer version of the manual, maybe a cloth map that’s big enough to justify hanging on a wall, and that’s it.
If special editions could provide us with good quality swag like tee-shirts or backpacks or whatever then I’d be all over those, but they always provide shit stuff that breaks down five minutes down the road (to minimise costs, obv.). In my ideal world, if a special edition comes with a STALKER-branded backpack, the backpack will be made by someone like Eastpak and similarly under life warranty, and the BioShock tee-shirt will be made by someone competent using non-shit materials.
07/07/2010 at 16:22 Corrupt_Tiki says:
+1.
I have the stalker tin box, and it is awesome, esp with the radioactive symbol blazened across the front of it.
However, I do like the idea you brought to light of a wooden box, The Witcher 2 or Diablo 3 in a nice wooden box would be so great.
07/07/2010 at 12:14 Will says:
Cloth maps, and novels!
Graphic novels will do:- I picked up the Warhammer Online boxed edition, and that came with nice hardback, embossed books of artwork and a graphic novel, as well as a miniature (of Grumlok and Gazbog on his shoulder).
07/07/2010 at 12:15 Rinox says:
I bought the CE of Oblivion when it came out and used the Tiber Septim coin as a lucky coin for years, until I lost it.
08/07/2010 at 02:54 RedFred says:
Unlucky!
07/07/2010 at 12:15 aDelicateBalance says:
Steam! No boxes sitting around on shelves, no losing discs, etc. I would never pay for a special version of a game that came with extra crap in “the box” (I literally do not remember the last time I bought a game retail anyway). Why would I when I wanted to buy a video game, not “crap in a box” – you can get that from a jumble sale.
07/07/2010 at 16:23 Corrupt_Tiki says:
Because maybe you can’t get decent internet?
07/07/2010 at 12:16 Brumisator says:
I never ever buy special editions. The game itself is enough for me.
Call me a Steam era gamer.
07/07/2010 at 12:23 ezuz says:
Never bought a collectors edition but somehow I feel drawn toward the SC2 one, maybe because of what a big part of my game playing life its predecessor has been.
If had to think of games that I’d want a collectors edition published I’d say Westwood’s Tiberian Sun and CCP’s EVE-online.
There should be a miniature Cyborg Reaper or a Mammoth MK II in the Tiberian sun one and concept art, scrapped unit drawings and some kind of commentary.
The Eve-online one should have a miniature frigate of some kind, a DVD teaching SCRUM (since that is what CCP uses and I’m really interested in that) and some exclusive art and concept drawings of the many ships that have been thought up but have never and will never be realized ingame.
07/07/2010 at 15:31 Hodge says:
Man! You just jogged my memory. There was indeed a special edition of Tiberian Sun, and as I remember it came with a little pewter Mk II. Also (I think) a short behind-the-scenes video and some kind of making-of booklet… no concept art, though.
07/07/2010 at 16:05 ezuz says:
You are kidding me! 0_0
Now I will have to scrounge the internet until I can find one…. this is my dream CE
07/07/2010 at 12:26 Sagan says:
I bought the Oblivion special edition, and the Neverwinter Nights 2 special edition. The first one did include a making of DVD or something which I remember nothing of and it had some other crap that I have thrown away by now. The Neverwinter Nights 2 special edition was my best purchase ever, simply because it included Neverwinter Nights 1 and all addons.
Since then I haven’t bought special editions because I realized that I don’t want all of the crap that comes with them.
So what would I want in special editions? Simple rule: If I would have spent money for it had it been sold separately, then put it in there. So if your artbook or your making of or your plastic figurine is so good that I would have bought it anyway, then it is a good idea to put it in the special edition. But I have never seen anything in a special edition of that quality.
07/07/2010 at 12:33 Mac says:
The tat inside is never worth the extra cash, therefore i’ve never bought a CE in my life :p
07/07/2010 at 12:39 Caiman says:
I’d be far to embarrassed to buy a collector’s edition box of any game, frankly, unless it was for my son. They look like they belong in the toy section of Woolies.
07/07/2010 at 12:40 Adam Whitehead says:
I still have the keychain that came with the original STARCRAFT, which, appropriately enough, was the first Special Edition I ever bought for a PC game. The T-shirt only lasted a couple of years before falling apart though.
For nostalgia’s sake, I was going to shell out for this special edition as well, but at more than double the price of the vanilla game, probably not.
07/07/2010 at 12:40 Lars Westergren says:
Bioshock 2 had some pretty nice extras. Soundtrack on LP and CD, some Rapture Art Deco style posters, and in the US I think they got a book about Art Deco the art style and the architecture….
I have the Fallout: New Vegas CE ordered too. A special playing card deck to bring to geek board game nights with my friends? Yes please.
07/07/2010 at 12:41 Okami says:
I bought the special edition of Ultima 6 for the Commodore 64. It came in a nice, sturdy cardboard box and included a thick background booklet printed on fake parchment, a cloth map as well as a moon stone.
Oh. Wait… That wasn’t a special edition, that’s just what you got with your games back then anyway..
I miss the early 90s
07/07/2010 at 13:15 Bassism says:
Unfortunately I wasn’t quite old enough to be romping around Brittania when the Ultima games came out, but they are probably the games that got me into gaming in a big way.
I’ve always been jealous of the goodies that came in the boxes for these. If somebody made an rpg that actually seemed good and produced a special edition packed with parchment and cloth maps, I’d consider it.
Otherwise, give me Steam.
07/07/2010 at 12:41 Man Raised By Puffins says:
I used to be a bit crazy for the special editions but I’ve manged to mostly wean myself off them recently. I tend to only pick them up now if they’re going cheap (à la the PoP reboot) or if they include a suitably awesome piece of tat (if this little dude had been in the Bioshock collector’s edition instead of a plastic Big Daddy I’d have picked it up in a heartbeat).
07/07/2010 at 12:46 Xercies says:
You know…i love maps. Anyway i really love just getting a box of the game and a physical copy, the Longest journey box set with the really great artbook was really nice i think. And anything with a map in it is great. but the toys…eh yeah they just get collected dust on them but sometimes i do put them on my desk and stare at them. especially more fun if there bobbleheads.
I really am sad how many people are steam gamers now, i still love having the physical thing in my hand :(
07/07/2010 at 12:47 fallingmagpie says:
Did anyone get the MW2 edition which had night vision goggles? That was crazy expensive, so I’m guessing not…
07/07/2010 at 12:52 Manwe says:
Probably NWN2 was last spec. ed game I bought; for the cloth map, but also the extra in game items (Which are invariably publicaly available a few weeks later anyway)
However, best non spec.ed game I bought was GTA: San Andreas, purely for the hardback manual. Man, that was comedy gold. And for the full radio track listing at the end.
I’d buy a spec. ed release of X:TC if it came will a huge wall plan\galaxy map I think, but not much else
07/07/2010 at 12:59 oceanclub says:
I pick up the occasiojnal special edition; am a sucker for figurines for my computer desk (currently adorned by Big Daddy, Vault Boy and the Mountain Troll statue from the NWN2 Chaotic Evil edition). Sort of wish I’d gotten the Batman:AA one so I could jump around the room wielding a batarang.
P.
07/07/2010 at 13:02 vanarbulax says:
I Never get special editions. Not only on basis that its often not worth it but also because in Australia they gouge prices for boxed copies and double gouge for special editions. So basically I go digital, buy bargains and import to avoid paying ridiculous prices.
So maybe if the whole price spectrum here was shifted cheaper then I might splurge on the extra $20 for some cool though silly stuff, currently I just can’t justify it.
07/07/2010 at 13:10 cypher says:
I’ll always get them if there’s something really special inside… maps and art-books are always cool but I’m particularly week against desktop furniture like the fallout 3 bobble-head so that my computer desk can show trophy’s from my past exploits!
07/07/2010 at 13:13 Hodge says:
For me to buy a big special edition box thingy, it must.
a) be an object of beauty in and of itself; and
b) be from a developer I really like… the idea being that it’s a chance to give them some more money (assuming that the profit margins are higher on the special editions).
But yeah, shelf space is scarce, so I rarely buy them. The only three I’ve bought in recent memory are Spore (ouch!), Oblivion (yikes!), and Empire: Total War (ah… better).
But as others have said, what now passes for a ‘special edition’ was once standard practice. Years ago opening a brand new game box was a moment of joy – you’d hold it aloft and gravity would reveal the goodies one by one.
*sigh* I am indeed an old fucker.
07/07/2010 at 13:16 mihor_fego says:
To be honest, I adore collecting stuff, but I’d never buy a “collector’s edition” before trying out the game. I gladly bought both Bioshock’s & Fallout 3′s after finishing the games. And that was only because I’d enjoyed them so much I wanted silly paraphernalia related to them lying on my desk.
As for what I’d like to see in such editions… Yeah, figurines are good but I also like artbooks, especially when there’s concept art that I’d never get a chance to see in-game. A comic book or short novel would be even better, even though I doubt many games have enough story to support those.
My dream “collector’s edition gift” would be a plush Manny Calavera! I’d even buy a a 500$ box for if all the major characters were inside…
07/07/2010 at 13:17 Bozzley says:
Hello Maxie :)
The only collectors edition I’ve bought was Fallout 3, which was a gift for my mate’s girlfriend who really got into Fallout 3. Thought a bobblehead would make a good Xmas present, which it actually did.
Making Of DVDs have been mentioned; if a game interests you enough, and when they’re done right, then they can be worth of inclusion. YMMV, of course. God of War on the PS2 (yes, I know) had an unlockable Making Of video, and it was interesting to see how they’d gone about imagining and creating such a fucked-up game.
07/07/2010 at 13:21 Amadeus says:
It’s not really healthy for the environment…
07/07/2010 at 13:24 Danzeru says:
I’d love to have a Morrowind collector’s box. With full maps, charts, bestiaries, fares and timetable for all the Silt Striders and my own pet Cliff Racer.
That would be awesome.
07/07/2010 at 13:33 Radiant says:
The rape kit that came with Modern Warfare 2 had potential.
The only special edition game I bought was the Street Fighter 4 Championship Edition [addition?] that came with a couple of dolls [!], Ryu and C.Viper, which were tiny and given away by the boatload at every public showing of the game and a cartoon of something or other on a dvd that has never even been plucked from the dvd case [it was stuffed under the actual game dvd].
Coincidently BOTH games came with really shitty manuals.
I DON’T WANT NIGHT VISION GOGGLES I WANT A FUCKING DECENT MANUAL.
It must be thick enough to swat a fly with. No more no less.
07/07/2010 at 14:29 Wisq says:
http://www.subsim.com/dangeous_waters_manual.php
Best manual I’ve seen in a long time. 570 pages, spiral bound. Such a big manual from such a niche (and digitally distributed) game, they had to not only sell it separately, but farm the selling out to a sub sim forum site.
Forget swatting a fly, you could go groundhog hunting with that one.
07/07/2010 at 13:33 Rosti says:
Cloth map, cloth map, tea towel, cloth map, CLOTH MAP!
07/07/2010 at 13:40 Ghiest says:
Being a avid amature 2/3d artis I look for the games that have allot of concept art/art books in them usually, otherwise the whole limited/special/collectors edition thing doesn’t bother me unless I intend to resell the game in the future and the limited is actually limited not like said halo 3 limited edition when there were 1.3 million made of them …
07/07/2010 at 13:41 Ghiest says:
Being a avid amateur 2/3d artis I look for the games that have allot of concept art/art books in them usually, otherwise the whole limited/special/collectors edition thing doesn’t bother me unless I intend to resell the game in the future and the limited is actually limited not like said halo 3 limited edition when there were 1.3 million made of them …
07/07/2010 at 13:45 Koozer says:
Is…is that a CRT?
07/07/2010 at 13:45 Andy says:
The only one I was every really interested in was the $15,000 uber collector’s edition version of Bioshock 2. Came with a real live big daddy :).
I’m sure I’ve bought collectible versions before for some in-game content but I’ve never been too bothered by the tat that comes with them.
07/07/2010 at 13:46 Desvergeh says:
Items that tempt me to Collectors Editions are novelty items. Stuff like models, replicas, or artbooks. Not too bothered on making of dvds as I never watch them (would rather play a game than watch a dvd on how it was designed. Valves ing-game comentaries are pretty awesome though).
In-game items really don’t cut it. Too often they can feel like items that have been removed from the game, are purely cosmetic (ooh wow a different coloured hat!), or even worse run the danger of imbalancing the game (possibly in multi-player, or maybe even in single-player if they make you too powerful).
Overall though the game merchandise I most treasure are things bought separately. Such as the Orange Box soundtrack, Okami or Half-life 2 artbooks, or the Headcrab plush I was lucky enough to get (unfortunately more cat-sized than human-sized).
07/07/2010 at 13:47 Owen says:
I tend to buy far too many collectors editions. Cloth maps, t shirts, books, and decent tins always grab my interest.
One of late which has stopped me buying a few mind you are the differences between EU and US releases. Mirrors edge not having a bag with its UK CE. Although the worst was dragon ages. Not having the map was a huge disappointment.
General rule, if the CE isn’t the same in all regions, I’ll avoid buying it.
07/07/2010 at 13:47 Heliocentric says:
I would pay over the odds for a special edition with no disc checks, activation limits or online only play. Even if the install procedure required registration.
07/07/2010 at 13:52 malkav11 says:
I generally only buy CEs of games I’m really excited for, or occasionally CEs of games that have dropped to the point where they’re around the same price as the game itself and as such dirt cheap. It also depends on how much extra they’re charging. I’ll do Blizzard CEs as they do excellent packages for those – I’ve gotten the Warcraft III and World of Warcraft CEs – would have done on the WoW expansions but Blizzard fucked me out of my WoW original CE account and this soured me on the game for a long time. (I do still have the boxed gubbins.)
What I look for are things like art books, soundtracks, cinematics DVDs, comics, additional games, playable sets of tabletop games that are related (CCGs, HeroClix figurines for City of Villains, etc) or other media content. Basically, stuff I might actually read/watch/listen to. Figurines, lunchboxes, bobbleheads, chips, bits of the Berlin Wall, and other strictly decorative items will mostly cause me to steer clear of the CE altogether as I don’t go in for decorating my house with useless crap.
07/07/2010 at 14:01 Daniel Klein says:
I know I am the weird, icky minority, but physical artifacts turn me off. Give me a choice of buying a physical boxed game for 20 Euro or the Steam Digital version for 30, and I’ll go for Steam, all of the time. It’s just… too much hassle otherwise. I can’t be arse to keep physical things in any kind of place where I’ll find them again in the future, and I prefer not having to venture out into the SUNLIGHT. Like I bought Settlers 7 on Steam recently, fully aware of the fact that there were retail ways of buying the box that would have cost me less, even with shipping and handling, but there you are. I clicked the button in my Steam client, then I clicked install game, went to sleep, and the next morning the game was just THERE, on my PC, ready to play. Huge advantage for me.
So I don’t ever buy collector’s editions. That said, I do have a pristine condition Warhammer Online collector’s edition if anyone’s looking for one.
07/07/2010 at 14:04 Mana_Garmr says:
I bought the collector’s edition of The Witcher for the art book and soundtrack. Got the Shadow of Chernobyl one simply because it happened to be there when I went looking for the game and I really liked the metal box.
The only other one I own is the Jade Empire SE and I bought that simply because for some reason it was the same price as the normal version in the shop I was in.
I like decent size maps with games too, especially ones where it’s a map of a country/continent and not just of a single city. Probably wouldn’t pay more just for that, but it could push me into buying if I was already considering it.
07/07/2010 at 14:08 Archonsod says:
I never intend to buy the collector’s edition, but when I can pre-order the collector’s edition from Amazon, Play or even retail for about ten quid cheaper than the normal version on Steam I figure why the hell not. On the off chance it doesn’t land on the doormat on release day at least I get some gubbins for my trouble when it does arrive. Or in Empire’s case, some gubbins to paw through while I waited for the US to wake up so I could play the damn thing.
07/07/2010 at 14:11 phlebas says:
Maps. I still have Vvardenfell, Cyrodiil and The Zone on the wall over my computer.
Objects that add flavour to the game world rather than just ‘Collectible’ merchandising tie-ins to decorate my desk. Coins, flyers, postcards, magic stones.
Proper manuals? They’re appealing but if a proper manual is an optional extra then something’s definitely broken.
In-game advantages for premium customers? Go away.
07/07/2010 at 14:12 Tunips says:
I bought the Far Cry 2 big wooden edition. It came with a lovely tshirt (I have been forever since trying to find tshirts of the same consistency, to no avail), a satchel bag (which is still my primary bag – and even more in theme since various kinds of oil and blood have been spilt on it) and a big paper map, which I used in preference to the ingame one.
That has by far been the most rewarding special edition I’ve encountered.
I got the Napoleon Total War Emperor’s edition. Came with a faux-leather cased journal, with the pages embossed with the Imperial N-Eagle, and an 10-inch statue of the man himself, in his famous crossing-the-alps pose. I have not installed the game.
In general, I don’t get special editions, mainly because I rarely buy games anywhere near their release date. A well sculpted model, or large art book (but only if the game has actually good art) may sway me, but makings-of and soundtracks and especially ingame-items do nothing for me.
Guild Wars 2: Put the big art book in it and you have a deal.
07/07/2010 at 14:13 Frank says:
Civ 5 is the last I can remember. Might and Magic gave cloth maps (which are awesome) even without a special edition.
07/07/2010 at 14:14 Frank says:
Er, civ4 rather.
07/07/2010 at 14:13 Matt Wombat says:
A Grim Fandango CE would be the one for me. It would need a full set of models of all the main characters and the box would be art deco style and would include a vinyl of the jazz soundtrack. Actually, that sounds like I’m talking about the Bioshock 2 CE which I bought for exactly the same reason (although it didn’t include models). And I still haven’t played BS2, I only bought it because of the styling of it … that and Zavvi reduced it to something ridiculous like £20.00 on its first week of release.
07/07/2010 at 14:22 Yghtdsf says:
Never bought one, don’t really understand the appeal. One of the great things about video games is you can play them with minimal energy consumption and cost (especially now with digital distribution), collector editions just seem a step backward to me.
07/07/2010 at 14:27 Leo272 says:
A Grim Fandango one would indeed be ace. I bought the GTA IV one, which was a safety deposit-style box (blooming lovely) and the sort of hold-all bag perps put guns/money/drugs in. I just put clothes and books in there and felt a bit inadequate. Until both zips on it broke. Tsk. I didn’t actually like the game, but I’m loathed to sell it because that box is so nice.
07/07/2010 at 15:02 Nero says:
I buy games for the actual game and have yet to see a special edition be worth it for the added price. So yeah, I don’t buy special editions of games.
07/07/2010 at 15:05 laikapants says:
I seem to do so more than I think I would. Mostly it comes down to proper and unique feelies. I gladly plunked down the gross amount of cash for the Bioshock 2 CE because it came with two things I love, vinyl records and proper art books. Sadly left out the other thing, figurines, but that’s that. The other important factor for me is how much above the regular price is it. If just $10, I can deal with the loss of better feelies, though I’m still in a toss up as to whether or not I’d rather not have any art book than these little postcard sized ones.
07/07/2010 at 15:06 TenjouUtena says:
I stopped buying CEs a while ago. In an odd twist of fate, I’ve usually ended up not liking most games I’ve bought the CE for. Guild Wars stands out in my mind.
The Persona 3 CE was totally worth it, the CD it came with was good, and I’m a sucker for Art books. But I think the only way to get it on launch day was to buy the CE, so I’m not sure it counts. (Does it count as a CE if there’s no normal edition?)
07/07/2010 at 15:34 suibhne says:
I’d buy a CE of RPS if it would stop trashing my login cookie.
Worst CE I ever bought was Quake 4 – because the CE, for $10 more, was the only way to get the game on DVD instead of 4 CDs (or more). Ridiculous – can’t believe I put up with that extortion. Good ol’ Activision.
I’m pretty tempted by the CEs for both Fallout: New Vegas and Elemental. The Fallout-themed playing card deck sounds primo, and Elemental just sounds like it has a lot of care put into it. Otoh, I really don’t want a pewter dragon cluttering up my apartment, so meh.
07/07/2010 at 16:08 Greg Wild says:
See, for me, FNV is just the sort of collection of superfluous tat that I have no interest in. That stuff (for me) only servers to create mess and take up space.
07/07/2010 at 17:41 Shagittarius says:
Collector’s Editions are not for Obsessive/Compulsive type people. Unless they come with empty jars for storing urine.
07/07/2010 at 15:48 sassy says:
Blasphemy!!!
All games should have cloth maps!!!
07/07/2010 at 15:48 sassy says:
reply fail
07/07/2010 at 16:07 Greg Wild says:
Unless there’s some sort of financial incentive (i.e. it being cheaper for some reason), or it having some extra content I never buy Special Eds.
Partly because I have a system of keeping CDs/DVDs in a large CD wallet thing, and manuals in a box. The rest goes to the recycling factory beyond. I have no time for silly physical game collections and superfluous tat. Books are far more excellent collectables.
07/07/2010 at 16:15 Mungrul says:
A lot of “Collector’s Editions” nowadays are the same price as the normal editions when bought in-store, which makes them a no-brainer.
I have tried to wean myself off of them, but this recent practice has made it a lot harder.
I have all of the Guild Wars Collector Editions and absolutely love ‘em. Indeed, it’s ace to be one of the seemingly few people left playing the game that has the “Divine Aura” from the first CE.
I think the one I was most disappointed with was the BioShock CE, mostly due to the shockingly poor paint job on the included Big Daddy. Conversely, the vinyl Ezio I got with the CE of Assassin’s Creed 2 (PS3, soz guys), is superb and incredibly well done, a lovely thing to have on my games shelf.
There’s also been a couple of games where I picked up the regular editions but shop staff gave me the goodies from the CEs for free. That’s why I have an Overlord 2 Brown and Bionic Commando’s Nathan Spencer on my shelf too.
Probably the most useful CE goody has been the guide that came with the CE of Demon’s Souls. It was written by enthusiastic community members, and is invaluable. Also, the American version of this guide is better than the UK one; while the UK one is glossier, it is missing some of the really useful info from the American one. Yes, I love Demon’s Souls so much, I bought it twice.
There’s numerous others I have, but those are the most memorable ones.
07/07/2010 at 16:19 Jake says:
I had the Starcraft CE, got my money’s worth from that key fob.
I’d consider them if they also provided a digital edition that added to Steam without having to wait for the post. CDs are a pain in the arse, and I pay extra for the convenience of Steam. Collector’s Editions could come with really great gifts, but the actual CD would be an inconvenient way to get the game.
07/07/2010 at 16:30 Rich says:
A fully functional Sherman tank. That or no sale.
08/07/2010 at 01:58 TheHumanBlur says:
Nah id rather working Landkreuzer P 1500 Monster. mmmmmmmmmmmmm…….
07/07/2010 at 16:36 Matt says:
I used to buy a lot of collector’s edition games for the original Xbox, mainly because they had a consistent thing where all collector’s editions came in a nice, aluminum (or aluminium if you prefer) DVD case. However, that was back when you could grab a collector’s edition game for $60. Since then prices on collector’s editions seem to have gone through the roof. A $70 collector’s edition game is cheap, and $100 sets are becoming increasingly common.
07/07/2010 at 16:37 jonfitt says:
I used to like the old maps you’d get in game boxes, but I will never pay extra for game toot with a game.
A store with stuff game related might get me to purchase an item from a beloved game, but I don’t want someone to decide what collection of random junk I want.
For example I want an Aperture Science mug, and someone needs to sell me a red corwbar, as apparently real ones don’t seem to come in red.
07/07/2010 at 17:07 Navagon says:
The Starcraft 2 special edition box is probably the biggest rip off I’ve seen in some time. Then again, the core game isn’t any better.
As for what I’d like to see, I quite like the art books that come with the special editions I got. Extra in game content is another major plus. Just so long as it’s not the kind of crap that nerfs the multiplayer side of the game. That’s just really dumb. I avoid games that do that altogether.
07/07/2010 at 17:12 Ziv says:
I actually never bought a SE because I’m a budget gamer.
But when I’ll get a proper job w/ proper money in it the type of special editions that intrigue me are those that either have something from the game (like the FO lunchbox) or a figurine from the game (I believe bioshock had that). I would get it if it had something that I could put on the shelf or wall and show off (to other and to myself :) so I guess that a map would be neat too.
07/07/2010 at 17:14 Nick says:
mmm.. Portishead.
I’m not really fussed with collectors editions, they are usually massively overpriced for the crappy junk you get with them and I can’t really think of anything I’d pay extra for.. a cloth map and a thick manual should be standard in the boxed versions of games which they are appropriate to, in my opinion. They bloody well used to be.
07/07/2010 at 17:36 Shagittarius says:
I was hoping someone felt the same way I did. I’d pay extra for a DRM free copy so I’d know that in the future no matter how long I’d be able to install and play it trouble free.
Currently I’m still buying Disc based versions with some DRM (Not UBisoft) hoping that there will be hackers or fixes released in the future.
07/07/2010 at 18:01 rocketman71 says:
The only thing that’d make a SC2 box special (and with a minimum chance of me buying it) would be LAN support.
Otherwise, Blizzard can go to hell (and greet Diablo there).
07/07/2010 at 18:22 DrGonzo says:
I bought Gears of War 2 special edition because it was cheaper than the standard edition. As are lots of special editions in Game in the UK.
07/07/2010 at 18:50 Werewolf2000ad says:
My Tales Of Monkey Island Deluxe Edition just arrived in the post this morning – Cloth (cotton) map, voodoo card, gold coin etc. – with that and the Sam & Max case files, Telltale do good stuff in the spirit of the old adventure game ‘feelies’, which is what attracts me to a special edition- That feeling of having a bunch of items from the game world itself. You get them mostly from RPGs these days, like the new Fallout games.
07/07/2010 at 19:16 Jeffthewonderbadger says:
Agreed. The manual for M1 Tank Platoon II could have crushed a medium-sized animal. I miss it greatly.
07/07/2010 at 19:16 Jeffthewonderbadger says:
Gah. Reply fail.
07/07/2010 at 19:48 Riesenmaulhai says:
Totally Starcraft.
And what would be in it?
Kerrigan.
And me.
07/07/2010 at 23:06 Ninja Dodo says:
If I still bought retail PC games and had more space this is what I would want out of collector’s editions:
I wish they would come out AFTER the original release of a game, cause it’s not usually till you’ve played the game that you know for sure if you even care. Lots of games get special editions that don’t need or deserve one and many classics are left with naught but a DVD case and a PDF manual that tells you how to run setup. Sure it means you’d end up buying the game twice, but between Steam and GOG I already end up doing that half the time anyway…
Neat stuff I want:
- Proper art book / making of… think Valve’s “Half Life 2 : Raising the bar“, not just a random collection of concept art.
- On that note, integrated in-game Developer’s Commentary for all games. please! Thank you.
- Complete original soundtrack. None of this we’ll release the full thing later for moneys. Only if the music merits such treatment of course, though I’ve noticed most games that deserve a collector’s edition tend to have pretty sweet music.
- Maps (paper is fine) and other in-fiction materials (somebody mentioned a bestiary… also diaries)
Mixed feelings:
DLC: only if you can uninstall it! (in case it turns out to be stupid) *cough* RDR golden guns *cough*
Toys and Sculpture: only if they’re not tacky and horrible…
07/07/2010 at 23:10 asdf says:
I will never forgive myself for not getting the Morrowind CE when it came out. I would kill each and every one of you to have that Ordinator figurine. I did eventually get the art book, at least.
I love art books. My perfect CE would include a big hardcover art book and also a print or two of concept art.
I miss the old days of good manuals, especially ones that included content related to the game’s fictional world. My UNDYING journal being a most treasured example.
07/07/2010 at 23:28 measurements says:
Firstly to be on topic: I THINK THAT
Collectors editions are probably more successful for sequels. The fan base has something to anticipate compared to a new IP. With new IP’s collectors editions should come out later.
Codes for unique boosts in game (more flying time in aeon, etc) are bad. It means someones external fund situation affects the game over and above their skill. This is more of an issue for multiplayer games, and yes I’m aware of microtransaction based mmos. That’s probably why I’ve never been interested in playing ‘em.
I bought the Half-Life 2 tin. I still use the tin to store my crap. I still wear the t-shirt. Strangers still give me gaming rep for the tee. The other ‘books’ and emphemera got lost, mainly cause it was a poor excuse of a taster for a proper book you could get.
I love maps but the fold lines are a bugger. I love manuals and think they are a valuable resource for any enthusiast. I plain love the smell of fresh games.
I also bought the juse cause 2 limited edition thinger, because it was cheaper than the other one. Markets!
Collectors editions should be serious, weighty things. Quality is something you can’t fake so get an idea and really run with it, designers. If you’re doing a backstory journal, actually include a torn, ragged journal. Not some crappy photoshop job with monotype corsiva as the hand written script. If the costs are unfeasible, rework the idea. If you want the collectors edition to come in an ammo box, get actual ex army ammo boxes. Do it properly or don’t bother.
I think it’s down to the game developers to figure out something feasible, suitable and desirable to include in collectors editions, all I ask is that it is well made, quality stuff. Something that you don’t let gather dust because you want to have it on display, you want to handle it and share it with friends. Be that a book or a replica weapon. Or a placque with the logo in cut metal. Or a tiny coffin.
Off topic: Total Annihilation music. Actually makes me slightly giddy to listen to it, even now. It was never a collectors edition but you could just burn it off the second disc I think. My mate and I did the same with Red Alert 2 music. That shit is bananas. Gaming music is sometimes, just sometimes, fucking awesome.
At the end of the day I think I’d like something in my collectors edition that deepens the alternative reality of the game for me and makes me feel closer to the fiction I can experience through my computer screen.
07/07/2010 at 23:32 measurements says:
Apologies for the fucking essay. And the swearing. Well. No, I don’t apologise for the swearing.
07/07/2010 at 23:41 Hmm-Hmm. says:
Only ever purchased one. The special edition of Warhammer online. Well, I was fooled once, but probably not twice.
Oh, and a massive *sigh* at all the exclusives in special edition or preorders these days. Why must you antagonise me so, developers?
07/07/2010 at 23:53 Hmm-Hmm. says:
Oh, and as to what would be in my ideal Collector’s or Special edition? Maps are always nice. A good manual. Art is nice as long as it’s not a reprint of stuff I’ve seen online already. A soundtrack would be good. Things like that. I’m not into figurines / toys nor am I a proponent of giving in-game stuff exclusively to those who buy such editions.
08/07/2010 at 00:03 Joe the Wizard says:
I will buy CE versions of games on two conditions.
1 – It’s a game I’ve been anticipating.
2 – It comes with extra IN GAME content.
I don’t really love the huge boxes and extra crap that I look at once and put on the shelf, but if it comes with little bits that will enhance my gaming experience the entire time, then I’m sold right off.
08/07/2010 at 00:57 Out Reach says:
what attracts you to these editions? – Cool Stuff which I value more than the extra £X on the normal retail price.
Do you often buy them? – Not often. I got L4D2 pre-order with some friends for a massive discount. the added bills hat for tf2 and in game baseball bat was but a small bonus. The only other one I got was for “World In Conflict” which came with an incredibly uncomfortable (but perfectly functional) headphones and mike, A making of DVD, a Piece of the Berlin Wall (TEH AWESOME :D) and of course the game >>
What would you like to see in them? – Something unique, but not game changing. I hate feeling like i have to buy the collectors edition if I want an equal footing in a multilayer game (if this is the case I tend to just not buy the game at all). So if it’s an in game item something completely cosmetic. I also want some Real World Loot! it needs to tie with the game, and be “Freaking Awesome”. Finally it needs to come in a vast crate.
And what games in history do you wish had one – and what would be in it? – Team fortress 2. Would come with a unique in game hat, and also a Real Life Version of the same hat.
08/07/2010 at 01:08 Wisq says:
I liked the (apparently) genuine piece of the Berlin Wall they included in the original World In Conflict CE. That, and the canvas box with an American flag (and game title) on one side, and Russian flag (and game title in Russian) on the other side. I think that’s my favourite CE ever.
The rest of the time, I mainly just get CEs for soundtracks or other things I can enjoy long after I’ve finished the game. Posters and the like aren’t really my thing due to a sort of modesty about most of the games I play. Art books are neither here nor there — unless it’s a game with a unique art style, like some console games (e.g. anything by Nippon Ichi).
08/07/2010 at 01:52 TheHumanBlur says:
Never been a toy or ‘stuff’ person. Give me books, Maps, Art, big fuck-off manuals. BIG FUCK-OFF ART BOOKS. That is all.
08/07/2010 at 02:18 Bascule42 says:
@TheHumanBlur. Yes. Thick chunky books that make me feel sorry for the postman. Art, guides, it matters not. But for the future, publishers, include a woman. Er….another woman.
08/07/2010 at 03:06 Buemba says:
If LucasArts released a premium version of those LucasArts Archives they used to sell, collecting all their point and click adventure games, and added a bunch of sweet trinkets like an artbook, a Purple Tentacle resin statue or a Max bobblehead I’d buy it in a heartbeat.
On second thought, since I already have those games in their original boxes and the Rogue Leaders book just give me the Purple Tentacle statue and I can die happy.
08/07/2010 at 04:50 YouCanCallMeAl says:
Because you’re worried Steam may someday shut down or refuse to honor your purchases?
08/07/2010 at 05:57 Moonracer says:
I’d pay extra for a “special edition” box that included all the DLC that the “Game of the Year” box will include.
That said, my most memorable and proud special edition pre-order box was for the original System Shock. Both because it came with a ton of maps and guides (which I admittedly needed at the time) and because it was solid proof that I was in touch with where good gaming was going.
08/07/2010 at 08:27 Zerotonine says:
Ah making ofs, I agree that Oblivion’s was great! Sierra used to do a few back in the day, plus some other random things. The Gabriel Knight: Sins Of The Fathers CD version was great, I fondly remember the interviews with Jane Jensen and the composer hearing REAL Roland midi, I wish I had one of those back then :) One trend that I’m really happy with recently are video developer diaries. Sometimes they can come across as tarted up advertisements but there’s some gold to be found!
08/07/2010 at 08:32 Zerotonine says:
Goddamnit, reply fail. That’s what I get for using my iPhone to reply to something on the first page.
08/07/2010 at 10:33 MD says:
I never buy collector’s editions, really. I think I bought some sort of special edition of Call of Duty (1), because that was all the shop had. It came with a soundtrack, I think, and that was it. I also won a copy of the Napoleon: Total War collectors’ edition, and felt slightly guilty about that because the extra stuff was just junk to me. To be fair though, I wasn’t beng a big ol’ cynic, it was objectively fairly shit.
Extras that would interest me:
- Awesome manuals, a la Civilization and Knights of the Sky. Those things were not only extremely useful, but fun to read in their own right, and genuinely educational.
- Awesome art books, posters, that sort of thing. This would depend on the game, of course, and I would want something really nice, not just a thrown-together booklet or a scrappy little poster plastered with logos.
- Other excellent things I can’t think of off the top of my head. The key is for the extra stuff to be high-quality and inherently interesting, rather than gimmicky rubbish valued only because of its relation to the game.
08/07/2010 at 10:36 MD says:
Under ‘manuals’, include lovely maps and tech-trees and the like, of course. Boring or superfluous maps are nothing to me though, unless the latter are really beautiful.
08/07/2010 at 12:21 wcaypahwat says:
If I buy a game retail, i’ll get the CE if one is available. they’re usually only AU$10-$20 extra, and pre-ordering generally gets it for the price of whatever standard edition is selling. I like all the bits myself, maps, books, soundracks, making ofs, and I have a shelf on my book case dedicated to the figurines etc. i got valt boy, edward carnby and a few others up there, along with other gaming/scifi related fellows.