Support NeoGAF

[v0rtikal]

Just as the title says, where is the industry heading with these unaceptable practices?

For example, everyone is talking about how good the new Sonic Mania is, so I was curious and found the Collector's Edition. To my surprise it doesn't include the physical game, only a digital code and it costs 69,99 USD.

Then I remembered EA's Unravel, they put on sale a Collector's Edition that it only includes a handmade yarn figure of the game's protagonist Yarny, again, not the actual physical copy of the game.

99% of the games we currently buy do not even include a manual, just the disc. The only exception I can think of is "Shovel Knight" and that really makes it special to me.

What are your thoughts? I really can't stand it anymore, it feels like we're approaching a 100% digital world.

 

[antitrop]

Bethesda does it, too. I remember Wolfenstein: The New Order's CE not coming with the game in 2014, either.

It's as ridiculous now as it was then and has only become more common.

 

[warheat]

Vote with your wallet, I absolutely love Life is Strange, but I won't buy LIS: Before the Storm because they're locking Max episode behind premium edition.

 

[ElephantShell]

When they first started ditching manuals I was kind of sad, but it doesn't really bother me now.

I understand it's a waste of paper to put a 20 page booklet in millions of copies of games when that information can be given in other ways.

 

[DesiacX]

While I don't think its what your referring to in the op, CEs without the game at all are a good option. If you buy digital or decide you want the ce later, you don't have to double dip on the cost of the game.

 

[Justinh]

Bethesda does it, too. I remember Wolfenstein: The New Order's CE not coming with the game in 2014, either.

It's as ridiculous now as it was then and has only become more common.

Yeah, I bought that thing because it was only 50 bucks at the time and I had already bought the games digitally.

I dunno, I think if it were truly "unacceptable" then they would've stopped a long time ago because people would've stopped giving them money. Man, I love when I get a game that comes with a manual (Witcher 3, Wasteland 2, Divinity OS, and Puyo Tetris off the top of my head).

Bethesda does it, too. I remember Wolfenstein: The New Order's CE not coming with the game in 2014, either.

It's as ridiculous now as it was then and has only become more common.

Vote with your wallet, I absolutely love Life is Strange, but I won't buy LIS: Before the Storm because they're locking Max episode behind premium edition.

Yeah, and the platinum trophy too. That is pretty scummy.

 

[Azuardo]

Vote with your wallet, I absolutely love Life is Strange, but I won't buy LIS: Before the Storm because they're locking Max episode behind premium edition.

Yeah, this is also a bad practice. Don't like them locking an important episode behind the premium edition. I imagine it'll be put up to download separately after a certain length of time, but who knows? As it stands, this is extremely poor, and I won't have a part in that either, despite loving LiS1.

I agree with the OP on the digital games with CEs. Unacceptable.

 

[Atolm]

Yeah, and the platinum trophy too. That is pretty scummy.

Wow, really? That's a new low.

 

[Dane_gerClose]

While I agree overall, I read this morning that the Life is Strange trophy thing was a mistake, it won't be like that for the final release.

Edit: Yeah, confirmed by Push Square

 

[v0rtikal]

When they first started ditching manuals I was kind of sad, but it doesn't really bother me now.

I understand it's a waste of paper to put a 20 page booklet in millions of copies of games when that information can be given in other ways.

yeah, but the funny thing is they include all these "add ons" if you pay more, like artbooks, etc.. It's not like they want to save the planet or anything by not including it.

I still remember the time when full color manuals were included and I really miss them. It set them apart from digital copies imho.

 

[Koren]

I understand it's a waste of paper to put a 20 page booklet in millions of copies of games when that information can be given in other ways.

As long as I receive more paper advertisement each month in my letterbox that I have videogame booklets since I began collecting VG in the 80s, I'm not convinced it's a thing.

 

[thekonamicode]

I don't really have a problem with it, I just don't buy these things.

 

[yuoke]

It saves paper.

 

[notaskwid]

Game companies want you to stop buying physical games (outside of collector's edition) and to buy digital. It only makes sense to them.

 

[Stallion Dan]

Manuals not needed anymore, games can explain controls or have tutorials themselves.

CE without a game just stupid though.

 

[Snoopycat]

Part of the fun of buying a game when I was a kid was reading the manual and getting all excited on the journey home. Some of them were massive. It's a shame they're almost gone now

 

[Brat-Sampson]

But with Sonic Mania, you *do* get the game, just not in cart form. Because there is no cart form. It doesn't exist. But you are still getting a copy of the game and the physical extras. I kinda miss manuals too, but it's been a really long time since they were actually high-quality and games tend to do a much better job of explaining themselves through tutorials/databases these days anyway so it's no big loss.

It's a lot worse when an edition doesn't even include a *code* for the game, and is basically just a highly-priced selection of game-related merch.

EDIT: Also, we are absolutely approaching a digital-only world, any look at trends of physical sales will show you that.

 

[Rell]

Most games are very tutorial-heavy at this point. The manual isn't as important as it was 15 years ago. I don't mind the loss of the manual.

Collector's editions are another thing, I guess. I don't care too much about digital-only titles, PC gaming has adopted this as the norm for the last ten-ish years.

And obviously the reason that companies are charging $60 for a game and then $30 or whatever for a season pass is because they actually want to charge $90 for their game, but that pricepoint would be met with derision.

With the demand for higher and higher resolution assets it's not like this pricing model is going to get any better.

 

[MegaMelon]

I don't really get the CEs problem. It's basically a glorified merchandise pack so just think of it as one instead of getting caught up in the CE moniker.

 

[Mbolibombo]

Nicalis puts manuals in their games at least for the Switch.

 

[jediyoshi]

While I don't think its what your referring to in the op, CEs without the game at all are a good option. If you buy digital or decide you want the ce later, you don't have to double dip on the cost of the game.

This. It makes obtaining CE stuff much less of a hassle when it's divorced from any specific platform, especially further down the line. It's purely an issue of perception because it's attached to a loaded term.

 

[Koren]

Manuals not needed anymore, games can explain controls or have tutorials themselves.

I doubt people who value manuals do it because they talk about controls...

It saves paper.

Does it really matter, though? I don't believe a second that's the reason (saving a couple $ per game times several hundred thousands, on the other hand...)

 

[AmuroChan]

Yeah, and the platinum trophy too. That is pretty scummy.

S-E made a statement yesterday that that was a mistake. They're working on making the bonus ep not count towards the Platinum trophy.

 

[Shil Pencer]

i find it weird anyone would think Sonic mania would have a physical disc

 

[Justinh]

Wow, really? That's a new low.

From what I understand, you need that premium edition exclusive chapter to get the Platinum, yeah.

S-E made a statement yesterday that that was a mistake. They're working on making the bonus ep not count towards the Platinum trophy.

Oh, my mistake then. Thanks.

Nicalis puts manuals in their games at least for the Switch.

Seems like indies are the ones who typically pony up for manuals.

 

[skullmuffins]

"Collector's Edition" physical packages without the game are a good idea tbh. The publisher only has to make one version instead of shipping different SKUs for every platform, and you're free to choose whether you want a digital or physical copy of the game and from whatever retailer you want. It's just calling it an "Edition" that makes it sound silly.

 

[v0rtikal]

I doubt people who value manuals do it because they talk about controls...

Exactly my point, I love manuals because they usually include artwork as well as small details of the story which is interesting to read.

 

[Dane_gerClose]

From what I understand, you need that premium edition exclusive chapter to get the Platinum, yeah

To be clear for people first hearing this, while this was true it is no longer the case. Square said it will be fixed before release.

 

[Nintendo's Witch]

I don't really have a problem with it, I just don't buy these things.

This is me.

 

[Koren]

But with Sonic Mania, you *do* get the game, just not in cart form. Because there is no cart form. It doesn't exist.

Well, I'd argue that the CE edition of Fire Emblem fates include a cart... that doesn't exists anywere outside of the CE edition. They could still produce a cart just for the CE, it's far from an impossibility.

EDIT: Also, we are absolutely approaching a digital-only world, any look at trends of physical sales will show you that.

Still not convinced we're going all-digital (Vynils were recently a larger market in UK than streaming ) but with people that don't care about physical going digital, you could think that physical products would be designed with people that value physical in mind...

This. It makes obtaining CE stuff much less of a hassle when it's divorced from any specific platform, especially further down the line. It's purely an issue of perception because it's attached to a loaded term.

Problem is that they price the CE as if the game was included, because it'll sit in shelves alongside CE *with* games. In theory, it's fine, but I still find it's nearly a scam when it's done like it is now.

 

[Koren]

Exactly my point, I love manuals because they usually include artwork as well as small details of the story which is interesting to read.

Well, there's a couple games whose manual is better than the game itself

 

[v0rtikal]

"Collector's Edition" physical packages without the game are a good idea tbh. The publisher only has to make one version instead of shipping different SKUs for every platform, and you're free to choose whether you want a digital or physical copy of the game and from whatever retailer you want. It's just calling it an "Edition" that makes it sound silly.

as far as I know Sonic Mania does not exist physical, so that invalidates your point (although I may be wrong). But what about Unravel? it doesn't exist physical and I'm 100% sure of that.

 

[Shadow780]

I still smell manuals after I open up a new game.

 

[Danjin44]

I personally love manuals. Last game I bought that had manuals was Catherine.

 

[molnizzle]

You used to need manuals to know how to play a game. Now the games just teach you how to play through tutorials.

Physical manuals are simply wasteful these days.

Spoiler

As are physical games.

 

[v0rtikal]

I personally love manuals. Last game I bought that had manuals was Catherine.

last gen included manuals, at least more than now. I still remember Street Fighter 4 for instance, all but Ultra included a full color manual with artwork and list of moves.

 

[Joe Shlabotnik]

Manuals not needed anymore, games can explain controls or have tutorials themselves.

CE without a game just stupid though.

Except everybody fucking hates tutorials. Put it in a manual.

That said, I miss manuals less for instruction (though they still work better than tutorials as a reference guide) than much much more for the flavor and background a really good manual could provide.

A well-made manual could really get you into the spirit of the game before you even played it, and in a different, supplementary way than the game itself.

While I'd strongly prefer paper I wish they would at least still take the time to make a proper manual and include it digitally.

 

[Yohane]

I agree that we should eliminate manuals forever.

Waste of resources since nobody reads them.

 

[bravoguy]

They are just looting us and saving their production cost............

 

[SalvaPot]

Except everybody fucking hates tutorials. Put it in a manual.

That said, I miss manuals less for instruction (though they still work better than tutorials as a reference guide) than much much more for the flavor and background a really good manual could provide.

A well-made manual could really get you into the spirit of the game before you even played it, and in a different, supplementary way than the game itself.

While I'd strongly prefer paper I wish they would at least still take the time to make a proper manual and include it digitally.

Nintendo games have their manuals digitally, just press the home menu and there it is. No need to waste all that paper, its even easier to find what you need.

 

[Strangelove77]

Manuals are a waste of paper, money and time.

 

[Duchess O'Death]

I don't care about manuals but yeah some collectors editions should be called "collectibles" instead or do something like Hitman and include a digital code for the game.


Nothing wrong with a digital code with physical collectibles. I prefer digital games but I also like collectors editions.

 

[Dane_gerClose]

I agree that we should eliminate manuals forever.

Waste of resources since nobody reads them.

While I do read them, for some reason your comment made me think it would be cool if every game came out with a little 20 page artbook instead.

I think people would enjoy that, I would!

 

[Compbros]

Manuals are a waste of paper, money and time.

Precisely, everything in a manual is learned/shown in-game. They've become unneeded.

 

[Duchess O'Death]

Precisely, everything in a manual is learned/shown in-game. They've become unneeded.

Some games also have a digital manual in-game or before you start the game ( on PS4 at least)

 

[Acerac]

Precisely, everything in a manual is learned/shown in-game. They've become unneeded.

Spoken like somebody who has never had an old PC game manual.

 

[The ๖ۜBronx]

If it's a digital-only game that's not got a massive team behind it I don't mind there being a code, I don't expect them to do a printing run just for the LE's and even if they did the cost that would need to be covered would likely make the whole thing not worth it, or unprofitable depending on whether they passed it on to the consumer.

Iconic title from large studios or publishers? Would expect to get a physical copy.

Manuals I like and appreciate but don't care too much about these days. It's been so long since it was the norm.

 

[Lucumo]

Spoken like somebody who has never had an old PC game manual.

Or any good manual if he thinks everything is shown in the game.

 

[Strangelove77]

Not only do games have pretty good in game tutorials nowadays, but a lot of them have art, glossaries, appendices and other backstory supplements that you can read, much more than any paper manual could include.

 

[skullmuffins]

as far as I know Sonic Mania does not exist physical, so that invalidates your point.

I'm not talking about Sonic Mania. Obviously you can't buy a physical copy of a digital-only game. It includes the digital code, so you do get a copy of "the game". (If there was a physical version included, it would go back to the problem in my first post - anyone who wanted the game digitally would have to double dip if they wanted the trinkets, or they'd have to make two versions of the collector's edition.) As digital purchases make up a larger percentage of the market, I do think this practice will increase.