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Collectors Editions or why we are brainwashed

I discovered quite awhile ago that CE's were usually garbage. Though, I would have LOVED to have gotten the Limited Edition of Demon's Souls. So there are a few worthwhile editions.

And I am being a bit of a hypocrite as I just bought the LE of Lunar for the PSP. But that's the exception, I adore the Lunar games. But usually, I just get the regular editions.
 
I consider myself a collector, so I'll always buy CE's of games. That's it, there's nothing much more to it. I'm a slave to my hobby. I don't see how or why we are being brainwashed. You make the decision. As I said; it's a hobby. I think anyone who takes his hobby seriously wants something a little bit special, not just any old generic item. Granted, CE's are generally extremely common, but there are those few special CE's that make it all worth it.
 
Never regretted buying this.

Waikis said:
:D :D
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Collectors editions are a waste of money, and they are mostly there to rip people of for another 10-20e. Which works most of the time, because lots of people who buy videogames seem to be die-hard materialists.

The problem is that the stuff the put in a CE is never actually worth anything, and that CEs themselves are so common that in some cases the normal version might actually be rarer. Sure there are exeptions, but they are extremely uncommon. Since most of the time CEs basicly consist of the standard: thin artbook with a bunch of random drawings thrown in that might as well be put on the internet somewhere; soundtrack cd with 1/5th tracks, so you still have to buy the complete one if you want to hear al the tracks; cheap figurine of the main character that you have to hide because you don't want everyone to know you are a massive loser. And of course you get a different box(art), but really who cares? Because unless you have all your games on display, you will never see it when it sitting on a shelf between al your other games anyway.

So that is why I never buy CEs, and generally buy a lot of games through steam.
 
OT to the OP, but the Forza 3 CE is one of the best bonus packages ever and keeps on giving. I always enjoy to return to the game and have a new gift car around. Big props to the T10 team, great After Sales / fanservice!
 
I bought the Spore CE because it cost $15 less than the regular version of the game. That's the only Collector's Edition I've ever purchased. When I went to buy Prey, the regular edition and the CE were the same price. I went for the regular edition.

We aren't brainwashed :p

Edit: That's a lie, I also traded in Assassin's Creed 2 for $37 and promptly bought the collector's edition for $29 due to EB having a massive pre-holiday sale and not adjusting trade-in values as soon as they should have. So, yeah, I'll buy a CE if it's $-7.
 
Yeah there is no "we" about it. This is all about personal purchasing decisions. If I don't want to pay $10 for collectors edition I might as well not pay the extra $50 and just rent the game.
 
Only one question : why does all CE have this shitty hard paper box. I want at least something that won't go in pieces just a few months after I bought it :/
 
Collectors Editions are an excuse for publishers to justify a $20+ price hike by packing in a few trinkets that probably cost $5 tops to produce. I've never understood why anyone buys them but clearly people do.

Even worse are limited editions which is a short way of saying "limited to the number of fools prepared to pay for them"
 
Collectoritis coupled with the packrat mentality will keep CEs in business.

Tyler Durden would tell these people they're not the CE editions cluttering up their houses.
 
I don't think they're necessarily all bad, but the cookie-cutter "cardboard sleeve or metal case, incomplete cuts from the soundtrack, dlc that should've been in the package, doll" routine is a waste that exists purely because American game pricing is jacked the hell up.
They're a very good way to deliver merchandise for games niche enough where it doesn't make sense to produce it separately, see WD or N1 wackiness.
 
It sounds like you just hugely lack self-control, I think the brainwashed 'we' should be a brainwashed 'you'.

I only get the collectors edition if I'm particularly looking forward to a game. I nearly didn't buy the FFXIII CE as it's kinda worthless but I changed my mind at the last minute as I went to get it signed.

The only ones I've ever got were:
Final Fantasy XIII (as I said, I got it signed)
Assassin's Creed 2 (Fan of the game and the figure is awesome)
Heavy Rain (I sort of wish I hadn't as the cardboard sleeve it comes in is shite, but the soundtrack is amazing)
Grand Theft Auto IV (Lock box, cool! + hype)

That's it now that I think about it, only 4. I don't regret any one of them, although I wish Heavy Rain came in a proper plastic case.
 
a Master Ninja said:
I'm pretty sure every copy of Jade Empire was a CE, just like God of War 2.
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You're wrong. I clearly remember these sitting next to each other on day one.
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As for Collector's Editions where there was actually a choice (so Lunar SSSC and EBC don't count), I've only bought two CEs. Halo 2, where I learned the lesson, and NiGHTS PS2, which came with a fucking kickass children's book. Thankfully my generally cheap nature is largely able to override my collector's urges.
 
obvious: Just stop buying them?

Unless they are giving you exclusive game content that you can't live without (rarely)..then why on earth would you need all that plastic crap they give you. Do you REALLY need to prove to anyone how much a gamer you are with a bunch of promotional garbage. They have a word for people that collect useless stuff and just let it sit and collect dust. HOARDERS.

Edit: also find it funny that the OP said he disliked Bioshock 1, but decided to buy the LE Bioshock 2? WTF? Control your impluses, you don't have to own EVERY game that gets a high score in a magazine, especially if you didn't enjoy the first game in the series!!!
 
You hate that you "waste money" on collector's editions but tell us you haven't even played some of them. What, would you have played them if they were regular editions?

The problem is not with the games OP.
 
also that Mega MAn 9 Collectors Edition did NOT come with a game. It was just a box with a disc with videos on it. I was able to get a copy through Capcom via lottery for $50. I sold it for $250.00 on Ebay a week later. :lol
 
Stopped buying these after RE5 collectors set.

Only one I have my eyes on is Alan wake because it has dev commnetary exlusive to collectors set, a code for the first Alan Wake DLC, a soundtrack and a book. This will be the only collectors set I get for awhile. Waited how many years? and it seems to have a decent collectors edition. SOLD.
 
They're not really collector's editions. :\

I have bought two or three this generation and been disappointed by every one. Atlus managed to publish Persona 4 with the OST (which, as far as I am concerned, is the best bonus in any CE package) for only 39.99. 70, 90, 100+ CEs are outrageous.

Nintendo doesn't do them, and that should tell you all you need to know!
 
Ultima did it right, and ages ago...

Ultima game boxes often contained so-called "feelies"; e.g. from Ultima II on, every game in the main series came with a cloth map of the game world. Starting with Ultima IV, small trinkets like pendants, coins and magic stones were found in the boxes. Made of metal or glass, they usually represented an important object also found within the game itself.

Not liking how games were sold in zip lock bags with a few pages printed out for instructions, Richard Garriott insisted Ultima II be sold in a box, with a cloth map, and a manual.[1][2] Sierra was the only company at that time willing to agree to this, and thus he signed with them.
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wenis said:
...There is nothing brainwashing or lame about wanting collectors editions. It's for the fans who have the extra cash and enjoy getting something a bit more. You don't need to buy them if you don't want.

I like my collectors edition. F*** it every game should have it because I am really interested how the games are made and seeing developer interviews. More of that please and I'll pay the price. You can stick with your regular edition I'll gladly pay for mine.
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Quoted for irrefutable truth.
 
I like CEs, but only if they are done right. I find a well done CE can complement the game experience nicely.

What I like to see:
- Tangible, resellable, collectible objects (maps, soundtrack/making-of on disc)
- Easily stored and stacked (steelbooks, artbooks)

What I dislike:
- DLC extras (Dragon Age items)
- Space consuming package/objects (Batman CE)

Demon's Souls and BlazBlue were great. Bioshock 2 I wish was cheaper and only came with the artbook and soundtrack. Dragon Age I wish the soundtrack came on a separate CD, not mp3s on a bluray. God of War 3 does everything wrong for me.
 
I like a nice box and a good making of, but you don't get that most of the time.

So I just went cold turkey on collector's editions. We'll see how strong my resolve is when something truly significant arrives though. Ignoring CE's for the last 2 years hasn't been too hard.
 
My first collector edition that I bought:

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As far as I know it was only available in France and the documentary in it was glorious(the french media knows how to make great making-of), It also came with the mgs2 trailers in great quality. I really regret selling it.
Other than that, I bought a lot of collector editions when I had an xbox (lost planet, bioshock, oblivion, halo3, gow), but they were all shit and I watched the (shitty) extras maybe once. I just think it's a waste of space and money. The only one I have left is mgs4, and i'm gonna keep it because it's fucking mgs.
 
The most I'll pay for CE is if it's 10 bucks more than the standard edition, but not a freaking red penny more and also if the extra swag is worth it. I got the BlazBlue CE, Assassin's Creed CE and Lunar CE. The last time I spend more for a CE was Wrath of the Lich King CE. I came pretty close to biting on MGS4 CE, but it was an exclusive at Gamestop which I despise, so that was a dealbreaker. All the CE that are 90 bucks or higher is outrageous.
It comes down to, is it worth it? The extra goodies, ost, artbook, steel case, making of dvd, figures, etc. No one is forcing you to buy it. Most CE's are not worth it, or not worth the asking price by the publisher. I still see some GTA CE, Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King CE on shelves now. Either no one is buying them, or they are not really limited.
 
cramcakes said:
The only one I have. No regrets.
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Same here! Also plan to get the Starcraft 2 one.

But other than that, I stay away from Collector's Editions (unless it is something like Metroid Prime Trilogy where it is the only option). I'm all about picking up games on clearance, my backlog is just too big.
 
nataku said:
I'll only purchase a CE if it has an art book included. An actual book, not one of those art-on-CD things.
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This.

If a CE has a decent artbook, then I pretty much always buy it. One of the best recent examples is the Bioshock 2 CE with the big artbook and soundtrack on vinyl, probably the best CE I've bought since Lich King.
 
vodka-bull said:
....My first collector's edition was the 2006 released xbox version of Oblivion... ...that's so 2004 when I bought the Shadow of the Colossus CE...
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Wot...

Anyways, I only get CE's if its a great sequel or if its done as good as this...
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Compass, Almonds Seeds, Leather Chest, Artbook, Poster, Making of... Now thats a collectors edition.
Sadly, my love of Steam beats out my love for leather chests, so it won't be mine. Honestly I'd only watch the making-of before shelving everything else & you can typically just youtube those.
 
I've bought CEs in the past, for games that I would think would be special, or at least had some good content in the box.

Warcraft 3 is indeed a good example, but in the end, I've looked at the book once, and that's really it. God of War 2 had some interesting making of features, so I liked that, but it really is becoming pointless to me.

Unless it's something really incredible (which lately CEs lack) I won't bite again.
 
I never bought a single Collector's Edition game in my life.

But I would if we had them down here.
 
Really didn't like RE5 collectors, thought it was a huge waste, hence I didn't buy it.

Some are great if done right. Devil May Cry 4 came with a very cool anime that I wouldn't have known about otherwise, a nice making of documentary, and awesome cover art.

The last CE I bought that I felt burned with was SF4. Crappy Viper figurine and an awful movie that I never finished. 20$ down the toilet.
 
I'm a huge game collector at heart (haven't sold a game in probably 15 years, have them all on shelves in my game room), but for the most part I avoid CEs. I might buy them if there's a soundtrack involved, but I'm one of those weirdos that's anal about the way the cases look on the shelf. I bought the Demon's Souls CE and it looks nice, but for example I'd avoid something like the GOW3 CE just because it wouldn't fit in on my shelves. I'm also not a huge fan of spending a lot more than the regular MSRP just for a CE.
 
lljride said:
I'm a huge game collector at heart (haven't sold a game in probably 15 years, have them all on shelves in my game room), but for the most part I avoid CEs. I might buy them if there's a soundtrack involved, but I'm one of those weirdos that's anal about the way the cases look on the shelf. I bought the Demon's Souls CE and it looks nice, but for example I'd avoid something like the GOW3 CE just because it wouldn't fit in on my shelves. I'm also not a huge fan of spending a lot more than the regular MSRP just for a CE.
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This is why I will never, EVER accept BluRay as the evolution of DVDs.
 
At least there's some hope with you since you're starting to realise that your brainwashed.

Little trick for your wallet: Never touch special edition with a ten foot pole.
 
I find the Colletor Editions as bullshit. What I want is the game. I don't care about the art on the box, or the tons of useless crap you normally get.

The only one I got interested was Forza 3. The USB is cool and the keychain too. But actually I wanted it for the VIP code. But now, the VIP is DLC, so no problem, I can buy it now... well, later, when i had money, hahahaha.
 
the only collector's edition i've ever went for was the retail CE for Half-Life 2, and that was mostly for the t-shirt. iirc, the artbook was small and shitty, but i got a lot of wear out of that shirt. plus it is nice to have the game disc in an actual jewel case, i suppose. i was on dial-up at the time or i would have gone for one of the plush steam editions.

how much of a premium did that one go for again? probably too much.
 
I purchased Gears of War and Mass Effect collector's editions. I guess the boxes were cool but the fact that the games came in little frayed sleeves that bounced around the container lent the products a cheap lunchbox feel.
 
Possibly dodgy analogy time: So you bought 100 bottles of champagne before you realized you don't actually like champagne all that much and regular wine gets you drunk just as well?
 
Mandoric said:
The NES Mega Man games used arabic numerals.
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not to mention... mega man x. would make it kind of confusing.

i very rarely ever get CEs for games. i have to absolutely love the game (SFIV) or it has to include some meaningful extra. usually, the only time i own a CE when it is the only version of the game.
 
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