Collectors Edition Rip Offs

[Herr Matzat]

Is it just me or is the gaming Industry telling their most hardcore fans that they are stupid and rather should pay less for a game or download it illegaly right away.?

There is the phenome of Special "Collectors Edition" getting extra terrible... at least in the last cupple of Month.

The Sims 3 CE was suposed to ship with the Game Guied you can buy seperatly. (as far as even being advertised with a picture of a guid) - What people got was DVD Box Size 6 page advertisement that toled em - go buy that Guid! - EA payed their CE customers back with a 500 Sims Points code (about 5€)... but since the CE did not have the 1000 Simspoints Exclusive (as promised) technicly there still are 500 Points and the guid missing

The new Batman Game comes with a cool Baterang... we thought. But first reports were "it´s not looking nearly as cool as in the Adds - more like a bigger MacDonnalds Toy"

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/08/25/unboxing-the-batman-arkham-asylum-collectors-edition/

Beatles Rock Band gets a Special Edition with instruments that are actualy nothing special at all.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/09/03/psa-beatles-rock-band-special-value-edition-isnt-such-a-spe/

I can tell you right now that the "fully functional" Nightvision googles will feel alike... you´ll prolly be able to see 10cm or something (real ones are extremly expensive, and wen they get to good - even illegal in some countrys)

So yeah, tell your story. Any more Ripoffs on your mind?

Of cause there is better stuff, like UFC were you know you pay extra to get two unknowen fighters or other sets that are just giving you a cupple of postcards (Ico/SoC). But at least they let you know ahead.

Edited September 4, 2009 by Michael Matzat on a Plane

[ChrisSteeleAteMyHamster]

A few years ago, while the Limited ICO with the postcards was the only ICO you could buy, copies of the game were being sold on ebay or whatever for LOTS of money.

Then they released the ICO in the standard plastic box and now it's not nearly as special....Though I do own the limited editions of ICO and Colossus and am very happy to.

I shaved down my PS2 collection when I traded in for my PS3 in '07 and probably kept a dozen games that I kept because they were awesome or relatively collectable or important industry markers. ICO and Colossus got kept (along with MGS2 and 3, a rare Gladiator game - Colosseum Road To Freedom, Way Of The Samurai 1 & 2, Samurai Western, ZOE, Resi 4, Persona 3, the awesomest Hitman and a rare Tour de France game even though it sucks).

As for other Collector's Edition.....I got the GTA4 deposit box thingy edition cos the box is useful and I still have the keyring on my keys!

If it's a game I REALLY love then I would get the Collector's just for posterity cos I'm a mark like that.

[stokeriño]

It seems to me that a lot of the time these days the main (or one of the main) selling points of a CE is "it comes in a metal tin!"...to which I can only think "it won't fit on my shelves as neatly". ¬_¬

Yeah, generally don't bother with them.

[Herr Matzat]

Gladiator game - Colosseum Road To Freedom

And i though i was the only person who liked that game. Sadly i had problems with my savegames all the time...

[probablyoliver]

I picked up the Silent Hill 2 special addition with the really awesome casing and special features and whatnot for £6 yesterday, so I win. >_>

[Cactus Drags]

Generally, Spec Eds are never really worth it. And the UFC bonus fighters were free, it wasn't a special edition, it was a preorder bonus.

[Herr Matzat]

Generally, Spec Eds are never really worth it. And the UFC bonus fighters were free, it wasn't a special edition, it was a preorder bonus.

In Germany it was an Amazon Special Editon that was... i belive 10€ more expensive than the normal version.

Edited September 4, 2009 by Michael Matzat on a Plane

[New Damage]

Generally, Spec Eds are never really worth it. And the UFC bonus fighters were free, it wasn't a special edition, it was a preorder bonus.

You didn't even need to pre-order it, just as long as you got it from Game (although I did get it within a week of it being out (maybe even the day after)). Woo, Ryan Bader and Efrain E...something or other!!! Woo!!! Although Bader looks badass, shame the stats are low.

[British Matzat Speaks]

[METALMAN]

ahahaha that's amazing! but why? and who?

[Nick Adams]

I got the SE for Arkham Asylum. and it was well worth it. Extra DLC, plus a cool little booklet, plus - okay, the Batarang was kinda' weak, but hey, with a little bit of paint, I can make it look decent. And the box in which it came was great. Of course, I'm kind of in to anything Batman. I even liked Batman & Robin to some extent (save for the Batgirl retcon, but meh), so there you are.

[Mr. X]

I got the SE for Arkham Asylum. and it was well worth it. Extra DLC, plus a cool little booklet, plus - okay, the Batarang was kinda' weak"

I only spent 25 dollars for the Arkham Asylum SE after trading in a few games I had that I had either already beaten or stopped playing. I still feel ripped off as the Batarang is a poorly made piece of plastic that certainly isn't worth anything more than 10 dollars. And the booklet, while a good idea, could have been printed on paper other than that which is used for graphic novels, as when I think of a diary I assume the paper will be a soft type.

The Bully collectors edition was pretty rad, with the comic book and the dodgeball that was pretty stinky at first when you opened the box. Otherwise, Dragsy is dead-on when it comes to 'special editions'.

[MalaCloudy Black]

Ico. Not Lco.

[Mr. X]

Speaking of Ico, I want a copy but refuse to pay 50+ dollars for a used one.

[apsham]

Okay, I don't really see how poor grade collector's editions do anything to push towards pirating the game.

[Herr Matzat]

Someone rename me British Matzat Writes.

Okay, I don't really see how poor grade collector's editions do anything to push towards pirating the game.

Simple.

You pay a high price to get something extra special.

They give you some shit that is not anywere near as classy than what they advertised. In other words you feel robed and not valued.

You notice that they think it´s ok to steal, so you feel less bad wen stealing from them. (+ the first time is only getting your monny back, right?)

It´s a different version of not being able to play your game becaus of DRM. Why buy stuff if they slap you for doing it?

Ico is a rar positive example. The game Rocks. The first print Limited Edition is not to fancy but fit´s the game and had no extra cost to it. People still willingly pay 50$ to own the Original. Thats pritty much why "The Last Guardian" will be one of my rar first day buys.

[wolves]

I think some of the collectors editions are absolutely a rip off. I get them every so often like the Gears of War 2 one. Came with a pretty neat behind the scenes disc plus the model tank which is on my movie shelf. I imagine I'll get the Assassin's Creed II collectors edition as well with the figurine for the same purpose as the Gears tank. The Modern Warfare thing is totally worthless. I was at Gamestop and the guy was trying to sell me on it, I just want the damn game. If a collectors edition comes with bonus stuff for the games, behind the scenes stuff, or a neat collectible then it can be worth it. But I can't see myself paying more than 70-80 bucks for a game unless it's like DJ Hero or something which requires a special controller.

[AnnIQ Edison]

I remember buying Tony Hawk American Wasteland and it came with a free watch. I beat the game in two days and traded it back in. I kept the watch and still use it.

[King Ellis]

I think I only have two SE's: Devil May Cry 4 and Fallout 3. Pretty sure DMC4 was the exact same price for the standard edition so why not? Fallout 3 was on sale last Christmas for £20 with the SE £25. I figured I'd push the boat out and get the SE. The Bobblehead can sit on a shelf one day or something and the art book is pretty interesting. Haven't watched the DVD yet.

Usually though I wouldn't buy them. For the £20+ extra that it costs to buy them I could have bought another game or two. It does seem to becoming more and more the case that games are getting them. Really, I don't mind them too much. I know I'm not going to buy them so nothing to get worked up about. If people who are hardcore fans and have a lot of disposable income want to buy them then that's their prerogative. Ideally I'd like the SE purchases to subsidize the rest of us somehow, maybe a reduced cost of the normal version or maybe any potential DLC. Not much chance of that though.

[Herr Matzat]

Here is something new.

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2009/09/uncharted-2-among-thieves-fortune-hunter-edition/