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[Geek]

We've seen quite a few stateside LE/CE releases over the past year (Doom III, Halo 2, Mortal Kombat Deception, Madden, Splinter Cell CT, etc.) for some very big mainstream games. Even more are coming (Death Jr, Ultimate Spider-Man), which means this trend is continuing. Nothing new really, but in the past, limited editions were relegated to PC games, Japan-specific titles, and the infrequent Working Designs release. They're mainstream now and they're here to stay.

I actually see the enthusiast retailers helping this market to grow, as outlets like EB come to the realization "We're not making much margin off the pre-order crowd. If we help underwrite the tacking-on of a few inexpensive extras, up the price another $10, and guarantee these sales via preorders, we stand to increase our margins. WE CAN'T LOSE!!!" As publishers see resistance to initial $60 MSRP's, they also stand to see an increase in profit, sometimes on extras that cost very little to produce. Many of these incentives are already either manufactured in another region or manufactured as promo items for press and trade show attendees. THEY CAN'T LOSE!!

And I want it. I want more limited editions with crap for "collectors". But even I rarely preorder a game to get the special bonus. Why? The incentives are boring. In general, they consist of an extra DVD or CD of material that often doesn't interest me. Some games (Silent Hill 3 and God of War) do this by default. Cheers to them. Other often boring incentives: tiny pewter figurines, cloth maps, shit-quality art books, half-assed metal tin packaging, demos/trailers that are just marketing materials masquerading as bonuses.

What do I want? PLASTIC TRINKETS. Yep. I want cell phone straps, special carrying cases, action figures. I like the clever shit: Pac Man stylus, Snake Kubricks, Katamari cell phone strap, high quality, well designed packaging. Bonuses and collector goods like THIS:

And this (not a pre-order bonus per se, but still):

And make this shit LIMITED. Not limited to 50,000 copies! That's could be your entire print run! Make it special. Special enough to be coveted by collectors, not for sale in the EBGames used rack.

So, after ALL THAT nonsense, I still have the question: What will it take to get YOU to buy a Limited/Collector's Edition?

 

[Ruas]

soundtrack

 

[TheJollyCorner]

I'd love to see games go the route of films- with 'making of' featurettes, concept design/artwork sections... stuff like that. I'd spend another $5-10 for a game I really liked if it came out in a 'collectors edition', packed with 'extra' features.

 

[Jumpman Jr.]

Doom III CE gave me Doom and Doom 2, plus some tv stuff. That's good! If the game is a sequel, I'm down with the Limited Edition offering the original.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Actual added value, within $10 of standard edition, not to exceed $55.

 

[KingJ2002]

extra game content - playable content.

...


truth be told... im never buying a limited collectors edition again... halo 2's was worthless... stupid metal case w/ plastic cover. I bought into the hype and got gipped... never again


unless capcom releases a street fighter game with a artbook featuring artwork from udon, shinkiro and ikeno... and a chun li bobble head

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Sex with a hot celebrity (with no VDs) :lol

I never buy collectors editions. They are usually just full of fluff bullshit.

 

[sangreal]

I never but LE/CE, but I think stuff like Jade Empire's extra character is cool. I think faceplates for the xbox have some potential, but we'll see.

I want cell phone straps, special carrying cases, action figures. I like the clever shit: Pac Man stylus, Snake Kubricks, Katamari cell phone strap, high quality, well designed packaging.

these all sound good

 

[FortNinety]

I'm curious to know the specifcs from that MGS 3 ste, like what the model looks liks. ANd what's the book?

 

[Geek]

I never buy collectors editions. They are usually just full of fluff bullshit.

Barring sex, what WOULD you want? I think most of the current stuff is just fluff, too, but there are some great limited editions out there.

 

[Comfort_Eagle]

I really dont know. I never have seen any collectors editions that had anything worthwhile in them. I just want the game.

 

[op_ivy]

halo 3

 

[Dr_Cogent]

Barring sex, what WOULD you want? I think most of the current stuff is just fluff, too, but there are some great limited editions out there.

It would have to be something really friggin sweet that made it worth it.

Like Spider-Man 3 having a sweet ass statue coming with it like this:

or this

 

[IJoel]

Faceplates and soundtracks. Documentaries should come with the game anyway (Making of, etc.)

 

[Ristamar]

Soundtrack. Older iterations of the franchise for free. Extra playable content.

Generally, anything else is worthless.

 

[Geek]

I'm curious to know the specifcs from that MGS 3 ste, like what the model looks liks. ANd what's the book?

Here's a description of the package:

Metal Gear Solid 3 Game
The NTSC-J game, which (disappointingly) has the same cover artwork as the US release, although this does have Shinkawa artwork on the inside of the jacket (of which I shall take a picture soon).

Premium DVD
A region 1 DVD that contains (I think) all the trailers for the game that were released, plus "experimental footage".

Shagohod Die-Cast Model
A small (very small, only about 15cm long) model of the Shagohod. It doesn't really have any moving parts (the 'neck' is slightly flexible, but I'm not sure that's really intentional) but the painting and detail are good. The problem was that I got this the same day I got the Real Action Heroes Figure so this was always in the shadow of it.

Sketch Book
This is the larger, but slimmer of the two books, and it is much like the Chronicle of MGS2 that was with the MGS2 PP. It has artwork, plenty of text, comments from famous people, interviews with Kojima, Shinkawa, Hibino, Cooper, Gregson Williams, and guest artwork.

Text Book
This is the smaller, but fatter of the two books, and is like a small history lesson on the Cold War, and also talks about MGS in relation to all that

And some additional pics:

 

[Jack Random]

This is what it would take:

 

[BigSucka]

Some sort of sexual favor.

 

[Ironclad]

The MGS 3 Premium Package is absolute brilliance. That is how an LE should be made. Package it like that and I will be more than happy to pick it up. LE's like the Jade Empire set are next to worthless.

 

[SKOPE]

A reasonable price.

If the special edition doesn't cost too much more than the standard version (say, an extra $5 to $20), I get the special edition, almost always regardless of what makes the special edition special. If it costs significantly more, I go standard.

 

[Link316]

artbook usually does it for me, has to be real artwork though, not renders like that Tekken one

 

[Tamanon]

OSTs are great sellers for me.

 

[Scott]

I basically want to see what Geek finds "boring," and a few other things:

• Artbooks
• Foil Embossed Boxart (Or something similar)
• Hard-Bound Manuals
• "Making Of..." Features
• Original Versions Included With Remakes (ie: original Metroid included with Zero Mission)
• Previous Series' Entries (ie: original Panzer Dragoon included with Orta)
• Soundtracks
etc...

As for "Trinkets"? Well, looking at Geek's list, I can't find a single appealing thing on it. And with the mention of Working Designs, came a groan, as pretty much everything they've included (that isn't in the above list) has been completely throw-away in my eyes. About the only exception would be the Arc pocketwatch, really... So yeah, maybe trinkets just aren't my thing.

Lastly, a quick note to publishers: the worst possible thing to include is extra playable content. Especially if you're just going to rip content from the game and hold it back for some so-called "Limited Edition," ala Jade Empire. Without a doubt the worst way of handling an LE, and I can't believe there are actually people in this thread supporting the idea...

 

[Defensor]

Yeah

 

[The Faceless Master]

making of, soundtrack, etc... and price can't be more than say $5-10 more...

 

[Geek]

I basically want to see what Geek finds "boring," and a few other things:

...

Lastly, a quick note to publishers: the worst possible thing to include is extra playable content. Especially if you're just going to rip content from the game and hold it back for some so-called "Limited Edition," ala Jade Empire. Without a doubt the worst way of handling an LE, and I can't believe there are actually people in this thread supporting the idea...

We may disagree on what we find appealing, but this last statement I agree with 100%.

Also, I don't disagree with some of the bonus content you mentioned, I just think that many of the efforts shown stateside (and maybe in Europe) have been weak. There are some great limited edition art books and special packages that I find very appealing. They generally don't make it over here for perceived lack of market and possible localization costs.

 

[ratcliffja]

Sigh, Zelda. I need help.

 

[Truelize]

Heck I'll buy a LE if it has a metal case.

 

[Geek]

Heck I'll buy a LE if it has a metal case.

That's your requirement?

You're ruining the games market for the rest of us!

 

[Flo_Evans]

 

[blackadde]

A decent artbook, with annotated concept art.

 

[saelz8]

Yeah

Yes

 

[NotMSRP]

The industry sure is slow on what is the obvious.

 

[Version 3.0]

I don't know about all these trinkets, etc. I'll end up throwing them away, probably.

For me, the biggest incentive a publisher can offer (and it costs them nothing) is for a "Limited" edition to actually BE limited, even if it's a fairly large number. I want something that'll be at least somewhat hard to find in a few years, not something I'm going to see in every single used game store on the planet.

As for tangible extras, an art book or poster is okay. Back catalog games are better (ie. Doom 3). But the list of things NOT to do is longer.

Don't cut content from the game and offer it in the limited edition.
Don't just change the cover art or case material (unless it's numbered, maybe).
Don't just stick a "making of" DVD in there--that's pre-order level stuff (ie. free).
Don't offer a keychain or other useless trinket--again, pre-order stuff.


One last idea. I have an old Japanese Playstation game called Moto Toon Grand Prix. That game came with a second "boot" disc that allowed you to play System Link without two copies of the game. That kicks ass. In today's world, where System Link is getting more common, that would be a great addition to Ltd Editions--$10 extra for them, convenient multiplayer for us. I'm sure publishers hate the idea, 'cause they think "-1 sale", but I think the thing might actually help sales, not hurt them (like a demo).

 

[ArcadeStickMonk]

I'll tell you what will make me not buy a LE edition: Metal case with plastic sleeve.
Ya know, like the Halo2, Splinter3, and Doom3 Xbox versions?

I hate that plastic sleeve so fucking much. I wish I'd bought the normal Halo2 copy. I tooks Splinter 3 back in part because the LE case was annoying me.

I just hate that extra step for opening the case, and then I just can't tolerate leaving the plastic sleeve lying around. I hate the stupid things because of how anal I will be with handling them and storing them.

Halo2 has never been in with the rest of my games on the racks; I fucking hate that.

 

[Agent X]

I've got Death Jr. Limited Edition preordered right now, because it includes some nice tangible extras while remaining the same price as the standard release. It's really more on the order of the "preorder bonus" type stuff that Leondexter described above, but it isn't costing me anything extra, so I'm in favor of it.

I wouldn't pay extra money for a "limited edition" unless it includes something substantial that's also desirable, whether it's content on the disc or something tangible.

I don't like the idea of deliberately cutting out content of a game solely so it could be offered as a bonus on the "limited edition" release. That's just plain wrong. However, a variation of that idea that could work is enabling immediate access to certain hidden content on the "limited edition" that would otherwise require the gamer to unlock it by progressing through the game. In other words, all of the same content is present on both versions, but some of it would be hidden on the "standard" version while being immediately enabled on the "limited edition."

 

[Link316]

I'm still wondering why a game like Death Jr is getting the limited edition treatment

 

[Idioteque]

I'll only get it if it's a MGS game.

 

[MomoPufflet]

It depends on how much the CE is compared to the RE. If the CE is only 5-10 bucks more and has some neat things like a soundtrack, or really cool case I'll spring for it. But it would take way more than companies are willing to offer to get me to buy one of those $80-150 editions. I don't even have the space for that stuff anymore, and it's almost never worth what you pay anyway.

 

[rod]

an OST and a making of dvd. not one or the other, both.

 

[bishoptl]

I never buy collectors editions. They are usually just full of fluff bullshit.

Damn straight. Not from the vast majority of American publishers, anyways. At least Konami got it right with the MGS series...then you have crap like Activision's 'special movies' in the new Spiderman.

You're gonna have to work a LOT harder for my money.

 

[Vallarfax]

I absolutely love lithographs. Actually anything that has game art or something that reveals more of the story would be awesome. I would never pay more than 15 bux for these things, but I feel like they are worth the extra cash. I would of course need the obvious collectors edition items like a soundtrack, pad of paper, stuff like that.

The real thing that would make me buy a game would be if it came with a unique story about the in-game history. For example, there is so much more I wanted to know about Legacy of Kain:Soul Reaver once I watched the opening movie. I became intrigued by Raziel and his brothers and wanted to know more about their meetings and stuff like that. If a game came with something like that......I would be all over it.

 

[Link1110]

I'm a sucker for Japanese RPG LE's that include a soundtrack.

 

[_Angelus_]

For me it'd be Sega Rally3 with its soundtrack included.

 

[Uncle Dukey]

Soundtracks, artbooks, interesting material items (I might have paid for the Halo 2 CE if it had a Master Chief Kubrick or something neat like that..)

Extra content in the form of old games is cool, but I don't think Limited/Collector's editions should ever have content associated with the game that is not accessible for those who didn't buy the LE.. I feel that's a lame practice...

 

[Tarazet]

At this point, if a special-edition of a game I want hits the Xbox, I'll buy it. A Metal Slug box would be brilliant.

 

[Mr_Furious]

It doesn't take much for me to buy the LE/CE version. Hell, I'm just glad they exist at all in the U.S. (and are starting to gain popularity this gen)

 

[Geek]

I don't like your attitude GAF! Demand better! Demand Shadow Hearts Premium Box!

It's got a secret inside!

 

[Andrew2]

It doesn't take much for me to buy the LE/CE version. Hell, I'm just glad they exist at all in the U.S. (and are starting to gain popularity this gen)

Yep and all for the might $$$

At least in Japan its done as a fan service/appreciation.

Oh btw, the individually numbered/limited S.T.A.R.S and Clair Redfeild version Dreamcast was one of the best put together CE packages next to the MGS3 package.

 

[Truelize]

That's your requirement?

You're ruining the games market for the rest of us!

Sorry. I was kinda kidding though. Where I live I don't come into contact with any of these amazing limited edition sets that have been shown in this thread. But I bought the Doom3 and Halo2 limited editions. I thought they both offered enough to warrant a purchase. If EA would have released a limited edition Madden last year similar to what was available on the PS2 I would have went for that too.