You may have noticed that some collector’s editions of video games these days come with a heap of swag, but no actual copy of the game! Understandably, plenty of gamers have voiced dissatisfaction with this trend, but not only does this make perfect sense for publishers, it’s actually good for players too.
It Means a Single Stock Pool for All Platforms
I clearly remembered how badly I wanted the ultimate collector’s edition of Borderlands 2 for my PlayStation 3. This beauty came with a ton of cool items, but most of all I wanted that replica of an in-game loot chest. Despite pre-ordering, my order was canceled due to stock issues, but I could still have the Xbox 360 version. The only problem was that I didn’t have an Xbox 360.
Now, you can argue that if I had infinite money I could just have bought the wrong edition and the regular game for my console, but having a single version of the collector’s edition that isn’t platform specific would have solved this issue. Not only does it mean that all platforms draw from the same pool of stock, it also means that these editions can be cheaper to make because you have economies of scale that apply to just one product, rather than being split over three or four versions.
Physical and Digital Players Can Both Buy the Same Edition
If you prefer, as most people do, to have a digital version of a game, then including a copy of the game in the collector’s edition makes it less attractive. I think leaving the disc out is a good compromise that caters to the majority of gamers (who are no digital) and those who still want physical media. Pick whichever game format or version you want, and then pick up the collector’s edition of the game alongside it.
After all, whether you’re a digital or physical game media supporter, that doesn’t make you more or less likely to want a cool statue or T-shirt. Personally I think the overwhelming shift to digital game distribution was one of the main factors driving the trend of not including the game with collector’s editions, but either way it’s a net benefit for both types of player.
It Means PC Gamers Can Get In on the Action
Almost all fancy collector’s editions are aimed at console gamers, or at least they have been in the past. Since physical gaming has been dead on PC for years now, this meant buying a console copy of a multiplatform game you’ll never use. It’s perhaps a small concession, but by leaving the game out of the collector’s edition, PC gamers don’t have to be second-class citizens.
Better Quality Swag
Let’s be honest, a lot of these collector’s editions in the past have included stuff that was frankly nicer on paper than in-hand. Since the price of the game has to be factored into the overall price of the collectors’ edition, it means there’s less money in the budget for the actual goodies. There is, after all, a limit to how high you can make the price overall. I wouldn’t go as far as saying this is always true, but by focusing the entire budget of the collector’s edition on the goodies and not the game, you’re more likely to get something that’s not garbage.
You Can Buy the Game Later
I’ve argued in the past that the worst time to buy a game is when it releases, and there’s no point in pre-ordering purely digital games since the supply is effectively infinite. That’s not the case for a collectors’ edition of a game, which has a fixed physical number of units. In most cases there won’t be a second production run either so if you miss your chance, that’s it. Being scalped on Ebay is your only other option.
With discless collectors’ editions you can pre-order the goodies, and leave buying the game until the first few patches have released. If you’re truly patient, you can wait for the definite patched version to be released on disc. I understand the FOMO of wanting to play that game the instant it releases, but at least these discless editions let you split the commitment between the physical goodies and the game itself.
Collector’s Editions Are Truly Optional
Whether having a collectors’ edition of a game that doesn’t include the actual game is an issue, is all a matter of perspective. You aren’t buying these editions to save money, you’re buying them because you’re a superfan. You were going to buy the game anyway, so what does it matter that the collectors’ edition stuff is a separate purchase from the game itself?
As far as I can see, there’s no real downside to this, and most of the time there’s a special steel-case or some other nice way to store the physical disc included in the kit anyway. In which case (ha!) physical game collector’s don’t really have much to complain about either. Certainly having this completely optional add-on to your game purchase is a good sight better than the trend of having three, four, or even five different digital editions all separated by tiny difference in bonus content. There’s plenty to legitimately complain about in the gaming hobby, but this particular issue doesn’t seem like a worthy example in my opinion.
