Soapbox features enable our individual writers to voice their own opinions on hot topics, opinions that may not necessarily be the voice of the site. In this piece, Kerry Brunskill explains why the current trend for expensive (and expansive) limited edition releases is overshadowing the games contained within...
Digital distribution has heralded a true revolution in gaming: there are so many great titles available today that wouldn't have even made it to market if they hadn't been able to sidestep traditional game publishers, a fact that's just as true for worldwide phenomena like Undertale, Minecraft, and Terraria as it is for beautiful indie experiences that simply don't easily fit within traditional marketing boxes.
Sure, it's easy to call Untitled Goose Game a roaring success now, but can you imagine trying to pitch the concept of "a slipper-stealing goose who can also honk into a radio and knock over bins" to someone who needs assurances this concept is going to be popular enough to justify sending off an order for tens of thousands of physical units? These games – and so many more – simply wouldn't be here at all if there weren't eShops to sell them on.
A cartridge is something you can lend to a friend or sell at a later date no matter how much time you've spent playing it, but, perhaps most importantly of all, it's free of DRM
However, as fantastic as a Switch filled with instantly accessible digital copies of everything from Nintendo's biggest titles to retro-style blasts of indie action may be, for many reasons, physical media will always remain a desirable ideal to a significant number of users. A cartridge is something you can lend to a friend or sell at a later date no matter how much time you've spent playing it, but, perhaps most importantly of all, it's free of DRM, perfectly preserved and playable forever (well, as near as it matters for most of us) regardless of whether any online stores or account authentication portals are still active. It's one point of permanence in a gaming landscape where everyone grumbles about releases getting suddenly or silently pulled from storefronts, and yet publishers keep doing it anyway.
This is where the new breed of limited physical productions was supposed to come to the rescue, filling in the gaps, preserving and protecting notable works and unusual niches from the unpredictable snags of digital storefronts. And it was, for a while. Then a trickle turned into a flood, and that flood turned into... this.
Now, one game can have multiple multiple physical editions over a variety of specialist crowdfunding platforms, publishers, and retailers, and somehow this has become the new normal. Physical games are no longer games in physical form, but collector's items to be publicly unboxed and then carefully shelved, a single title now viewed a useful excuse for multiple preorder tiers of increasing expense, each one featuring slightly different contents to encourage as many multiple purchases as possible.
Games feel more like barely-tolerated hanger-ons in their own specially numbered limited edition box, lost amongst the all collectables (and these are always 'collectables' regardless of use, relevance, or quality – ownership of these items is proof you're a real gamer, not like those other people buying bland standard editions or – gasp – digital copies) that litter promotional shots, half of which you can probably guess before you've even clicked on the image's thumbnail.
All that means the hype machine's working exactly as intended, gamers whipped into a predictable frenzy by FOMO
A pin badge. A sheet of stickers. A poster. A set of postcards. A keyring. A USB stick. A certificate of authenticity. An exclusive and collectable reversible insert for the game's box – all things that are cheap to produce and equally cheap to mail out. When they do stray from the standard 'goodies' we end up paying for coasters shaped like floppy discs, replica US-style Sega Saturn cases (who ever liked US Saturn cases?!), a 'functional' SNES cart you must never use in case it literally makes your SNES catch fire or a completely non-functional cart shaped like the real N64 cart you could have picked up on eBay at any point during the past twenty years for far less. It's 'Remembering Things: Please Enter Your Credit Card Number Here Edition'.
All that means the hype machine's working exactly as intended, gamers whipped into a predictable frenzy by FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out – stock allocations sometimes so artificially restricted there are specific hours on specific days when they are made available to preorder, people told to get in now or risk losing out forever, because we'll never make a second batch.
And should you emerge victorious from that checkout frenzy with an email confirming your order for the Premium Collector's Deluxe Edition? Well. That's great but... how bad do you feel now you know for a fact you aren't going to get the collectable keyring and fold-out map included in the Standard Special Edition, and would you like to come back again at 6 pm PST for a chance at grabbing a copy from our second – and final – stock allocation?
At the most extreme end of this scale, the game may now even be a ghost in its own physical edition. Nintendo has done this itself a few times over the years, from retro-styled Pokémon boxes with no actual Pokémon carts inside to more recently Fire Emblem's 30th-anniversary physical pack containing a download code for a game with its own inexplicably digitally limited eShop equivalent – at least there's a NES box in there... waiting for a NES game you can never (officially) put in it.
Physical releases aren't always quite this viciously profitable; some standard physical editions have open preorder periods, everyone ordering between two dates receiving a copy once production's been completed. Retro re-releases like Columbus Circle's Gley Lancer may not be in infinite supply, but there's enough around to allow someone to make their purchasing decision at some point beyond the five minutes after preorders opened – and even those hyper-exclusive collectors editions are still accompanied by standard alternatives to buy, if you can click past the marketing urging you to plump for the one with the statue and novelty cuddly toy to secure one before they sell out.
At the most extreme end of this scale, the game may now even be a ghost in its own physical edition
Limited physical releases are not the new face of gaming evil, and it would be completely unreasonable to expect publishers and the factories they use to produce an endless supply of these games over an indefinite period of time, and there are many reasons why an open preorder system or manufacturing larger quantities may not be practical or worth the risk. Even those 'collectable' extras can be great too; who doesn't want to see a good quality artbook filled with preproduction sketches or listen to a soundtrack CD as they read some entertaining liner notes?
But this constant drive for more, that push to always buy the next tier up, to see the game itself (the one without the foil sticker, limited translucent shell, or exclusive lenticular sleeve) – the one thing that is supposed to be the focal point – relegated to being the basic 'make-do' choice does at least as much harm as it does good. Physical releases of games old and new have an exciting future and serve a real practical purpose, but to prevent customer burn-out – especially in at a time when everyone's a little more squeezed for money and stressed than they should be – there has to be a serious commitment to quality above stuff, and for stock levels to consistently cater to a broader audience than those with the time and energy to check social media and newsletters for updates then go to fight for a copy with their bank account details in hand.
Comments 72
Companies had to start doing this on some level because so many people are going digital. They are appealing to collectors and people who love nostalgia as opposed to anyone else. I've bought a few collector's editions for that very reason or else I would have just went digital on it entirely.
For fans of the game with these goodies, it tends to represent a treasure trove of goodies that most will appreciate. On the other hand, I think some also run the risk of being inflated just for the sake of having a "Collector's Edition" out there - packing a bunch of post cards and stickers does not make a CE that is priced at $60 or above.
Yeah, this is why I buy digital. I’m not minted. There are so many limited edition crazy bundles that it kinda diluted the purpose.
To answer the headline's question: they've never been about physical games. They've been about exploiting FOMO no less than the limited time releases Nintendo gets lambasted for.
I always prefer physical. More often than not (especially when Nintendo games are concerned) it's cheaper and I can sell on if I don't like/won't play again.
Some games that I do want to keep I do get digital but that's usually on a heavily discounted sale
Ya'll keep buying.
I'm a sucker for buying collectors editions, I do like a cheap plastic statue to display but im not a fan of the limited edition approach on most of rhe indy releases - it also makes it easy for scalpers to rip off the genuine fans.
Nintendo also seems to be adopting this FOMO model with limited releases like 3D Allstars and Fire emblem
It's all just tat anyway
Watch this link telling everyone why the REAL reason is and it's not about fansupport but bleeding everyone cents from buyers. They can sell the Digital game for the same price for years to come and choose when they should lower it.
Digital Distribution Vs Physical Media and True Ownership
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdsWQGAlopk
This is because eShop games are tied to the account that bought them so you have 0 ownership or transfer or selling rights. And Physical aren't tied to CE/LE/SE edition even standard games come physical so let's stop this misleading others only CE/LE/SE are only physical.
Since the consoles started having Internet connection availability.
Then the companies realized that they can abuse the deadlines like crazy because they can deliver a broken product and fix it later.
And it will get worse and worse.
I love and hate the situation now where finding a cart of a good game is difficult because it's a collectable.
btw, I'm looking for isaac and gungeon...I have Ori2 and Hyrule Warriors for trade, maybe Bloodstained. 😃🤷🏼♂️
The music industry did the same thing selling t-shirts with album download codes. Doesn't seem a bad solution to me.
@Zuljaras Since the consoles started having Internet connection availability.
That says nothing about those whom can't afford ISP or Subscription Plan. Internet guarantees you nothing. Also remember they can pull those games from the site at their discretion not yours-whenever they feel like it.
Physical games lost much of their appeal to me when most games stopped coming with instruction manuals and Nintendo started using that card type format. I preferred cartridges and of course the mini Gamecube discs were adorable. The current format almost makes it feel like you're playing a rom on a memory card instead of a proper game (insert Mario 3D All-Stars joke)
The whole package just feels "cheap" compared to games of old. Of course it's nice to have the artworks and see them on your shelf still.
Nice NES glass cartridge. I now have your fingers prints and will use them while committing crime.
I understand the appeal of the collector's/limited edition boxes but the "codes in a box" practice is really sickening and unnecessary.
Unacceptable!
Gley Lancer?? Sign me up!
It started when they realized suckers would pay full price while they didn't have to provide costly physical carts. So they get to pocket the difference and do less work.
Love the swag that comes in these editions, but without a physical copy of the game included it just isn't a product I'd purchase.
When it comes to a game, I follow the $$$
If a game is cheaper in physical format I’ll purchase physical. If a game is cheaper on eshop I purchase there. For example, Undertale 29.99 for physical or 14.99 for eshop and that’s not even the lowest price for Undertale (9.99)
I enjoy the ease of hoping in and out with digital media but will always love physical media.
I agree, as a physical collector I always look out for those that make sense and skip those that don’t. The 1st Sonic Mania Collectors edition came with a Sonic statue and a mini Genesis, but no game... only a code. I canceled my order and waited for the real thing instead. For Untitled Goose Game, I bought the collectors physical for $40... played and beat it, thought it was mediocre....resold it for $40 on EBay. Can’t do that with digital. So there is good reason to get physical... but be smart about it.
@SwitchForce Yes, they could just decide to remove a game but the likelihood is, they won't. Any publisher who did that outside of reasons linked to expired licensing or it being an online multiplayer only game nobody plays anymore are basically shooting themselves in the foot. People will just stop buying games from a publisher if that's a risk they show they're fully capable of doing.
Like it or not, physical copies are generally becoming less worthwhile with what they actually offer. Even Nintendo games aren't complete on release anymore without a few content patches, which only seems to be getting worse. This biggest argument for physical copies (they can never takem away from me!) doesn't seem like a great argument when that physical copy holds a buggy copy of the game with half the content missing.
I mean, look at the state of Animal Crossing New Horizons. The game itself is fine, but you may as well put the worthless physical copy in the trash
I decided to stop buying special editions of games this gen and I'm so glad I did. I'm still a physical collector, especially of Nintendo games, but I only buy games I will open and play for a personal collection of games I like.
Trying to secure copies of games like Fire Emblem Fates special edition on 3DS was far too stressful and was pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back.
I think Limited Run is the way it should be, have an open order for everyone who wants a copy with a month long window to pick up 2 or 3 games for order at once. Not only does it take away the stress it also shows a respect for people's time, so there no logging in at ridiculous hours refreshing over and over to still miss out on a copy of a game you want.
Saying that, even LR have started edging up prices and releasing too many games too often in my opinion. I wish they'd be a bit more selective, have a two month window and offer one game every two weeks. Everyone gets greedy in the end I guess though.
The answer to the question in the headline is "when companies realised that mugs would pony up the money for it so they had something to show off on social media."
The game - or being able to play it - isn't of any importance. All that matters is that those likes come in when you do the old "Wow! Look at what arrived!" post on Facebook as if you somehow had no idea the $150 limited edition thing you bought was arriving.
It's not to different to retro gaming now with the whole limited edition stuff it's more about owning something and about bragging about it in your own personal museum than getting any kind of enjoyment from it. Let's face it a lot of the modern day limited print physical games are being purchased for just that reason or to sell them on for a profit. It's the same with everything that becomes popular now.
As convenient as digital games are, and as much as I like the frequent and cheap sales, I still prefer physical games, especially cartridges. Knowing that I truly own a game and that it will last a very long time is very valuable to me. This is especially true for big, single-player games like RPGs.
Once you started needing software updates and adding in-game transactions that was the end of physical video games. The Wii era was really the last of that time, when the game was pretty much finished when you bought it and took it home.
regular people are not buying this stuff. It is people who are trying to artificially create an after market for all this clutter. They're playing a psychological game with other people that have money -it's called Speculative Collecting. They try to call it "investing", but collectibles are not an investment. It's speculative, at best.
Since Nintendo/game publishers started the practice of selling download codes in a physical box. I know the article was more of a comment on all these overpriced, limited run physical collectors sets full of useless tatt but Nintendo Switch has a lot to blame.
By way of overpriced game cards, Nintendo has forced most publishers to only release half a game or in cases where it's supposed to be a collection there's only one game on the card.
Obviously everybody involved is more concerned about making/saving money than the fact that once that format eshop inevitably closes that 'owners' will no longer be able to download the games.
Then again we also have the fact that nowadays almost every game requires a day one patch and subsequent patches. It makes me seriously consider only buying retro from the PS3 generation and before when at least you owned the whole game which you could just pop in and play.
I do enjoy a good old physical release 😂
Physical release games should have a physical copy of the game. Why would anyone go into one store and buy a product to then have to turn around and go to another store with a voucher to get said product?
As far as patching games goes they should hold off a physical release until the problems are all sorted out. (Or you know they can do their jobs and QA their product.)
I want that Banjo-plushie!
When GameStop came around, that's when I stopped buying physical copies.
@GameOtaku In concept, I think collector's edition without the game makes sense, but should have a name change for the sake of honesty. Maybe "Collector's pack for <game x>" Some of these special editions come out after the initial release of the game, so maybe the customer already has it and just wants the collectables. Or maybe people aren't sure they want the ultra deluxe edition until they try the game. For example, the most recent one I got was for the game Deliver us the Moon and one of the big items was the soundtrack on vinyl. If I could have added the collectables AFTER I tried the game, I would have. Needing to preorder was really taking a leap of faith, because what if the music sucked? Beyond the one song in the game's trailer, I had no way of knowing. Of course, for collector's editions of multiplatform games that will actually be in stores, it also means the store doesn't have to worry if they're ordering the right number for each console.
The FE30th Anniversary gets so much hate for only having a download code, but the overall package is really one of the nicest I’ve bought. It’s fine being cynical about the limited window for the digital game being a “celebration,” but the physical package really shows a lot of love and is an honest celebration of the game.
Ive been buying digital a lot during the pandemic. It's starting to burn a hole in my pocket. Can resell it when I'm done and have 0 interest of playing it again.
I’m likely just going Nintendo only from now on as far as consoles, but when physical ends on consoles I probably won’t even bother tbh. I do own some digital games on console this gen, but it feels really silly using a console without physical media. Why can’t I just play those games on PC?
Honestly, I want a physical edition of a game and not any of the extra crap that turns them into limited or collectors editions.
A CD or some stickers or a keychain that fits inside a normal box is more than enough bonuses for me if you want to include such trinkets.
One of the most disappointing things i experienced when i was a PC gamer, was getting a boxed copy of Resident Evil 7, to put next to my other Resident Evils, and it turned out to be a code in a box.
@Tao Like it or not, physical copies are generally becoming less worthwhile with what they actually offer.
Did you even watch the video link to understand why your a cash cow for them. Must not from your reply you didn't understand what the guy was trying to convey the real reason why. And it wasn't to your benefit.
@Tao I mean, look at the state of Animal Crossing New Horizons.
That's a worthless argument statement in itself. Digital or Physical you can't move the island but they also said they are in the works with so that one can transfer the island should they change Switch or upgrade. So your reply here is mute for now.
Put this way as the video says:
$50 for Digital or $50 for new physical and keep selling the same game but down the line now you pay:
$50 Digital and $20 used Physical..
Who is being taken for the ride...here... ?????? Remember they control the Digital price you pay - physical is based on REAL supply/demand that determines the used price. They reduce Digital price because no one wants it since you have no Real ownership just the License to use it.
@FargusPelagius this is why I stopped buying PC games Witcher 3 was the last Physical edition I own. Even WWII Zombie was worthless since I got no game and needed Steam account to activate it. Anything requiring Steam PC games to activate-I said to junk with you.
Call me lazy, but I’m past messing around with carts/discs. And with Switch being such a portable device, I couldn’t imagine not just having my library installed on the device itself.
For me the lure of carts is purely nostalgia driven, because there was no alternative back in the day. I grew up with the Sinclair Spectrum (cassettes), NES and owned subsequent consoles; my memories are rooted to those large slabs of plastic and card boxes.
But today? I’m in my Thirties and just want to get straight into/out of a session when I get a chance. It possibly boils down to ones lifestyle.
The only physical Switch game I kept was BoTW, for the simple reason it was my first Switch game and was a landmark moment for me - so the emotion is tied to the product.
And as far as pricing goes, if the eShop variant is more expensive, wait for the inevitable sale or just buy the Game Vouchers (£42 per game, plus £4 back on eShop credit).
Number one criteria for a physical/collector's release: The bloody game on bloody physical media.
The recent NES Fire Emblem release was an easy skip because I wasn't going to pay AU$90 for a heap of cardboard and plastic when the game itself isn't even included on cartridge!
Same applied to DOOM Eternal on PC. It would have cost them virtually nothing to throw in a couple of Blu-rays considering that the set was retailing for AU$370. I only wanted it for the helmet, really, which I would have considered wearing in situations where face masks are imposed. Oh, well...
I am flabbergasted at the sheer quantity of "collector's editions" available on Switch this generation, especially so for such low-tier games that do not deserve such extravagant releases. The most appealing supplement in a collector's edition is the inclusion of a CD soundtrack and maybe a steelbook case. Everything else is just space-hogging tat.
Back in the day you got a nice, detailed, typically full color manual included with your game cartridge or case. Extras like coins, statues, and other knickknacks were reserved either for pre-orders or, in the case of the more expensive ones, "Collector's Editions" or their equivalent. I recall how Working Designs made an outstanding effort at the time to maximize the value of each of their games (Lucia's Pendant in LUNAR 2 and a bonus soundtrack CD included with various games, for examples), but back then it was considered very much an exception to the rule.
What changed? Online functionality. Everything the industry has promoted or prioritized, from business models to marketing ever since then, has been designed to maximize profits after the original point-of-sale, gate/control users' access and experiences after the point-of-sale, and most importantly to marginalize and eventually eliminate what to them has always been a thorn in their side: the secondary (used game) market. You see, that $300 copy of that rare game you can buy on eBay or that used disc at GameStop, they don't receive one penny for.
Their answer: train the gaming public to buy digital so all proceeds are funneled directly to them, and they control EVERYTHING (hence those EULAs you have to agree to in order to play the $60 "service" (product actually) you legally paid for. To help this along they started to do things like cut out physical manuals and whatever else they could that might make physical copies attractive to gamers.
But the industry couldn't help but acknowledge that many gamers still prefer physical games, but they threw in a wrinkle to maximize profits on that end: adding extra fluff to go alongside them at an (often much higher) cost. In certain cases, such as Nintendo's Amiibo, they actually built an entirely separate revenue stream from physical items that could interact with games.
But at the end of the day, everything the hobby has seen since its inception has been driven by one thing: $$$.
I only want physical if there is a code in the box. I hate swapping cards
The point of physical is indeed DRM free and demand based pricing. The collectibles never appeal to me, the quality being so low most of the time.
I am happy to have Final Fantasy 7/8 physically, as my PC cd disks became unusable at some point in time. Now, I feel these games are safe to replay for me for another long period of time.
@ferryb001
You just won the internet.
@SwitchForce if you can't afford ISP and sub your priorities should be elsewhere, not gaming
Love it or hate it, you are still required to buy physical no matter if you're going digital or not with gaming. All your digital games required memory card or hard drive to store and space are limited so buying physical media for more space is exactly the same as buying a physical game. In the gaming world there's no escaping physical media. Books, movies, and music could do it but not videogames. Videogames are hitting the GB size now, not KB or MB anymore and soon some will even be in the TB territory so you'll need those expensive physical memory card or hard drive to store them. The only way you could be all digital is if you go to the cloud and even that is imperfect as you don't own the game and performance are garbage plus you face data cap and had to pay for more bandwidth.
Code in a box releases are the worst. I miss the days when games came with an instruction manual too - I've much preferred receiving physical 3DS and Wii games over Switch. Untitled Goose Game's physical release was a nice surprise and included something other than the cart.
Limited editions often contain tat. The game, a CD soundtrack, manual and art book are enough generally, unless there's a really special unique extra.
The only limited edition game I really wanted over the previous gen was hollow knight, but since it didn't come to the platform I wanted the physical edition for, I didn't buy it. Kind of sucks, but oh well. Maybe Silksong will be a different story since it's releasing on all of them at the same time this go round.
I buy physical games because I want ownership the trinkets have nothing to do with it. I'd buy the carts If they came in a weed bag tbh.
@Willsy you clearly have issues here and has nothing to do with NL or other users.
Do game publishers sit around laughing when they discuss grown men buying video games that come with a certificate. The last certificate I got was for coming 7th in an 100m sprint at the age of 7.
I buy physicals so I have the freedom to do what I want with them. And it’s not like Switch/(3)DS are easily scratched CDs. If they went back to CDs, I’d probably be almost all digital.
From the industry standpoint, I think physical releases stopped being about physical games when they couldn’t release a game without a day 1-14 patch.
Or just make a “peasant edition” who just want a physical game and keep the special editions for the people who just like getting the deluxe/ best versions of things. The quality of special edition releases shouldn’t suffer just because some John Doe can’t afford the Gold Edition.
As a kid I got much joy from having my curvy PAL SNES cartridge collection on hand to own, play and yes, simply look at and feel. It's hard to think of the stamp sized efforts we get now in the same way.
I got a physical Mario 3D all stars because it was 10usd cheaper at launch and I have the option to sell/swap it when I'm done. Sometimes 59.99 for digital is like buying a steak at an expensive restaurant and having to take it home and eat it on paper plates.
I like the concept of having the physical cartridge, however, I do think digital is way more convenient. I find myself wishing I had both lol.
@AndyC_MK84 Yes, the package was only published by NOA. Even in US, it was hard to get a copy. They sold out pretty fast!
You’re right that for most of the special editions, the interest in part is to have a physical game. Here though, the actual game is pretty mediocre by today’s standards, so my interest honestly wasn’t in playing it or keeping a cartridge. It was in remembering where the FE series started, and the legacy and influence it has had. On both counts, the package succeeds wonderfully.
Maybe they would have just been better served publishing the book standalone, so people wouldn’t expect a cartridge?
@Clyde_Radcliffe If you thought what Nintendo does with the Switch and its game cards are something new, you're probably not around when the Turbo Grafx-16/PC-Engine, Sega Master System, and SC-1000 exist. Those console's games were also on game card too before embracing cartridges in the 90s. Games on memory type card didn't just exist now, it exist then as well as were computers which used similar format at the time.
@Ishmokin You can have both, just buy the physical copy, then register that to get free gold coins, then use those gold coins to purchase the digital version of that same game at the eShop. Of course if it was me I use those free coins to purchase a different game lol...
I am lucky in that I don't feel a strong urge to succumb to the FOMO. In fact the more limited or time restricted something is, the more likely I am to skip. Regarding DRM, and this has nothing to do with physical versus digital, that's why I appreciate PC game distribution that is done DRM free. Obviously, not all games are available that way, so I favor games that go that route. In such cases, as long as you back up the game's installer, you do own the game despite it being digital.
I'd much rather have a cartridge without a box than a box with a slip of paper with a code on it. Imagine, just loose Switch carts for sale at the store(with the whole games on the carts!)
Digital makes the publisher / console makers more money, as the retailer is no longer involved.
The real reason we have collectors editions is they are trying to make more money, due to the increased expense of making and publishing these games. Gaming has become a very risky endeavor, like movies, with how much money is invested into making and marketing them.
Imagine predicting that a game will sell 4 million copies, and it barely sells 1 million. The company would've eaten 60% or more of the development and marketing costs for that product.
The price of games has stayed steady for decades (NES games were 59, 69, 79, based on the cartridge size), but the price of development has increased exponentially.
People don't tend to work for free (I am pretty sure none of us on this site does). We need to realize that the gaming industry is a business, and they have to make money or we will have no more games.
At least with physical, I can give it to someone else. I've debated selling my Ambassador 3DS because so many people have posted they pine for one but everyone keeps telling me the buyer will tell Nintendo and I'll get screwed.
I will never stop prefering physical for so many reasons. I buy digital games, too, but if I'm spending a lot of money I'd rather have a physical card, especially for a game I think the kids might like.
Special editions aren't a thing I do very often. I've bought a few. I like things like the Story of Seasons plushies, steelbooks and soundtrack CDs, but there aren't that many games I want to collect trinkets from. Mostly I just want the game.
Always physical when I can.
I feel like "Limited Editions" is almost a separate issue from a physical release. The biggest key reason is jus that the big companies out there can't just take the game down or remove access to it.
Which true story we are seeing happen more and more over time. Licensed games becoming even harder.
The other benefit is being able to share a game with my friends and family with out having to buy multiple copies. I can lend it to my girlfriend if she wants to play it.
As for the junk that often comes with collectors editions... things like cheap plastic figures, or sticker sheets, or at books. As a consumer you just gotta practice smart buy choices, and a little self restraint. Is it worth an extra $30 to get a ticker sheet and a fold out poster. Probably not, so then don't buy it.
I've passed on plenty of "Collectors" editions for such a reason. Pretty much every physical game production company right now follows the "everyone who orders gets a copy cause we produce afterwards" business model. Mind you, you honestly can't go wrong paying the base amount of roughly $40 for physical copy of an indie game you may never see again in physical form.
Also these games wouldn't be produced otherwise
@SwitchForce nah dood, I want Nintendo to release games for $5 then credit me the $5 when they deliver it to my door and turn on my TV, maybe even do my ironing for me too... Morons
@Willsy yeppers people with with issues and need a phycologist to clear their problems.
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