Bioshock: Infinite and Collector's Editions

Posted by Jonah Stein on March 13, 2012 05:13 pm 2

I would like to speak on, and accept commentary about, the general topic of "Collector's Editions" (CE) in video games. Further, I would like to refine this thought process to specifically address the much-anticipated Bioshock: Infinite.

If I am not mistaken, Ken Levine or someone at Irrational has hinted that there would be some kind of Collector's Edition of Bioshock: Infinite. But as far as I can tell from a rudimentary Google search, there has been no announcement about what this would consist of.

I will often purchase the CE for games that I am really looking forward to. Recently, though, I have been really bored of any of the offerings. It seems there is always the obligatory 'steelbook case' and 'artbook'. Sometimes, there may be a voucher for a digital download for the artbook. What the crap?! Who wants that? Possibly more useful, yet equally as intangible, is the digital download of the game soundtrack. I don't know, I may just be cynical. But I really had to talk myself OUT of buying the CE for Mass Effect 3 recently. A week after release, and I vacillate between regret and satisfaction of resisting EA's attempts at milking more $$ from the faithful gaming consumer. At the same time, today I downloaded the "From Ashes" expansion DLC that came with the CE version. But I digress.

Bioshock completely blew me away with the quality of its Collector's Edition. A really cool Big Daddy statue that I kept in the packaging for a couple of years ( I don't know why?). Plus, as I recall, it was complimentary with a pre-order from Gamestop. Not even $20 extra, like most CE's now. Needless to say, I am really looking forward to whatever Irrational decides to put into the Bioshock: Infinite CE. And, yes, I will pre-order.

So, friends, I now invite you to start speculating on what you think should be included in the CE for this upcoming blockbuster GOTY contender. By extension, feel free to comment on what you think of Collector's Editions in general. Do you feel spending the extra ducats on forgettable brick-a-brac only serves to push the price of games even higher? Or do you feel that you are supporting the industry that feeds your favorite past-time?