With PlayStation 5 and Xbox Lockhart, the Time Has Come for Physical Collector's Editions with Digital Game Codes

[Sola Scriptura]

WIth yesterday's announcement of the digital-only PlayStation 5 model and the presumed coming announcement of Xbox Lockhart, we've now reached the point that publishers should consider producing a number of collector's editions for their titles that do not include a physical game disc at all, yet include all the physical items that come with a collector's edition. It's clear that Sony and Microsoft each believe there is a sizable enough market for a digital-only console, so I would argue that it then only makes sense for publishers to begin producing at least some collector's editions that consist of physical goods and a digital game code for the market that prefers an all-digital console, yet also enjoys the physical items that come with collector's editions.

What say ye, Era? Am I off? Is the market for physical collector's editions with game codes too small to matter at this point? Or is there sufficient demand?

 

[Oldmario]

EA tried this with Mirror's Edge Catalyst (and i think one of the star wars games) and last i checked around 6-8 months ago, you could still buy it in stock

 

[data]

I thought the point of collector's edition was that you had something physical. It doesn't make much sense ( to me ) to make it have a digital code instead of a physical copy since it would defeat the purpose of being for "collectors"

 

[dakun]

EA tried this with Mirror's Edge Catalyst (and i think one of the star wars games) and last i checked around 6-8 months ago, you could still buy it in stock

Click to shrink...

to be fair, they probably never sold their initial shipment of the regular edition out anyway

when it comes to collectors editions i do agree.. but collector's editions continue to be overpriced disappointments to me so i can live with getting collectors items in digital form (if they are available for 10 bucks more) like Maps, Soundtracks, Artbooks

 

[jediyoshi]

Games went the other way around and sold what would be collector's item stuff in one off packages which I still find the best option because that way it doesn't lock you in either digital or physical or to a single platform.

 

[ciddative]

It's a good idea. Reminds me of the few collector's editions this gen that didn't include the game which got flak from mostly idiots who don't understand choice is good.

There will always be a market for premium editions with questionable extra shit in there and I hope for those going digital they have access to the same good and awful plastic stuff us physical lovers do

 

[TSOLfan]

Then we've come full circle:

Halo 5 collector's edition buyers can exchange their digital code for a disc, 343 confirms

Halo 5: Guardians' limited collector's edition comes with an impressive set of additional physical goods that help to justify its $250 price: a statue of Master Chief and Spartan Locke, a metal...

www.polygon.com

 

[Deleted member 135]

The point of a collectors edition is to have physical stuff. They should all come with discs.

 

[Remeran]

Oh my god yes. I've been digital for years and my only regret is that I miss out on some of the amazing collectors editions.

 

[sredgrin]

The type of people interested in special editions are not typically the audience for this sort of console, at least not in a way to add yet another SKU into the market.

 

[Possum Armada]

Dont even out a code in it. That way you don't have to have multiple skus for the various platforms. You could even have it release a week or so in advance to generate release window hype.

 

[Iso]

The most expensive edition of Halo 5 came with a digital download code and came out a week before the launch date so you could pick it up and pre-load it.

 

[Lant_War]

Kinda defeats the point of a CE, no? Honestly, I think they probably should come without the game at all and be basically glorified merch.

 

[Mecha]

They could perfectly present the option to the consumer to decide if they prefere a digital or physical copy with their CE.

 

[Deleted member 4413]

I thought the point of collector's edition was that you had something physical. It doesn't make much sense ( to me ) to make it have a digital code instead of a physical copy since it would defeat the purpose of being for "collectors"

Click to shrink...

People buying these are not buying for the disc, they are buying for the other goodies packed into it.

I have 100% given up on buying collectors edition stuff because I will only buy/play digital games. Have zero interest in owning a disc, just makes for an inconvenience and I can't game-share with a disc.

 

[Hippopuncher12]

People buying these are not buying for the disc, they are buying for the other goodies packed into it.

I have 100% given up on buying collectors edition stuff because I will only buy/play digital games. Have zero interest in owning a disc, just makes for an inconvenience and I can't game-share with a disc.

Click to shrink...

I mean I buy them for the Steelbook and different cases, I don't care about statues and shit, but if a game has a $200 edition I want and it has a Steelbook, I'm buying it. If it has a digital code it won't have that case, thus rendering it a non buy for me. People want different things from CE's.

 

[modsbox]

When I read the title, I thought OP was suggesting that the collector's editions come with a physical copy and a digital code in addition to that.

That, I think would be a great idea. A huge percentage of folks buying the collector's edition of games are paying nearly double the price of the game, often well over that. They're also quite likely to use the digital code first, keeping the physical copy in pristine or likely unopened condition rather than re-sell the code to save some money. And if they did? Who cares, you got someone to spend a huge amount of money on a special version of your game.

I say this because for years now I have been doing essentially the reverse with my favorite games. I buy whichever games I want digitally, and then if I really love it I buy the physical when it drops in price to have in my permanent, always-going-to-be-able-to-play-it collection. I never buy collector's editions because they come with physical, and I prefer (in the short-term) the convenience of digital. I'd be far more likely to buy collector's editions if they came with digital and physical, because then I would know if I don't end up loving it as much as I thought I could resell essentially a complete-in-box copy of it with an unopened physical copy of the game for a good price.

 

[Garou]

Nintendo Japan has been doing this on their My Nintendo Store since Mario Maker for WiiU.

 

[FacelessSamurai]

People buy collectors editions for the extra fluff, like statue or accessories from the game, art book, etc. Usually the game itself is in a normal game case, it's the rest that comes with it people are interested in.

Bungie is doing exactly what op is talking about with the upcoming D2 expansion, makes total sense imo even though I think collectors editions are a huge waste of money.

 

[Deleted member 4413]

I mean I buy them for the Steelbook and different cases, I don't care about statues and shit, but if a game has a $200 edition I want and it has a Steelbook, I'm buying it. If it has a digital code it won't have that case, thus rendering it a non buy for me. People want different things from CE's.

Click to shrink...

That's an expensive steelbook, too each their own. I mean to say many people are buying CE of games for the extra goodies, not necessarily the disc. Though it goes both ways.

 

[Hippopuncher12]

That's an expensive steelbook, too each their own. I mean to say many people are buying CE of games for the extra goodies, not necessarily the disc. Though it goes both ways.

Click to shrink...

Oh for sure, I usually will sell the other stuff to make up some of the difference, the amount people pay for those statues and weird random shit that comes in them is hilarious. Thankfully a lot of companies do SB's in normal editions now so it's not something I have to do often anymore.

 

[Sola Scriptura]

Oh for sure, I usually will sell the other stuff to make up some of the difference, the amount people pay for those statues and weird random shit that comes in them is hilarious. Thankfully a lot of companies do SB's in normal editions now so it's not something I have to do often anymore.

Click to shrink...

I think what you're describing here is not uncommon. You see it on eBay all the time: People buy the collector's edition of the game, keep the items they want, and sell the rest individually or as a set.

 

[Sparks]

Isn't that like buying a collectors Record album and it comes with only a code in the sleeve that lets you add the album to your Spotify?

Maybe if there was a way to get both in a collectors edition.

 

[Sola Scriptura]

When I read the title, I thought OP was suggesting that the collector's editions come with a physical copy and a digital code in addition to that.

That, I think would be a great idea. A huge percentage of folks buying the collector's edition of games are paying nearly double the price of the game, often well over that. They're also quite likely to use the digital code first, keeping the physical copy in pristine or likely unopened condition rather than re-sell the code to save some money. And if they did? Who cares, you got someone to spend a huge amount of money on a special version of your game.

I say this because for years now I have been doing essentially the reverse with my favorite games. I buy whichever games I want digitally, and then if I really love it I buy the physical when it drops in price to have in my permanent, always-going-to-be-able-to-play-it collection. I never buy collector's editions because they come with physical, and I prefer (in the short-term) the convenience of digital. I'd be far more likely to buy collector's editions if they came with digital and physical, because then I would know if I don't end up loving it as much as I thought I could resell essentially a complete-in-box copy of it with an unopened physical copy of the game for a good price.

Click to shrink...

I actually like your idea here better than what I proposed, though I doubt publishers would ever go for it, as they'd likely rather try to get someone to double-dip by buying the collector's edition with a physical disc in addition to a digital copy.

 

[Orion117]

I like Bungie's approach for this. They always offer a game less version of collector's edition as well which has all the goodies without the game code. You are free to get the game from any source you like.

 

[Terraforce]

Sounds like a very niche crowd. And I say this as someone who often double dips to have the plastic case on my shelf.

 

[Captain of Outer Space]

I wish Nintendo did this with Ring Fit.

 

[RaySpencer]

I really like the collectors editions with no digital or physical game, and let people choose separately. But it seems like a lot of Era people don't like them.

 

[theAllseeingEYE]

I think this would be an easy thing to solve.

Just leave the game separate from the collector's edition, and let people choose if they want physical or digital. If at a store, they can either hand you a game or hand you a code.

Microsoft could even just include a voucher, let you redeem a code, then select whether you want physical or digital. You could pick up the game from a local store or have it shipped.