Retail Profits: Special Edition

I wrote this about a year ago but it is just as prevelent today. Especially with the three different versions of Halo 3 coming out reaching a pricetag of $130 for the game and a Master Chief replica mini-helmet. BioShock had a special edition with a Big Daddy statue as well. I guess these are cool for kids with a bunch of cash to burn, but I already think a regular price of $59.99 is too much. Anyway, let me know how you feel about it.


There is a new plague contaminating the gaming world. Oh no! What could it be? Our worst nightmare has come to life with the emergence of Special Edition/Limited Edition games. This whole ruckus began in the DVD world, as any self respecting collector knows about the double dip. A double dip is when a studio releases a film and then a few months to a year later release a “Special Edition” version with new extras and/or transfer and audio. This spineless profiting tactic begins to enrage a fan of the film because after dropping $20-30 the first time, they have to spend another $20-30 for the better version. The best example of this can be found in the Star Wars Trilogy. From VHS to DVD this series has spawned not just two releases of the set but multiple editions. We have the original theatrical trilogy, the widescreen edition, the enhanced THX version, the re-released 1997 special edition, etc. This in turn always makes me cautious when buying a new release DVD. I have found myself not swooping on a film that I may really enjoy because of the fear of having to re-buy it at a later date.

I recently experienced such a feeling when I purchased Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 last fall. I eagerly walked into the store and asked for the title. “All we have left is the Limited Edition,” I was told. I was in a rush, the extras sounded cool, and I was a fan of the series. So for ten more bucks I got a metal case with different artwork from the regular edition and a bonus DVD with a making of feature. I decided that I had come out on top and returned home a satisfied customer. That is until I viewed my extra disk and was slapped in the face with a ten minute pile of shit. I gained minor insight to the development of the game. Any information thrown at me could be easily found online. Ten bucks may not sound like much money but it could have been put towards an 18-pack instead of wasting 10 minutes of my life.

Afterwards, I began noticing more and more titles being released with the Limited Edition sticker pimp slapped across their covers. Marc Ecko’s Getting Up: Contents Under Pressure Limited Edition. If that paragraph of a title alone doesn’t piss you off then maybe the soundtrack, tin case, and graffiti book for ten more bucks will. Another ten dollars down the drain can get you Driver: Parellel Lines Limited Edition with soundtrack and a behind the scenes feature. True gamers want to play a good game, not be drowned in accessories. The list of companies jumping on this bandwagon is rapidly increasing. Why pay the extra cheese when there is no difference in game content?

Now, for some games that have done it right. Virtua Fighter 4 was released to critical acclaim only to be followed by Virtua Fighter 4: Evolution a year and some change later. Are two new characters, improved graphics, and the addition of the original Virtua Fighter worth $49.99? Apparently Sega didn’t think so and thus posted the new release with an MSRP of $19.99. I can live with that. Another huge title was double dipped with Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistance. It was released again with a price of $29.99 and the inclusion of an all new online multiplayer mode, Replay Theater to view all cut scenes, the original Metal Gear 1 & 2, plus mini-games. For two titles that already kicked major ass, these double dips were handled perfectly.

So beware fellow gamers, this is only the beginning. We must make a stand and not allow ourselves to be mesmerized by fancy extras thrown in our face. Unless it’s a plush Chocobo doll, how can anyone resist Final Fantasy swag?