You get the "Collectible Edition" on discs on the release date. Obviously you want your collectible shit (that you spend good money on) to be complete.

It's a game, so it's gotta have bugs and glitches. The developer will release patches and updates to fix the problems, (assuming they are responsible and does not go out of business right after they release the game.) Those patches and updates are not on your "collectible" discs. So now your collectible discs felt somewhat incomplete.

The come the DLC in bits and pieces. Which makes your collectible felt even less complete.

Then, a year or two later, the game will have a "Game of the Year" or "Director's Cut" edition. Which, in terms of game contents, is actually more complete than the "Collectible" edition that's premium-priced.

So there's really no point to get the "Collectible" edition of any game. Unless you want to screw over yourself down the road. Seriously, the "collectible" business is all BS.

that's why you should never buy those that early :D

(well, maybe except those that come with some figurines or other collectibles that are limited)

Good points, however all the collectible editions I got had a few exclusives that you could not get with the GotY editions. Might not be for everyone.
Like BG2 Collectors Edition...some of the extras were a Handkerchief Map, D&D Dice, Note Pad. Also came with a few bonus disks that came with extra loot (probably added with the GotY). Yeah, the physical goods were not something most people would want, but mostly I think people purchase it to support their developers or for the better box art.

Fully agreed. People who still do it (not me) obviously don't really care or have too much money.

Agreed OP, but years ago I went out of my way to get D&D Ruins of Myth Drannor collectors edition in the clearance bin of... a babbages? LOL

The boni was the best part, I got some free dice at least. I wish I got a decent base game. The combat was so fucking slow i couldnt even play 1/3 through the game.

also this:

[url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Radiance:_Ruins_of_Myth_Drannor#Critical_reception]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Radiance:_Ruins_of_Myth_Drannor#Critical_reception[/url]

REMOVES SYSTEM FILES ON UNINSTALL OH SNAP

Generally, I agree with you. But there are few things to note.

Publishers love to change game protection between original and GOTY release.
One such exaple, is The longest Journey. See user reviews. Basically, the game became unlayable due to new protection.

A "complete" release can be different from original release.
Examples: Dark Fall and Silent Hill.

Or too complete:
There is Magna Mundi mod for Europa Universalis III:Divine Wind. If you buy a complete version, (with Heir to the Throne), you can't play this mod. At least, this is what reviews on GG say. (This is a weak example, because later this mod was ported for Heir to the Throne.)

Older games, often have community mods, that add to the gameplay or just mandatory for normal gaming. They never get included with any edition. This means, you will have to search and dowload additional files, even if you buy a gold edition with all patches included.

I bought one - ONE collector's edition in my entire life and it costed me 10 bucks. It had a t-shirt, so I could tell my girlfriend I bought some clothes.

I've bought a handful of collector's editions in my days. They tend to drop in price quite fast, and after a while stores just wants to get rid of them (unless they are for popular games like World of Warcraft of Skyrim), and thus they'll often be sold for less than the regular edition. Collector's Editions that I've bought include Myst 4 & 5, Pool of Radiance, Morrowind, Dreamfall and a few more. Some actually came with some nice extras (and some came with some completely pointless things, like Myst 4's incomplete deck of cards). But this is completely missing the point of the collector's edition. What you are paying for is the base game + some extras, not a complete collection. Thus the difference in name between Collector's (for the collector) and Complete Collection (a collection of (all?) content released for that game (up to that point).
If collector's editions are worth it or not is up to the individual buyer. If you really (expect to) love Skyrim that much that you want to pay extra for that big plastic dragon, then that is up to you.

I think that happens the other way as well. Sometimes they come out with a lousy DRM and then the next version removes it all together or for a different less damaging DRM. See the Sony rootkit DRM.

This was the worst game ever. Thanks for making me remember it.

YA CAN NEVAH HAVE ENUFF DAKKA YA GROT!!!! Enuff's more than ya got and less than too much AND THERE AIN'T NO SUCH FING AS TOO MUCH DAKKA!!!



Oh, you said "money". My mistake.

You mean as opposed to the good old days, when a collectible edition got released, couple of patches (with no autopatchers whatsoever), then a couple of expansions (and the map packs they often used to sell, calling them 'expansions' and suddenly, you've had the same incomplete game as you get today?