Are Limited Edition games really worth the price? Contributing writer Jason Large doesn't seem to think so. However, Content Editor Peter Skerritt certainly seems adamant about spending the extra money.

Click Read More to see what they have to say about the Pros and Cons of limited edition games in our new Point/Counterpoint column.

Point (Jason Large, GamePlasma Contributor) 

As you probably already know, a new phenomenon has started to pop up over the last few years.  More and more games are being released with a Limited Edition version—and, in some cases-- more than one Limited Edition.  The problem with Limited Edition games is that they don’t really appeal to the casual and even sometimes the hardcore fans.  Many Limited Edition games simply don’t offer enough to justify spending more money on what is already an expensive investment. 

I understand the appeal of the Limited Edition version of a game for diehard fans.  Being able to buy a special version of your favorite game to commemorate its release is nice for the diehard fans, but what about everyone else?  Most Limited Editions feature the same things: a nice shiny case, some graphic art work you may look at once while you wait for the mandatory install (I know it was a cheap shot, but rest assured that I suffer through them just like all of you) and a “making of” DVD that you will most likely never watch.  I mean all that stuff is nice but for me and many others it’s just simply not enough to justify an extra $10 (or more depending on the game) on a game that costs $60 to begin with and has horrible depreciation.  I won’t lie, the Spartan helmet looks bad ass, but I don’t have anywhere to put it and it’s definitely not worth $130.   

In my gaming career I have bought one Limited Edition version of a game: Lost Planet.  Now you might be wondering why someone who is so adverse to Limited Edition games bought a Limited Edition version of such a random game.  Well, it came with something useful: an extra multiplayer map (which I could never play because apparently no one else found the Limited Edition that appealing).  It also came with the shiny case and extra DVD and graphic art work, but it was the map that made the extra $10 worth it for me.  Now you may be thinking that it is dumb that I basically spent $10 for a map; but is it any dumber than paying $10 for a bunch of stuff that you may check out once?  The point here is that someone who doesn’t care anything about extra features like the ones that are typically included in a game spent the extra money to pick up the Limited Edition of the game.  So it would appear that the solution is simple; offer something worthwhile, something related to the actual gameplay, and developers should see a jump in the number of Limited Edition versions sold.  From my perspective developers don’t really need to offer up anything spectacular, just a little DLC, just something we can use that makes it worth the extra $10. 

Even if Limited Editions are designed for diehard fans, they can still appeal to the hardcore and casual fan alike.  The simple fact is that at $70 Limited Edition versions of games are not cheap and $10 for extra content that most people don’t care about is just too steep.  If you want the extra money, then make it worth our while.

Counterpoint (Peter Skerritt, GamePlasma Content Editor) 

While I can understand where Jason is coming from here, I don’t necessarily think that Limited Editions are such a bad thing. There once was a time when gamers outside of Japan never got any extra goodies like the folks in the Land of the Rising Sun got. While artwork and “Making Of” content may seem rather trite to some, having the ability as a fan to actually get your hands on some pretty cool extra stuff is sometimes more than worth the extra cash; plus having the option to actually be able to obtain some of this extra schwag is a step in the right direction.   

Admittedly, there are some Limited Edition games that really don’t bring a lot to the table—but there are others that do, and then some. Looking at the Limited Edition package for Metal Gear Solid 4, for example, it’s more than just artwork that consumers are receiving. The soundtrack alone would cost an additional $10, and then you get the special artwork designed for the Limited Edition (which is arguably better than the standard artwork) and the “Making Of” documentaries that fans will eat up… and I think it’s a pretty worthy package. The upcoming Limited Edition package for Soul Calibur IV looks impressive, too, with a special T-shirt, art book, and metal casing. The Madden NFL 09 Collector’s Edition comes with a second full game in NFL Head Coach 09. 

Even looking back at Limited Edition releases for games like Mortal Kombat Deception and Mortal Kombat Annihilation, which had very good emulations of Mortal Kombat and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, respectively, shows that some care has been given to these releases. There was a ton of extra goodies for the Limited Edition release of Grand Theft Auto IV, too. Of course, whether you need or want a lockbox or duffel bag is really up to you… but I think the package is pretty cool. 

I agree with Jason that the higher prices may tend to dissuade less-serious players or merely passing fans of certain titles, but I also think that giving gamers the choice to grab some extras instead of just assuming that nobody wants them is a pretty good decision. Sure, not everyone is going to want to pay $85 for Metal Gear Solid 4, but fans of the series will eat it up. Ultimately, the decision is in your hands. As with any purchase, consider the pros and cons before dropping your hard-earned cash on any Limited Edition. I think that publishers should keep them coming, and let us decide what’s worth our money.