Poll: Pre-order/Special Edition Bonuses

[Acidwell]

I was looking at the left 4 dead 2 pre-order on steam and saw that you get an in-game baseball bat if you order it now. I was thinking that I like this more than a real life model or game item e.g. the bobblehead that came with fallout 3.
My reason is that you are buying a game so why not give people the in game extras and if they want models from the game they can buy it in a hobby shop.
(As we saw with arkham asylum the quality of rl items can be bad)
What does everyone else think?

 

[DaisukeVulgar]

It depends entirely on the game and thing up for grabs, I'd say. If the item looks good both in game and real life, I'll buy it depending on the price.

It's not all real life stuff that can go wrong either. Take Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 for example, I pre-ordered it and got the Juggernaut code, loads of people had their codes guessed because the system that handed them out was just poor at best, easily guessable.

 

[Maxman3002]

I find fan art or music scores the most useless. If people wanted those most are accessible online and the ones you get with the game you normally lose by the time they'd be worth anything. I do prefer in game features but they need to be useful to the game without unbalancing it. Things like a unique skin like the ones you can download for Dead Space or Unique weapons

 

[Frankydee]

I never real got what the purpose was of pre-order physical bonus items. For me, I have to justify a pre-order with extra in game content like levels, characters, -useful- weapons. A statue of some scantly clad stranger doesn't help me much in game.

 

[Textbook Bobcat]

Game item.

Real world items really aren't going to be worth anything aside from something to look at, which I can do on the internet.

Game content has the potential to enhance (or at least provide the full game) the playing experience. Dragon Age, Forza 3 & Brutal Legend are the immediate games that come to my mind where my hand has been "forced" into buying a superior version.

Modern Warfare 2 however, I will be happy with normal retail (no in game bonuses to be found)

 

[Jenova65]

If the game content was extra hours of play, then I would be tempted to take that, but if it was something bob like the special items in Fable II (stupid armour) then I would prefer real life items, I mean, man I blimming love that bobble headed pip boy! And the lunch tin which OK, I will never use, but still...............

 

[Jonci]

In-game stuff is better, though not always useful. I mean, I think my Fallout 3 bobblehead and lunchbox are cool, but they just sit on a shelf usually forgotten about. I am forking out the extra money for the CE of Assassin's Creed 2. Sure, the figurine of the main character is interesting, but it's the two bonus maps that I want most.

 

[Plinglebob]

I only ever get Special Editions if they have real world items (more specifically, seperate soundtrack CD) as extra content is normally available through other means such as purchasable DLC.

 

[ae86gamer]

I pre-order games that I really want just to make sure that I can get it that day. When I pre-ordered Mirror's Edge I got the yellow bag. It was cool, but virtually useless.

OT: If I had to choose then I guess I'd have to go with the in game bonuses.

 

[rosac]

Guild wars skill pin badges, art books and sound tracks.

With new in game dance animations.

Where is the both option?

rosac

 

[GonzoGamer]

I've never bought a CE but I have gotten a couple as gifts. While the stuff that came with Fallout 3 (Vaultec lunchbox & bobblehead as well as an artbook and making-of dvd) are cute enough to find a place in my display case, I would've been more wowed if it came a unique gun or an extra safehouse, or something like that.

 

[squid5580]

What happened? Not more than a couple months ago they were offering cool real world items. Action figures, tin cases, bobbleheads and a bunch of other crap. And all of a sudden preorder bonuses consist of demos and unlockable game items.

 

[tiredinnuendo]

I *hate* in-game preorder bonus items, because they're usually something I want, and I refuse to ever give Gamestop a second of my business ever again, so I usually end up having to miss out.

Sometimes pre-order bonuses are eventually released as straight DLC, but usually not. What a shame.

- J

 

[Flour]

Neither.

Exclusive in-game items mean someone on the development team wasn't working on the actual game. A single hour work on an item means at least a 2 hour delay.(you lost the hour and have to use another to catch up)

Real life items are nice for collection purposes, but are still money spent on hyping the game to people already interested in them, people that would buy the product if it came packaged in a severed head.

 

[suhlEap]

i personally think real life items tend to be better. not always admittedly but often. in games items seem pointless, especially when you take it account the amount of extra money it costs to get the special editions of many games. then again i rarely ever get special editions anyway.

 

[Kajt]

I like both my Frosty and my art book...

So both, I guess?

 

[VanityGirl]

Depends. I like real life item and I kind of have a little colletion of game items. But if I feel like I got ripped off, like I did when I got my collectors edition of Batman, then I'd rather just get something in game.