When you really love a game it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of buying everything associated with it. We all know (or are) that gamer whose shelves are covered with limited edition figures with signed art prints covering their walls. Still, asking people to put down that kind of money before a game is even out is a big ask.
That doesn’t stop companies trying though, and collector’s editions remain popular to this day as a result. People will quite happily pay an incredible premium for a special edition of a game they’re hyped for, and these special packages prove just how far some people are willing to push their wallets.
While there were ridiculous ones out there, like a million-dollar package for Saints Row 4 where you’d get a trip into space, those were just publicity stunts that no one bought. These are the most expensive collector’s editions that people actually spent their money on.
Spongebob Squarepants: Battle for Bikini Bottom Rehydrated F.U.N Edition – $300
It’s amazing what nostalgia can do for a person. For whatever reason, this fairly mediocre TV tie-in game got a remastered version in 2020 and people got very excited about it. Enough so that the publishers thought they could tempt fans into coughing up $300 for this special edition.
In it were three unique figures of Spongebob, Patrick, and Sandy, some lithographs, five key rings, a sticker sheet, and a pair of Spongebob-themed socks.
Crysis 2 Maximum Graphics Edition – $300
From some special socks to a top-of-the-line graphics card. Crysis has always sold itself as a PC-focused series that goes all-in on the best graphics possible, so this was a pretty smart ploy. For $300 you would get the game plus an EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti graphics card. While that might not be so impressive today, it was one of the best available when the game launched in 2011 – so it was actually a bit of a bargain for PC players at the time.
Middle Earth: Shadow of War Mithril Edition – $300
Shadow of War’s release was largely overshadowed (get it?) by its predatory lootboxes and microtransactions, but most people overlooked this giant money sink that released alongside it.
For $300 you’d get an admittedly very cool 12-inch figure depicting a battle between a Tar-Goroth Balrog and a Carnan Drake. Aside from that is the usual trimmings. A cloth map of the game world, some lithographs, a sticker sheet, some unique in-game loot, and the game’s season pass.
Dirt 3 Collector’s Edition – $300
Rather than a selection of items, Dirt 3 asks $300 for just one rather expensive item. That is an RC car of the game’s cover vehicle, a Ken Block Gymkhana rallying Ford Fiesta. It’s a very cool car and high-quality RC cars can be very expensive, but still feels like a tall ask compared to what other games will offer for $300.
Armored Core 6 Premium Edition – $450
While it’s yet to release at the time of writing, you can place your pre-orders for this edition of Armored Core 6 right now if you have $450 lying around.
This comes with a big mech figure in a very detailed garage set. The garage itself is apparently worth about $200, as you can buy a version without it for just $220. However, in this edition, you also get some pins representing the game’s faction, an artbook, steelbook, sticker sheet, and the game’s soundtrack.
Project Cars 2 Ultra Edition – $550
Next up is the racing sim Project Cars 2. Limited to 1,000 copies, this edition included a scale model of the McLaren 720S along with a sketchbook detailing the design and development of the car. Plus a unique snapback cap and signed poster. Then you’ve got all your usual stuff: art book, sticker sheet, soundtrack, and season pass.
While the model and sketchbook sound like something any car enthusiast would love, $250 more than anything else we’ve seen so far is a big ask.
Assassin’s Creed Origins Dawn of the Creed Edition – $800
Now we’re getting into the truly ludicrous territory. Limited to 1,000 copies and costing $800, you’d get a 28.5cm statue of protagonist Bayek in a metal collector’s box, as well as a resin replica of Bayek’s eagle-skull necklace.
Throw in an artbook, steelbook, lithographs, soundtrack, and the game’s season pass, and Ubisoft apparently thought $800 was a reasonable price. Forbes called this “the most ridiculous thing ever” when it was announced, and it’s hard to disagree.
Dark Souls 3 Prestige Edition – $800
If there’s one thing that you can say about Dark Souls fans, they’re dedicated; and never more so than in the lead-up to Dark Souls 3’s release. It’s no surprise then that FromSoftware correctly assumed they’d have more than a few takers for this $800 package.
The centerpiece was a massive 40cm resin Lord of Cinder figure and a smaller (but still quite big) 25cm Red Knight figure. Then there’s the artbook, map, etc. You know the drill by now.
Resident Evil 6 Premium Edition - $1,300
Out of all the games to break four figures, Resident Evil 6 wasn’t the game we would’ve expected to do it. In 2012 you could’ve paid over a grand for just one main item, a real-leather replica of Leon Kenedy’s jacket. Now don’t get us wrong, it’s a very nice jacket, but $1,300 feels like a bit much.
Still, if that doesn’t satisfy you, how about four alternate covers for the game? No? Where are you going?
Grid 2 Mono Edition – $188,000
We’re skipping five figures and going straight to six for our top spot. Grid 2 was a pretty good racing game in 2013, but realistically, the game isn’t what you were paying for here. Instead, for $188k, just one person could (and did) buy a BAC Mono road-legal supercar kitted out in Grid 2 livery. The lucky buyer also got a tour of the factory and their own racing gear – all made to measure.
Who bought it you ask? Well, the answer will really emphasize that this happened in 2013 because it was Deadmau5.
Written by Ryan Woodrow on behalf of GLHF.
