Joystick: Where are all the collectors sets?

Capcom's Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Collector's Set. Photo courtesy of Capcom.

I started salivating when I saw the new Street Fighter 25th Anniversary Collector’s Set. Packed with music, art, a Ryu statue and four Street Fighter games — “Street Fighter X Tekken,” “Super Street Fighter IV,” “Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition,” and “Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix” — this collector’s set looks jaw-droppingly awesome.

Though there’s a case to be made for Capcom butchering its previous releases by rereleasing all of this content, it’s still an incredible set filled with the kind of extras that longtime fans enjoy, and it’s something more companies should do.

A lot of developers are into repackaging and recycling games at the moment. Like I talked about last month, developers are putting a lot of resources into rereleasing HD upgrades of old games. It makes little sense to just release an HD game without at least some perks to get longtime fans interested and rope in newcomers with interesting tidbits.

Problem is, special editions with tons of bells and whistles don’t normally sell well in the U.S. People like cheap deals at good values, and with game prices already sky high it’s tough to rationalize dropping cash on extra perks. Case in point: that Street Fighter Collector’s Set? $150, which was the same price for the “Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” collector’s edition when that game came out.

Yet there’s hope on the horizon for extra stuff in gaming.

The “Skylanders” series of games, in which people buy toy figurines of monsters to use inside a fantasy world, is fast becoming the No. 1 selling franchise in the world, according to publisher Activision. Activision reported in April more than 25 million Skylanders toys worldwide since the game was released, and that’s way too much product for game companies to ignore.

You’ve got to believe Nintendo is planning its own Pokemon toys to be used in future “Pokemon” iterations.

So clearly there’s a market for extra stuff to go along with your games, as long as it’s packaged the right way. I’m hoping developers will consider packaging a few more freebies inside game editions soon, though I’ve definitely seen an increase in AAA titles with more add-ons.

Here’s hoping game companies can boost their special editions even better.

SportsPlus

News

Pumpkin weighing 2,471 pounds wins California contest

Education

Green, Fadness honored during Monday night’s APS Board meeting

Mower County

Austi-Con Tabletop Game Convention returns for year eight

Mower County

Minnesota Supreme Court Associate Justice Anne McKeig connects with AHS Students

Education

Connective Education: Austin Online Academy seeing growth, rising GPA’s

Mower County

220,006 ballots accepted in first three weeks

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

Mower County 4-H’ers participate in Minnesota 4-H State Horse Show

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Convictions: Sept. 30-Oct. 7

News

US inflation reaches lowest point in 3 years, though some price pressures remain

News

Ethel Kennedy, social activist and wife of Robert F. Kennedy, has died

Education

Austin Aspires celebrates, with gratitude, 10 years

News

Milton knocks out power to millions and spawns tornadoes across Florida. At least 5 dead

Mower County

Photos: Pacelli crowns its Homecoming king and queen

Mower County

Photos: Fire Department opens to the public for annual open house

Education

Austin Community Scholarship Committee awards $54,000 for 2024-25

Mower County

Fourth Grade Junior Fire Poster Contest winners named

Mower County

City Council votes to support Discover Austin position for another year

Law Enforcement

Revision to APD hiring incentive gets approved

Business

Hormel expands efforts to tackle food insecurity during Hunger Action Month

Agriculture

4-Hers attend livestock encampment at state fair

Mower County

2024 Thrive Women’s Conference this weekend

Mower County

MnDOT announces availability of $12.5 million in grants for greater Minn. community projects

News

Minnesotans in Florida brace for arrival of Hurricane Milton; Minnesota National Guard ready to provide help