Limited Edition: Will the future be fully digital?

Limited Edition

The arrival of the new generation consoles has definitely marked the beginning of a new digital era. For the first time, Microsoft and Sony have in fact designed gaming machines completely devoid of physical support. On the one hand we find the Xbox Series S, a cheaper and less powerful version of the X Series, on the other hand there is the Playstation 5 Digital, which shares the same specifications as the Playstation 5, but does not have the optical reader. We have already talked about the advantages of digital copies, without neglecting the importance of classic video games available on disc.

Today, however, we want to deepen the question a little, going to a decidedly niche environment, but still very popular among gamers. In fact, we want to try to analyze what will happen with the much sought-after Limited or Collectors Edition in a market increasingly linked to the digital distribution of video games.

Why buy a Limited Edition?

Collector's Edition of Assassin's Creed Valhalla There are many reasons to buy the Limited Edition of a particular video game. However, there are just as many reasons why it is not worth buying them: so it is undoubtedly up to you to decide how to invest your money. Some define them as a waste of money, because after the initial emotion, they abandon the contents in its box to gather dust for the rest of their existence. In the best cases they are resold, often earning a lot of money, especially if they are particularly rare.

Others find the elements of the Limited Edition very interesting, because they can enrich their room with action figures and various posters, as well as being able to listen to the soundtrack or explore the artworks of the collaborating artists with attention and interest for the development of the video game. A way like many others to learn more about the content of the title played, if you are particularly interested in intellectual property. However, there is another, often overlooked, element that should be taken into consideration when purchasing a Limited Edition.

Collector's Edition of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt We are talking about financial support for developers. By purchasing these versions of a particular video game, we are going to fund the project more. This may warrant the purchase of a Limited Edition of a completely new intellectual property, in order to support the developers to create other products of this type. Here too, however, there would be some reflections to be made.

For example, we asked ourselves why would anyone buy a Limited Edition of a new intellectual property, when this could be a complete disappointment once it is on the market?

As mentioned previously, everyone must evaluate the purchase of a Limited Edition based on their interests and needs. It is a rather niche market, which in recent years is experiencing a further evolution: the transition to video games in digital format.

The arrival of digital

Playstation 5 in the Digital version and Xbox Series S Many companies predicted the dominance of digital video games several years ago. For some platforms they have always existed, while others have only recently adopted it. The main problem with this distribution method is the availability of high-speed internet connections. If you don't have a fast enough connection, downloading digital software is really inconvenient. Precisely for this reason consoles such as the PSP Go or the initial idea had by Microsoft for Xbox One have led to despair among people. The so-called "mass" was not simply ready to welcome a fully digital console, because it is still strongly linked to video games in physical format.

Arrived in 2021, however, things have changed drastically. Today we even talk about cloud gaming, so the possibility of playing even without the console itself. Video games in digital format are now a norm, especially in the last period characterized by the pandemic, in which they marked dizzying sales. The same Sony and Microsoft have launched on the market two consoles completely without the optical reader. The new Xbox Series S and Playstation 5 Digital are in fact consoles compatible exclusively with video games in digital form.

Their lower price, combined with new generation technical specifications, make these gaming machines really interesting for gamers. Additionally, both Sony and Microsoft are massively promoting their respective digital services, notably Game Pass, Playstation Now, and digital stores on both platforms.

Even video game stores, such as the famous GameStop chain, have already smelled the upcoming change in the air and are specializing in the sale of other items always linked to the world of video games. For example, the various gadgets and various merchandise are increasingly popular, as well as the Limited Edition of games, action figures and the very famous Nintendo Amiibo. The video game distributed on disc still has undeniable advantages, but the evolution of digital software has brought just as many benefits to this more immediate and often less expensive format. The market is adjusting accordingly, preferring a form of digital distribution (just look at the Game Pass), while for the physical market the profitable merchandise linked to a particular brand remains.

What will happen to the Limited Edition?

Special Edition of Doom At this point the question arises: if video games were to be distributed exclusively in digital form, what will happen to the Limited Edition? Some manufacturers have already provided an answer to this question by distributing a digital version of the Limited Editions. For example, it happened with the popular Call Of Duty and Assassin's Creed series (for the latter only in the Xbox version), which proposed limited with the video game distributed through a code to be entered in the respective online store. On the other hand, a "traditional" Limited Edition with the video game on disc would not make sense for owners of Xbox Series S and Playstation 5 Digital. The same thing has been happening in the personal computer market for years now, so it's only a matter of time before a full transition takes place in the console market as well. Buyers related to the physical format will most likely be disappointed, because we don't expect to see two versions of the Limited Editions in favor of the digital-only versions. The software download is in fact available on all consoles, even those equipped with an optical reader. The manufacturer could therefore devote himself to the creation of a single version, available to everyone, avoiding the difficulty of having to divide the production into physical and digital format.

Collector's edition of Cyberpunk 2077 The Limited Editions are also objects of collection, which can be resold after many years, because they could even acquire additional value over time. But what value could a Limited Edition without its video game have? Would you be willing to buy one, knowing that the download code has already been redeemed by another user? Taking the Limited Edition of Skyrim as an example (a title released ten years ago), we can say that it still has value today. The contents of this version are still appreciable and even if there was no disc with the official game inside, we know that Skyrim can be found practically everywhere. This kind of reasoning has made us quite confident about the definitive abandonment of video games in physical format in the Limited Editions. As already happened in the personal computer market, it is only a matter of time before this also happens on the new generation consoles, especially thanks to the arrival of Xbox Series S and Playstation 5 Digital.

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