Not every game has a collector’s edition. Not every game needs a collector’s edition.
There have been hundreds of thousands of games on the market for decades, but only a small percentage of them end up having a physical special edition and with exclusive content that every game collector wants to have on their “chosen ones” set.
At Abylight Studios we have released two collector’s editions that have been very well received by gamers around the world and of which we are very proud: Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition and Cursed Castilla EX Collector’s Edition, both for Nintendo Switch. You may be wondering: how did they decide to make a collector’s edition of a game? How did they choose what it would include? How did they set the price?
Today we want to tell you a little more about the process of creating a collector’s edition for an indie game from our point of view as publishers, developers and, above all, gamers who are also fans of these special editions.
When to make a collector’s edition
You bet there are several games in your catalog that you are particularly fond of and would like to have a special physical edition of. However, not every game lends itself to this.
A game needs to have a strong and reliable, even hardcore, fan base that has played the game several times to the point of squeezing it out. These are called fans. They want to know more about who is behind the game, what inspired its story and characters and, of course, they want the game in physical form. Not only that, they want a special physical edition to add to their “treasure”.
Sometimes, these exclusive editions come months after a game’s release, especially when they are unsure about its sales success but unexpectedly exceed expectations. Other times, it’s a re-release of a game on retro platforms that comes to the new generation, with a good amount of fans waiting nostalgically to play it again.
What is included in a collector’s edition
It is important to establish some limits from the beginning about what your collector’s edition contents will (or won’t) be. Imagination runs wild when we think about what loot it might include, but we must be realistic or we will end up with an edition that is expensive to produce and difficult to sell.
As for what players will find inside, we must strike the perfect balance between 4 and 8 items closely related to the game and of value to players, both for sentimental reasons and utility.
For example, in the collector’s edition of Cursed Castilla EX for Nintendo Switch we included a guide to the game -nowadays physical games no longer include it- and a book of its Making-Of, knowing that fans of this game are eager to know all the secrets of its creation; in addition to other items. For its part, the most valued objects of the collector’s edition of Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition for Nintendo Switch are the incredible soundtrack of the game on CD and the Rosetta Stone to unveil all the secrets of the mysterious language that we see during the game.
And should a physical game copy be included? Of course it should!
How to set the price of a collector’s edition
When we talk about collector’s editions for indie games, ideally the price should be between 40 and 50 euros, a price somewhat above the price of the base game.
For AAA games, special editions start at 80-90 euros, so -unless your collector’s edition is incredibly exclusive and with large or expensive content- those for indie games should be kept below that.
It’s a matter of perception for gamers, but also of cost for developers and publishers. The cost of each item included must be taken into account, in addition to shipping costs, which may or may not be included in the price, depending on the marketing campaign or sales strategy.
In addition, discounts and offers for specific times, such as Christmas or seasonal sales, must also be taken into account.
Our examples
In Abylight Shop we have two collector’s sets at the moment: Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition Collector’s Set and Cursed Castilla EX Collector’s Edition, both for Nintendo Switch.
Both editions have a base price of 49,95€ and include a physical copy of the game, but each one also includes extra items, carefully chosen and designed to have a strong connection with the game and bring value to players and collectors:
Hyper Light Drifter Special Edition
Poster: A full color illustration sized 51 x 31 cm.
Key-chain: The Drifter’s Companion sized 4 cm.
Lenticular Card: A Rosetta Stone card to interpret the forgotten language of the land.
2 CD: Original Soundtrack by Disasterpeace.
Sticker: Circular sticker sized 6 cm diameter.
Manual: A full color booklet of 24 pages.
Inlay: Reversible print of the game cover.
Game cartridge: Cartridge for Nintendo Switch™.
Cursed Castilla EX Collector’s Edition
Arcade Cut-Out: Build your own cardboard cabinet with lenticular 3D screen and bring some of that classic arcade spirit into your home!
Key-Chain: made with iron and gold plated, keep your keys safe with the fairies.
Making-Of Book: A full color booklet of 36 pages.
Sticker: Circular sticker sized 6 cm diameter.
Original Soundtrack: 1 CD with the full Original Soundtrack by Gryzor87.
Manual: A full color booklet of 24 pages.
Reversible Inlay: Reversible print of the game cover.
Game cartridge: Cartridge for Nintendo Switch™.
About the name, there are opinions of all kinds. Some opt for descriptive and easily recognizable names for gamers (game name + “Special Edition” / game name + “Collector’s Edition”). Others want to go a step further and relate it to some concept of the game’s story or characters, such as Borderlands: The Handsome Collection – Claptrap-in-a-Box Edition.
We know how special collector’s editions are for gamers and that’s why we are working to bring more to our catalog. Besides, it’s not only a matter of business, the illusion of making a brilliant idea come true and turning it into something special and limited is something that the Abylight team loves.We hope this blog has been of help or guidance, and don’t hesitate to ask us directly in our Discord channel about game development and publishing.
