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Collector's Editions are all the rage these days. If you don't pay the extra $20-$100 for the special content, you're doing it wrong. At least that's what the publishers want you to think. Personally, I think these things are over-hyped, misleading, and rarely as "limited" as they claim to be, but when you're a fan of a franchise, they can be a real treat despite their flaws.

I've purchased five collector's editions in my day, and I don't regret any of them. Most of you know I'm a huge Halo fan, so it should be no surprise that I own collectors editions for Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo Reach (my favorite), and Halo Wars. I never buy the Legendary editions, since they're quite expensive and I don't really have the room for statues and cat helmets. The Limited editions are usually just right for me. They have a behind the scenes bonus, some sort of DLC perk, art, more juicy stories, and other various collectables. This is enough to excite my inner Halo nerd, yet leave my wallet relatively unharmed.

The only other limited edition I own is Gears of War 2, which was also a good balance of content vs price. I'm beginning to regret not buying the limited edition of Gears of War 3, but there are so many games on my wishlist that I figured I should save the extra cash for something else.

Collector's Editions are a great fan service as long as the fans know what they're buying. I'll continue to pick up Limited editions of Halo games, but I'll always be selective no matter what the game is. There have to be enough goodies in the package to get me to bite. I don't just buy them for the implied status. Of course it's always hard to keep my inner Halo nerd at bay when there's shiny Halo merchandise at stake.

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