Collector Edition Games?

Seriously, I love collector editions for my favorite games. I have a few of them and they really help stand out from the generic game box. However, I'm seeing more and more of them pop up for new games and existing franchises. Now, every damn company is doing these collections and I'm getting sick of it, especially if it's on the level of Halo 3 collectors, a helmet you can't even wear but your cat can.

A problem is the shelling out of money. This would be great to do, especially if the game costs the old school $50, but paying an extra $40 is just bad, just for stickers and a cell art frame so you can post it above your bedroom? Also, increasing game cost has made gamers into smart buyers. Retail now offers great deals on some current and old games. I bought Street Fighter 4 a few weeks ago and I love it (except for Seth......fucker) and I paid $37 for it. Sadly, I have missed good game deals over the past year. I missed out on Mirror's Edge for $37, but I did pick up Mass Effect for $40 and Bioshock for about the same price. I knew we had a collector's edition for that but why would you buy it for a new game? Sure the graphics were stunning but you would go out on a limb and purchase something you dunno if you would like? I don't think there was a demo for it on Live either. Correct me if I'm wrong.

If you're gunna do a collector's edition, make it like the World of Warcraft's boxes. I have the Burning Crusade expansion and it's massive....think I paid $90 for it but the thing comes PACKED with all kinds of shit. An in-game exclusive pet, an art book, a music CD, the game on DVD and CD-ROM, an invite to a wow website, cards from the card game, exclusive promos, and hell I dunno how much more but the box is very nice.
Oh yeah forgot about the amazing mouse pad and the behind the scenes DVD. This IS a collectors edition unlike, oh lets say, Dead Space and their art book with 3-D glasses. All I know is that it probably cost around the same for the dead space game.

Dunno what else to say but they way I say is, if you think you are getting a sweet deal with all the swag you're paying for...buy the collectors but if it's some lame ass shit, just avoid it all together because it's gunna be a trap hole for your wallet.

As far as next post, I think I'll look into some card games, maybe go into some detail about how I made mine or just ideas in general. Card games are the centerpiece of my life and it's great to play them, not as much today, but having all the pokemon or all of the secret rares in yugioh, it was a blast to play and make friends with everyone at a hobby shop. I'm in random mode now, but go out there and support your local hobby store, ask for leagues, get something going becuase these stores are going the way of the arcades.