Usually around the third or fourth iteration of a popular game, the designers decide that there are enough fans to warrant a special collector’s edition.
Though collector’s editions usually filled with a bunch of stuff that no one needs, they’re gobbled up by hard-core fans that want to raise their 1337 level by a few points at the next gaming get-together.
Apparently Grand Theft Auto has reached that point, because with the release of GTAIV coming up, they’ve announced a pre-orderable special edition that comes with a metal safety deposit box, special packaging, an art book with never-before-seen production artwork, a soundtrack CD filled with exclusive material, a Rockstar keychain, and a duffel bag to hold it all. Plus, order through Amazon, and you’ll even get a Liberty City license plate to round out the collection!
First, there was the Freakin’ Party Pack that featured Family Guy Volumes 1-6, Family Guy Presents Stewie Griffin, themed ping pong paddles, a ping pong net, ping pong balls, poker chips and playing cards.
Now, there’s the Blue Harvest Special Edition, featuring a DVD of the double-length Very Special Episode that was a full-scale spoof of George Lucas’ saga, plenty of DVD special features, a collector’s t-shirt, 3D glasses, collector’s trading cards, and a 20-page “Art of Family Guy Presents: Blue Harvest” booklet.
On the car scale, Ferrari is definitely at the top; and on the Ferrari scale, the Enzo is definitely at the top, which is why a special edition Enzo is no ordinary supercar. Called the FXX, it was sold only to “select” buyers, and was used by Ferrari as a test bed for development of their latest equipment.
Two years, and 20,000 miles later, they’ve gathered up enough data from the 20 cars to make an even better version of their wondermobile, and they’re calling it the FXX Evoluzione.
Again available only to a “select” group of buyers, the Evoluzione features 860 hp, a 9,500 redline, 60 millisecond shifts, a less invasive, more adaptable traction control system that can be adjusted in the cockpit on the fly, modified suspension geometry, and a new aerodynamic package.
Being a test driver for Ferrari doesn’t come cheap, but if you had the cash, would you turn down the offer? (Oh, and the $2 million it takes to own one comes with “a 15-member official team made up of engineers, electronics experts and mechanics capable of providing complete assistance to clients”. And you thought you had a comprehensive warranty!)
You almost can’t make up news this good. Microsoft, king of excessive packaging, has created a special edition of Windows Vista called… wait for it… the Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Limited Numbered Signature Edition. Apparently, this limited edition of 20,000 comes with Gates’ John Hancock right on the cover, and is packed full of Windows goodness. Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help but think that someone at Microsoft should have shown someone else at Microsoft this video:
