Limited Run Games

[Arantor]

Limited Run Games are a very quirky outfit. They do, as the name suggests, limited production runs on games that might not have had a physical release for whatever reason. A lot of their stuff skews to indie titles on PS4 and Switch, but...

...this is happening tomorrow: https://limitedrungames.com/collect...ts/sam-max-hit-the-road-collectors-edition-pc

I loved Sam & Max Hit The Road when it came out originally though I had to make do with getting a budget re-release a few years later as I didn't have a PC with CD ROM at the time (so, it would have been around 1997 when I got to play it properly after its 1993 release)

And now I can get me a physical boxed edition with goodies! YEAAAAAAAAAAH

And if that wasn't enough... they're also doing a physical edition of LOOM as well... https://limitedrungames.com/products/loom-pc-collectors-edition

I can't wait for the pre-orders to open because these are both 'shut up and take my money' occasions.

 

[Crims]

I can't wait for the pre-orders to open because these are both 'shut up and take my money' occasions.

This is awesome, I hope it'll reinvigorate the good fan cover art interests from earlier - there were entire websites for custom printing your own box art for games.. I've been planning a similar business, a while now too.

 

[Arantor]

Yeah, there's definitely been fan box art for even big name games - Return to Monkey Island had a fair few interested people for example.

 

[Uncrowned]

I can see these types of things being huge with collectors and mega fans of a game, but $70 for a $5 game is a bit much for the average gamer to accept imo.

 

[Arantor]

It's not a fair comparison. You're suggesting that the $70 box for LOOM is equivalent to the $5 version on GOG or Steam.

It really isn't. Putting aside the *physical run* aspect for a minute, the LRG run includes both the EGA and VGA versions of the game - you literally can't legally get the EGA version of the game anywhere. Now you might be wondering - why would I want the 16 colour, no talkie version of the game when there's a 256 colour version with dialogue? Well... the talkie version cuts a significant portion of the game OUT to make it fit on the CD.

Not to mention the 15 minute audio clip that serves as the game's intro is *entirely missing* from both the Steam and GOG editions, but is present in this edition.

Neither the Steam nor GOG editions are remotely comparable, honestly. But also note that these aren't being mass produced where you're able to get the economy of scale; the clue really is in the name 'Limited Run Games' - once the run is done, they're not going to be selling it any more. Limited production run, small numbers, basically making enough for the people who buy it, which means it *will* cost extra because they're not printing millions of copies.

As for Sam & Max, there's a bunch of goodies in the box that you don't get with just a digital download, and that you can't get any other way.

 

[Retro]

I'm surprised that the Steam and GOG versions are missing this crucial content as there's no capacity limitations there.

 

[Arantor]

It’s always been missing, and I’ve never understood why. Ditto the both editions - certainly some other LucasArts and Sierra titles that are dual editions are present in their bundles (e.g. Sierra’s Police Quest 1 has two very different editions)

 

[Uncrowned]

It's not a fair comparison. You're suggesting that the $70 box for LOOM is equivalent to the $5 version on GOG or Steam.

It really isn't. Putting aside the *physical run* aspect for a minute, the LRG run includes both the EGA and VGA versions of the game - you literally can't legally get the EGA version of the game anywhere. Now you might be wondering - why would I want the 16 colour, no talkie version of the game when there's a 256 colour version with dialogue? Well... the talkie version cuts a significant portion of the game OUT to make it fit on the CD.

Not to mention the 15 minute audio clip that serves as the game's intro is *entirely missing* from both the Steam and GOG editions, but is present in this edition.

Neither the Steam nor GOG editions are remotely comparable, honestly. But also note that these aren't being mass produced where you're able to get the economy of scale; the clue really is in the name 'Limited Run Games' - once the run is done, they're not going to be selling it any more. Limited production run, small numbers, basically making enough for the people who buy it, which means it *will* cost extra because they're not printing millions of copies.

As for Sam & Max, there's a bunch of goodies in the box that you don't get with just a digital download, and that you can't get any other way.

I did not know that they came with extra features and such, but I still don't see any value for these, outside of mega fans or collectors. Although it does sound like LRG makes these products a solid value for those that are looking for something like this.

 

[Arantor]

That's their target demographic though - hence the small print runs because they know there won't be a huge demand for it. But that is literally their business model, so...