I get a lot of flak for buying editions of games that come with statues or memorabilia. The most common explanation that I hear is that “Oh dude, it doesn’t do anything. It just sits there looking at you in shame that you spent that much money on a statue.”
Believe it or not, THAT is one of the most common reasons for not collecting statues but it makes sense. If all you want to get is the game, then why get a statue? All things considered, I’m pretty careful about my selection of which statues I want. But one of the most important reasons is that it has to be from a series that I have enjoyed immensely either in film, comics or movies.
My first video game memorabilia came in the form of the Halo 3: Legendary Edition that came with a replica of Master Chief’s (the main character) helmet. You couldn’t wear it at all and would only be able to cover a closed fist with it but I got it because it was, at the time, the conclusion of the Halo trilogy.
It was a memento of all the hours and hours that I had put in playing the Halo games and understanding the universe. It was symbolic of one of the most iconic characters in video games and if it was not currently situated in New Orleans in a box somewhere; I’d place it on my dresser with all my other statues.
The statue after that was a fairly easy decision to make: The Batman: Arkham City Collector’s Edition came with a 6 inch statue that mirrored his pose from the front cover of the game’s case; black and white coloring and all.
I own a lot of Batman memorabilia so again it was only a matter of saying to myself, “I love Batman I can muster up an extra $40 for the statue and artbook.” A statue I did get that I had no childhood connections with was the Max Payne 3: Special Edition. Just a disclaimer: Whenever a company tells you that there will be a limited supply of an item, it’s usually just a marketing gimmick.
When the Max Payne 3 Special Edition statue was revealed, I was legitimately impressed. Max is in a walking pose, avoiding stepping on the bullet casings, as he contemplates his life in the shape of a gun. I went back to play the Max Payne games and got all caught up in the series so I would actually have a connection to this character.
Just for a bit of a preview, I have already pre-ordered the Bioshock: Infinite Songbird Edition that comes with a massive 9.75-inch hand-painted statue of one of the games creatures.
You can see a picture of this gorgeous piece of Bioshock merchandise here.
So when it all comes down to it, I collect statues when I have a specific connection to that series, franchise or character. I can understand the people who want nothing to do with game statues but it’s the feeling and emotion that overcome yourself that the extra money buys and I believe that it is worth it.
I’m interested to know if anyone has bought a piece of memorabilia from a fictional universe they enjoy. It does not have to be from a video game, just let me know what it is and where it’s from.
Follow me on Twitter @MaroonandGamer and send me an email to shfawcet@asu.edu
