How to create a collector’s edition for a video game
A collector’s edition is often the first physical object fans hold from a game they have not played yet. Done well, it sells out during pre-orders and stays on a shelf for years. At TAKEOFF Creative, we have designed and produced collector’s editions for publishers such as IO Interactive, Ubisoft, Warner Bros. Games, Larian Studios, Bandai Namco and Nacon. Here is how a collector’s edition comes together, step by step.
1. Start with what the edition must achieve
Driving pre-orders, creating a launch moment, celebrating a franchise or offering a premium tier to the most dedicated fans: the goal shapes everything else, from the number of units to the price. For Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown, Nacon wanted a limited run of 2,000 units to build excitement around pre-orders and launch. For Baldur’s Gate 3, Larian Studios needed more than 20,000 editions for PC and PlayStation 5.
2. Find the hero piece
The most memorable editions are built around one centrepiece that players recognise instantly, ideally an object with a story or a function. For Hogwarts Legacy, we created a wand that floats above a tome base thanks to a magnet hidden inside the book. For 007 First Light, a life-size replica of the mask for the Collector’s Edition, and a sculpted golden gun with removable bullets and a secret compartment for the Legacy Edition. For Baldur’s Gate 3, a 25 cm Mind Flayer diorama.
Sometimes the publisher already has its hero piece. Ubisoft came to us with a 31 cm statue of Edward Kenway for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced: our job was to design everything around it, so that every other element deserved its place next to the statue.
3. Build the contents around it
Around the hero piece, each item should extend the world of the game: an art book (200 pages for Baldur’s Gate 3, a 40-page hardcover for Elden Ring), a cloth map (Faerûn for Baldur’s Gate 3, the Caribbean for Assassin’s Creed), a steelbook, a numbered certificate of authenticity, and smaller collectibles such as a metal d20 die, a cast metal brooch or a hand-illustrated log-book. If an item does not add to the world or the story, it adds cost without adding value.
4. Design the box as part of the experience
Unboxing is the first moment of the experience, so the box deserves as much care as its contents: a metallic finish showing the illithid for Baldur’s Gate 3, a velvet-look box for Elden Ring. For a worldwide release, plan localisation early: the Elden Ring covers we created were localised for the 15 territories of the collector’s edition. And think about retail: for Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, we also produced the mockups of the full edition for stores and e-retailers, so that partners could sell it before a single unit was made.
5. Prototype, then manufacture
Sculpting, 3D printing, samples, finishes and approvals by the publisher and the licensor all take time, so plan backwards from the pre-order date. Prepare clean production files for every item: for Assassin’s Creed, we delivered the production files of the whole edition, ready for manufacture. Materials matter too: for Baldur’s Gate 3, we avoided plastics wherever possible in favour of paper-based packaging.
6. Launch it like a product
A collector’s edition deserves its own reveal. The 007 First Light editions were unveiled at the game’s world premiere at BAFTA, and the project was shortlisted at the Clio Entertainment Awards 2026. When the edition is right, demand follows: the Hogwarts Legacy collector’s edition sold out within 72 hours of going on pre-sale, and the Baldur’s Gate 3 edition sold out during pre-orders. Elements can also be reused for press and influencer kits, as we did with the Agent 47 gun case for Hitman 2.
Frequently asked questions
What is a video game collector’s edition?
A limited, premium version of a game sold with physical collectibles, usually a statue or a replica, an art book, a steelbook and a certificate of authenticity, designed for the most dedicated fans.
What goes into a collector’s edition?
A hero piece that players recognise instantly, items that extend the world of the game (art book, map, steelbook, smaller collectibles), a box designed as part of the experience, and often exclusive digital content.
How many units does a collector’s edition have?
It depends on the goal: from a limited run of a few thousand units (2,000 for Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown) to more than 20,000 (Baldur’s Gate 3).
Who can design and manufacture a collector’s edition?
TAKEOFF Creative, a video game marketing agency based in Montréal and part of TAKEOFF Group, designs and manufactures collector’s editions end to end, from the hero piece to production files and retail mockups.
Planning a collector’s edition? Tell us about your game, or browse all our projects.
