$400 GTA VI Vice City Collection Doesn’t Even Come With The Game

If the hype is to be believed, we’re not far off from one of the most significant video game launches of all time. Whether it’s been seemingly countless delays, a barrage of leaks, or the fact that the gaming industry itself has cleared the way for the game’s November launch, Grand Theft Auto VI has dominated the tech headlines.

The game promises to bring everything we car guys have loved back to the franchise, including the car chases, even more car customization, and a return to more racing events. That, of course, is in addition to the signature blend of crime and generally being a menace to society that Rockstar, the game’s publisher, seems to do so well.

Read: You’re Planning A Heist, What’s The Best Getaway Car?

But while the expectations are sky-high, we suspect fans of the franchise may become a bit disenchanted once they find out the contents of the recently announced collector’s edition lacks a very crucial piece of the puzzle: the game itself.

An Edition-less Special Edition

Priced at $399.99, “The Goodtime State – Vice City Collection” is being billed as a deluxe compilation of collectibles. But while it comes chock-full of Vice City-inspired memorabilia, you’ll still have to pony up the case to actually buy the game – $79.99 for the standard edition or $99.00 for the Ultimate. It’s the latest controversial move surrounding the distribution of the largest installment in the GTA franchise.

In August, it was announced that GTA VI would be the first high-profile AAA game to go digital only, with no physical disc release. In addition to being available digitally on the PlayStation and Xbox storefronts, physical copies sold at retailers will only feature a code in a box. The announcement received a fair amount of backlash from gamers, with Rockstar CEO Strauss Zelnick having to defend the move, saying that discs “don’t really make sense for the consumer.”

See Also: Volkswagen Turns Your Parked Car Into A Game Console For $149 A Year

So what do you get with the collector’s edition you might ask? In addition to an admittedly snazzy pair of Oakley sunglasses, there’s the usual promo merch like stickers, pins, and that all-important map of Leonida (the fictional county in which GTA VI is set in). You also get a cap, a bobblehead of a Vice City mascot, a shot glass, and a crossbody bag, as well as a keychain, swizzle spoon, and magnetic mirror.

While the value of the goods contained in the pack can be argued, there’s no question that Rockstar is clearly pandering to a more affluent gamer, perhaps one who looks to purchase memorabilia that would normally be included in promo packs.

However, it’s not the first time Rockstar has done this. Back in 2018, Red Dead Redemption 2 featured a Collector’s “Box” that also didn’t ship with a copy of the game. But back then, it was less than a quarter of the price of the GTA VI Vice City Collection, at just $99. On eBay, these boxes now sell for upwards of $700.

Images: Rockstar