A bit late, but I’ve just had a copy of the Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector’s Edition turn up.

I’ve also just dropped down a deposit for the Xbox 360 version of the Batman: Arkham City Collector’s Edition. I’m pretty fired up about using the flabby and tired-looking Dark Knight Returns Batman skin. Awesome. The Batman figurine will also look cool next to all my other gaming tat.

The Batman: Arkham Asylum Collector’s Edition wasn’t something that I was bothered back when it was released. In fact, I never even bothered buying Batman: Arkham Asylum at all. I’d already played though and reviewed the game by the time that it hit the shops. I did, however, fancy owning one those collector’s edition batarangs. Eventually I picked the PC version of Arkham Asylum via a mega-cheap Steam deal.

Albany-based online retailers, Mighty-Ape have recently been unloading their damaged and opened stock of the original Arkham Asylum Collector’s Editions, so I took this opportunity to get hold of an Xbox 360 copy of the game (Achievements whore that I am) and one of those batarangs.

The package was was a returned item. A yellow Post-it ment for Mighty Ape staff, but not removed, explained the situation, stating:

” GP Imports

– Batarang is badly scratched

-It’s supposed to look scratched.

– Rich”

The huge, cool looking case did indeed contain a nasty scratched-up black plastic batarang. And Rich from mighty Ape was right, it is supposed to look scratched. All I can say is is I’m glad I didn’t pay top dollar for it.

This begs the question, are publishers taking advantage of their fans in charging premium prices for what amounts a no more than cheaply produced lumps of plastic?

Hopefully, Square Enix will do better by their fans with the Batman: Arkham City Collector’s Edition.