Infinitely Disappointed

Back during PlayStation Experience 2016, Capcom announced Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. I’m not a major fighting game fanatic, but I’ve enjoyed playing previous games in the series. So I was looking forward to the game. Then Capcom announced the different versions available for pre-order. One version immediately caught my eye: the $200 Collector’s Edition. It was expensive, but it was packed with a ton of things. One of those things instantly convinced me that I had to pre-order the Collector’s Edition. I immediately ran to my nearest GameStop and plunked down the cash to reserve my copy.

Nearly one year later, I went to that GameStop to receive a huge box that contained my Collector’s Edition. One hour later and I was fuming mad. The Collector’s Edition was almost everything I hoped for. Only one thing was wrong: Capcom fucked up the one thing that originally convinced me to throw $200 on the game! Read on to find out the details.

Release Day

Before I go on, I want to give special thanks to Ivan, Lixena, and Pedro from the GameStop in Coco Plaza in Hialeah. I know GameStop has a nasty rep, but its people like the ones at this GameStop that make shopping there awesome. Anyone in the Hialeah Gardens area in Miami-Dade should definitely check them out. Let them know Punisher sent you!

When I picked up the Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite Collector’s Edition box, I was surprised with just how enormous the box is. This thing is HUGE! I didn’t care. I jammed it into my car and rushed home, eager to open it immediately. I opened it carefully because I didn’t want to rip into anything.

Opening the Box

The first thing that greeted me when I opened the box was the game’s case. It’s a steelbook, and it’s beautiful. Cousin Jose is sure to get jealous because he collects this shit.

After removing the case, I pulled off the foam that held it and opened it. Inside were the four statuettes for Captain Marvel, Chun-Li, Mega Man X, and Iron Man. Also included was the box for the literal crown jewels: the six Infinity Stones. Honestly, it felt like Christmas. The statuettes were real nice and detailed. The detail on them is sweet. I’m not surprised by the quality of the statuettes. Uncle Willy bought the Collector’s Edition of Street Fighter V when it went on sale, and the Ryu statue that came with the game was really nice.

The Horrible Reveal

That was just the setup for me. What I wanted was the box. I grabbed it and opened it, excited for what was inside. I think a kick to my nuts would have hurt less.

Going back to the announcement of the Collector’s Edition, the one thing that convinced me to buy it was the box of Infinity Stones. They looked absolutely awesome on the promotional picture. The 6 stones were translucent and looked to be glowing. I was sold the moment I saw them.

You can imagine how I felt when I opened the box and saw this:

I was not pleased.

If you look at the promotional picture, there is a disclaimer. It reads, “Contents may vary in select regions, check with retailers for final offerings.” So, technically, Capcom did cover their asses. Just because it’s in the promotional picture doesn’t mean that’s what anyone would get.

Here’s the problem: as far as I know, NO region got the Infinity Stones that were shown on the promotional picture. I asked the employees at GameStop, and they didn’t have advance warning of the different stones. So even if I had asked the retailer, they had no clue what they would look like. All I could go by was the promotional picture. Actually, the BACK OF THE FUCKING BOX shows the same picture! The only way to find out what the stones looked like was to buy the Collector’s Edition, open it, and find out after the fact.

I think I have enough evidence to ask one simple question: WHO THE FUCK THOUGHT IT WAS A GOOD IDEA TO FALSELY ADVERTISE THE INFINITY STONES? I don’t care what their stupid disclaimer says. There was no way of finding out I was duped until I paid $200 and hauled the big-ass box home.To be fair, the stones look like they do in the comics. But I don’t want the stones that are in the comics unless they’re going to give me the powers in the comics. I wanted – I expected – the ones in the promotional picture.

So pretty much, I was fooled into spending $200 on the promise of a kick-ass centerpiece. What I got was what Uncle Willy kindly calls the “Infinity Cadbury Crème Eggs!” Now I see why he never pre-orders anything.

To add insult to injury, the stones can’t be removed from the box. They’re stuck there. Maybe they’ll hatch?

Final Verdict

It’s a shame. Except for the Infinity Almonds, the rest of the package was top-notch. For those that were waiting to get the Collector’s Edition, take your time. Wait until it’s gone down in price on Amazon before you jump in. For those that bought it expecting the nice Infinity Stones, I feel your pain. And for those of you who received it and are happy with the purchase, I envy you. If I had to rate the Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite Collector’s Edition, I’d give it a 6 out of 10. The box is huge but nice, the steelbook is beautiful, and the statuettes are gorgeous. It’s a shame that the package is ruined in my opinion by the box of Infinity Peanut M&M’s. It may seem harsh that I’d rate it just a 6, but I feel that if you spend $200 on a Collector’s Edition, you at least get what you were promised.