I'm curious, has anyone else ever broken up a special and/or collector's edition just to keep one of the items included?

I have a copy of Wild Arms 5 collector's edition and... to be honest I only want the damn artbook. Seriously, the artbook is a NICE item

Back when I got it I tried to replay the game and it took about four hours for me to realize I had forgotten how bad the damn game was. Well, the game did feature some good improvements but they were completely overshadowed by some ironic, archaic issues.

I never did finish WA5 even back when I got it when it came out... and that was a pretty big deal to me since I had completed all the previous games in the series...

...but anyway, have you ever broken up one of these kinds of items just for one piece of the given package?

Also, avatar, the person I (think) I sold my first copy off to, did you ever get around to playing this...?

I bought the Japanese CE for Shadow Hearts From the New World mainly because I wanted the shirt, which I am not even sure that I still have.

I have to add though... boo to disliking Wild Arms 5.  That was definitely the series entry I enjoyed the most.  Though I did beat 3 and 4, they were pretty painful experiences (though 4 at least introduced the wonderful HEX system... I have next to nothing good to say about 3).  I have a similar feeling about 1, but to a lesser degree.  For some reason that I don't even remember I enjoyed 2.  But 5-- it is the only one that, upon completing it, I wished that there was more!  I have respect for how well thought out XF was in design, though I never did beat it.  Alter Code F I never tried.

I did the same thing for the music CD all for, which I am sure I don't have anymore. I can't remember if I ended up selling the extra stuff or giving it away or donating it? No idea. All that work just to have this song on CD.

I don't often buy collector's editions but, more often than not, it's to get a single item. The Bioshock 2 one might be an exception as that had lovely goodies but usually it's an art book or a CD (not as much into the figures). And so, yes, invariably I split them. Although I found in recent years that, in those cases, it's often better to wait for the specific item to hit eBay.

I never did play WA5. I may have given it to a friend as a present. Truth be told, I have yet to play any Wild Arms game. In retrospect, I'm guilty of what I'm sure quite a few of us are. Purchasing games and having them just sit around!

I used to do that all the time with Japanese games that came with soundtracks that weren't released separately. I'd buy for the soundtrack, and toss the game into some box never to be seen again.

When I lived in Japan, I bought the Japanese Skies of Arcadia limited edition on the cheap, used one of the cell phone straps on my phone, and hung the pirate flag on my wall.  I probably don't want to know what that thing complete is worth nowadays.  I also would consider ditching the rest of the contents of my Shadow Hearts II LE just to keep the JUDGMENT RING COASTERS.