Games, Music, and Videos: Building a Video Game Media Collection

Quick answer

Start with one anchor game you will actually play, then add a soundtrack or video only if it supports that same game or franchise. Give each format a fixed shelf allowance so physical media collecting stays intentional instead of accidental. If a release bundles extras like a comic or coin, treat those as a bonus, not the reason to buy.

A video game media collection grows fastest when you buy in three directions at once: games to play, game soundtracks to listen to, and game videos to watch. Each format competes for the same shelf and the same budget, so the useful question is not what looks good in a store listing but what earns a permanent spot.

The rules below are built for physical media collecting on a real media shelf. They assume limited space, a normal budget, and the goal of owning things you will revisit rather than store in a box.

Pick an anchor game before you add anything else

Every strong video game media collection has anchors: specific games you finished, still think about, and would replay. Buy the game first, in the format you will actually use. A collectible games purchase only makes sense when the game itself is the point, not the box art or the extras tucked inside.

Once an anchor exists, supporting media becomes easy to justify. A soundtrack for a game you loved gets played. A video about a game you never touched usually gets watched once. Use the anchor test before any second purchase in the same franchise.

• Write down three games you would replay this year. Those are your anchor candidates.
• If you cannot name why a game is an anchor, it is a browsing purchase, not a collection purchase.

Give each format a shelf allowance

Games take the most depth, soundtracks sit in standard CD or vinyl footprints, and videos vary wildly depending on packaging. Measure your media shelf once, then assign rough slots per format. A shelf that holds 40 standard game cases will not hold 40 oversized editions, so plan in inches rather than item counts.

The allowance also acts as a spending brake. When the game slots are full, the next game has to replace one you no longer want. That single rule prevents the drift where a collection becomes storage.

• Measure shelf depth before buying any oversized edition.
• Keep one empty slot per format so new arrivals have a home.

Decide what extras are worth paying for

Deluxe editions often bundle a comic, a coin, or a small physical item. These extras are genuinely nice when they relate to a game you already love, and they add little when they are the main attraction. Read the contents list and ask whether you would still buy the game without them.

For soundtracks and videos, the equivalent question is runtime and replay value. A soundtrack you will play while working earns its space. A video you will watch once can often be borrowed, streamed, or skipped.

• Extras are a tiebreaker between two games you already want, not a reason to buy either.
• If the base game is not on your list, the deluxe version should not be either.

Match the format to how you actually consume it

Physical media collecting works best when the format fits your habits. If you listen to music on a phone, a soundtrack still earns its place when you want the artwork, liner notes, or a deliberate listening session. If you never rewatch behind-the-scenes content, a video purchase is shelf weight rather than collection value.

The honest test is a two-week rule. Imagine owning the item for two weeks. If you cannot picture using it at least twice in that window, it belongs on a wish list, not a shelf.

• Buy the format you will use, not the format that photographs best.
• Wish lists are a legitimate part of a collection plan.

Keep the media shelf readable

A media shelf earns its keep when you can find things. Group by franchise or by format, not by purchase date. Mixing a game, its soundtrack, and a related video in one block makes the collection feel like a set instead of a pile.

Leave visible gaps and avoid stacking cases on top of each other. Cases that lean or press together scuff faster, and scuffed spines are the first thing you notice when the shelf is the display.

• Group by franchise first, format second.
• Store cases upright and avoid tight packing.

Decision rules for your next media purchase

• Anchor rule: Buy the game only if you can name a specific reason you will play or replay it. Extras never substitute for that reason. No anchor, no purchase.
• Shelf allowance rule: Assign fixed slots per format before you shop. When slots are full, something has to leave before something new arrives. Measure first, buy second.
• Two-week rule: Picture using the item at least twice in the first two weeks. If you cannot, move it to a wish list and revisit it later. Wish lists prevent regret buys.
• Format-fit rule: Match the purchase to how you consume media, not to how it looks in a product photo. Soundtracks reward listeners; videos reward rewatchers. Buy for your habits, not the shelf photo.

Catalog examples that show the trade-offs

• Nine Sols Deluxe Edition for PlayStation 5: The Deluxe Edition includes an original 16-page epilogue comic, a collectible physical coin, and the hand-drawn action-platformer itself. A good example of extras that support a game you would buy anyway. If the base game is not an anchor for you, the comic and coin are not enough on their own.
• Taski Maiden Plush: This official ENA: Dream BBQ plush is about 13.8 inches tall, with arms that rotate at the shoulder. At roughly 13.8 inches, it needs real shelf or desk space, so it competes with media rather than sitting beside it. Rotating arms make posing easier, which matters if the shelf is also a display.
• PINVERSE - Banjo-Kazooie Pin Pack: Each PINVERSE pack includes two enamel pins, a holofoil character card, and a card holding two stickers, all packed in a display box. A small-format example of physical media collecting: the display box and character card give the set a shelf presence without taking game-case depth.

Who this approach fits

Best for

• Collectors with a defined media shelf and a set budget who want games, soundtracks, and videos to coexist
• Players who replay favorites and want physical editions with extras that relate to those games

Not for

• Shoppers who mainly want display pieces and do not plan to play, listen, or rewatch
• Collectors with no shelf space who would rather keep a digital library and buy only small items like pins or keychains

Build your video game media collection around anchors, give each format a fixed shelf allowance, and let extras break ties rather than create purchases. That keeps games, game soundtracks, and game videos on one shelf you can actually use.