Some limited/special/collector editions transferred to "Other" category

[puddingm]

Only just noticed some limited/special/collector's editions have been moved to the "other" category where the game is packaged separately from the box.

Sorry - have only been on & off in the last few yrs - so this change probably happened a while back already & may have been discussed already .

Some examples:
https://vgcollect.com/item/200056 - Tales of Arise Hootle Edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/228273 - Xenoblade 3 Special/Collector's Edition
https://vgcollect.com/item/170422 - Dragon Star Varnir Limited Edition

Are we supposed to add the "game" itself to the collection as an additional item now for these?
However, can see that will double the count for the same game in my list and that also means I will need to revisit my collection to see which ones need those adjustments due to the items being/should be changed to the "other" category since I do know there are some other ones that will need that adjustment. 

If I don't add the "game" itself alone to the collection again, I will probably eventually forget which platform I got it on for games that have been released on multiple platforms (i.e. Tales of Arise).
And now I can see that my Xenoblade 3 got removed from the "Nintendo Switch" category since it got moved to the "other" category - so it looks like I need to add the game itself again to my list to have it under "Nintendo Switch" category as well?

While I do understand the concept/idea behind it but it's causing some inconvenience from the recording side. Not sure what others think/suggest in terms of how to better manage these ones?

[dhaabi]

The rules have remained the same, meaning nothing has changed regarding how entries are placed into categories. In short, non-game items are not permitted within a game category—they are instead to be placed in some other category.

These specific items you've mentioned are placed in Other because they contain elements of multiple categories. Using Xenoblade Chronicles 3's various LE sets as an example, they each include a SteelBook (Nintendo Switch Accessory) and an art book (Swag Print Media.) With that said, some of these types of items are placed in Swag Toys/Novelties because that category, at times, is okay to use too if all the set components relate to this category. However, perhaps it may be best to default for all of these kinds of sets to be placed in Other, though.

The issue of LE sets omitting the actual game is a recent trend. It is difficult to manage accurately because, more often than not, users will create an entry page for the bundle months (sometimes years) before the actual item releases. By that point, it is very easy to overlook when an instance like this happens, so there are almost certainly other entries which should be re-categorized. That being said, there are only about 25 of these kind of entries identified within the database, so it is not the typical way publishers release physical LE products.

Are we supposed to add the "game" itself to the collection as an additional item now for these?

If you own both the actual game and LE set and are wanting to maintain an accurate track of your collection, then yes. It is entirely possible to own each "item" without the other. So, someone could easily own Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Special Edition without owning the game and vice-versa, which is especially possible due to how the items are originally packaged separately from another (and for this specific release, even distributed separately months apart from another.)

Also, I would like to mention the kind of artwork that is routinely submitted to the cart art slot for LE entries. The below type of image is not to be submitted to any art slot for any entry. They will be removed when found, and users should report this kind of information to the Error Listings thread or update the entry art accordingly.

[puddingm]

Must have been following the wrong thing then - if nothing changed

By that point, it is very easy to overlook when an instance like this happens, so there are almost certainly other entries which should be re-categorized.

Yes, there are and will need to change it when I see it.

If you own both the actual game and LE set and are wanting to maintain an accurate track of your collection, then yes. It is entirely possible to own each "item" without the other.

sigh...

[dhaabi]

If you own both the actual game and LE set and are wanting to maintain an accurate track of your collection, then yes. It is entirely possible to own each "item" without the other.

sigh...

With that said, how users track items they own is entirely up to them. If you only want to add 228790 to your account and not 229808, that's your decision. Just know that items like 228790 which actually do not contain a game are to be placed outside of game categories, such as Other.

Also, I will mention another aspect of LE sets, in light of your most recent edits. While some sets do not include the game, other releases may also omit other advertised components of the set from the actual package. Two examples are the LE sets for Date-A-Live: Rio Reincarnation (does not include body pillow case) and Mary Skelter Finale - Limited Edition (does not include the hardcover book set), which I've updated accordingly. Detailing which items are actually included in a package is something users regularly submit incorrectly, as they will generally copy the description text straight from a retailer's website without giving much thought.

Individual entries for omitted items like those above can be submitted. It is outlined in the Platform post of the Advanced Style Guide. Whether you choose to take such action is entirely up to you, but it is something the database permits.

Bundled Items from Online Orders or Pre-Orders
For games that are sold online and include additional bonus items, but are not packaged with the game itself, the items included can have separate entries typically created in the appropriate Swag category. There should not be an entry created for the game + the additional items, rather the game should have in the description that the additional items were shipped together when ordered from x website or retailer.

[tripredacus]

Other is not the category for these types of items. Other type is Games, so only games can be put into there. I am going through this category now.

[dhaabi]

Other is not the category for these types of items. Other type is Games, so only games can be put into there. I am going through this category now.

I realized this was technically true based on the one small blurb from the style guide a short while ago. However, there doesn't seem to be any other existing category for these types of items, so I've continued to place them in Other. If there is another category better suited for them that I've overlooked, then they should be moved.

As I've detailed in an above post, these types of items all contain elements of multiple categories (such as 208565 which contains items from Nintendo Switch Accessories, Swag Print Media, and Swag Soundtrack but was moved to Swag Artwork, oddly) which is why they were not in one defined category. Placing the items in one defined category implies one item is more important than another, which feels incredibly subjective. Why should 208565 be placed in Swag Artwork instead of one of the aforementioned categories? Here is an image detailing the items it includes, for reference.

Here is the statement explaining that Other is for games:

In the Other category for games, names should be formatted as:
Manufacturer ConsoleName - GameTitle

I don't want to argue that Other should allow multi-category non-game items, but confining these types of items to another single category is not something I agree with. Creating another Swag category also seems counterintuitive, but I don't see any other ideal alternative. I know that, perhaps one day, we can mitigate this problem altogether with how the database functions, but that is not something I foresee happening for quite some time due to the massive overhaul needed.

[tripredacus]

The item type as defined in the Database is Games, so only games should be put into there. This effects whether an item is counted as a game in the collection breakdown on About page. Other categories can be used, such as a console's accessory cat, or the generic Accessory cat or the Swag toys/novelties.

I did not research each one of the non-games before moving them. The description on 208565 implies there is only a wallscrolls, which is why it went to art category.

Most of these could go into Swag toys/novelties (they are novelties) despite they include accessories, art, books, soundtracks, movies, etc.
Any that have a steelbook can be put into the console's accessory category. Maybe even if it doesn't.

But the work I did today was to just get them out of the Other category. If some of them are in a wrong place, they can still be moved to somewhere else if you think it would be better.

[dhaabi]

The item type as defined in the Database is Games, so only games should be put into there. This effects whether an item is counted as a game in the collection breakdown on About page.

I didn't think about how the Other category operates in that capacity. I wasn't questioning the logic behind it being a game-exclusive category, but that explanation does make sense and helps me think of indirect ways in how categories affect the items within them.

Most of these could go into Swag toys/novelties (they are novelties) despite they include accessories, art, books, soundtracks, movies, etc.
Any that have a steelbook can be put into the console's accessory category. Maybe even if it doesn't.

But the work I did today was to just get them out of the Other category. If some of them are in a wrong place, they can still be moved to somewhere else if you think it would be better.

I think that, for the sake of consistency which will more easily allow us to direct users how to categorize these types of items, the compromise of Swag Toys/Novelties is fine. It is not a perfect solution, but it's good enough for now.

I don't have a good track of every relevant entry that was moved out of Other, but I'll work on redirecting the entries I am aware of to Swag Toys/Novelties.