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The Daily Grind: Would you re-buy a game for bonuses?
So Final Fantasy XIV has announced its relaunch date, along with another collector's edition for people to buy. I'd like to point out here that I still have the original collector's edition sitting on a shelf in my office, and it has been stated clearly that all of the digital gewgaws for the collector's edition will be awarded to people with the old version. Yet I still have to fight the urge to buy another CE anyway, because there's an art book and other physical trinkets. MMOs especially are games that you should never need to re-purchase. But sometimes you can find a game packaging something nice in with another purchase, and it almost becomes worth it to have another copy despite not needing a second account. So would you re-buy a game for new bonuses, either in-game or just bonus trinkets? Or does the very idea seem ridiculous to you? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Final Fantasy XIV's relaunch set for August 27th [Updated with video]
Square Enix has announced today that Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn is set for release on August 27, 2013 on both PC and PS3. According to previous reports, the third phase of the relaunched game's beta will begin some time next month. This phase will be the first time A Realm Reborn will be open to PS3 players during this beta. Click past the jump for complete details on pre-order bonuses and the Collector's Edition box contents as well as the new video. [Source: Square Enix press release]
A tale of Forgotten Realms: DDO's Update 18 and the Shadowfell Conspiracy
Dungeons and Dragons Online's second expansion will not be like the first. In fact, Shadowfell Conspiracy might even be seen as a pseudo-sequel to DDO, a game-within-a-game that's offering players a fresh start in a favorite land. When the expansion hits on August 19th, players will be able to ignore all of DDO's Eberron content to start a new character at level 15 in the Forgotten Realms. Between the Forgotten Realms content that Turbine's added to the game in the past year and the new missions coming with Shadowfell Conspiracy, players could conceivably level solely in this setting. It's obvious that Turbine's a little Forgotten-Realms-mad right now, although that's not a bad thing. The setting is a favorite among D&D fans, and while Eberron has its supporters, the studio obviously sees the Forgotten Realms as the future of this long-running MMO. While the expansion is still a couple of months away, today's Update 18: Disciples of Shadow update will serve as a prologue so that players can get started on their journey through this fresh land. We sat down with DDO's team to talk about Update 18, the new races coming with Shadowfell Conspiracy, and the pre-purchase program that promises to give you head start. Read on, or else the wrath of the owl bear will be upon thee!
EVE Fanfest 2013 final day: Trailers, EVE's TV show, and a vision for the future
We usually don't expect to see much from the final day of the EVE Fanfest, but for this year's tenth anniversary celebration, CCP isn't doing anything by half measures. The first two days of the event had a strong focus on DUST 514 and EVE Online, delving into the specific details of DUST's upcoming Uprising update and EVE's Odyssey expansion. I went into the convention centre today expecting a nice slow wind down with the usual CCP Presents keynote looking at the state of the company, but I left with several huge reveals that seemed to come out of nowhere. Not only did we find out that EVE Online is finally getting a collector's edition box full of goodies, but CCP revealed that a new EVE comic book and lore compendium are both on the way. As if that weren't enough, there's also an EVE TV series in the works based on player-submitted stories of true events inside the EVE universe. I couldn't help escaping the feeling, though, that this year's CCP Presents talk was more than a little marketing-oriented. As one of the press put it to me after the talk, it felt at times like watching an infomercial. On the plus side, we did get to see more of CCP's future vision for the EVE universe and an amazing new trailer showing the game's core storyline. Read on to check out the incredible EVE Universe Origins trailer and my summary of the final day of Fanfest 2013.
EVE Online Second Decade collector's edition revealed
Moments ago at EVE Online's tenth anniversary Fanfest, CCP revealed plans for its Second Decade Collector's Edition box. EVE never really had a proper collector's edition, and the tenth anniversary of the game is the perfect opportunity to release one. The box will come with an awesome physical Rifter model that doubles as a USB hub, a CD of the tenth anniversary EVE symphony from this year's Fanfest, and a series of codes to redeem to cosmetic items in EVE Online and DUST 514. The box is due for release in October 2013 and on the EVE store and Amazon and can be pre-purhased right now for $149.99 (€149.99 for those in Europe). Cosmetic upgrades for EVE include a new golden pod skin that applies permanently to one character, some new bloodline-based in-game clothing, and several collector's edition ships. Players will get a five-run blueprint copy of the tenth anniversary Gnosis battlecruiser and a re-skinned red Tash-Murkon Magnate, and pre-purchasers will get a bonus Nefnatar Thrasher. DUST 514 items include a set of permanant Amarr templar drop suits and weapons with the same stats as normal items but lower skill requirements.
Saints Row 4 gets 'Commander in Chief' pre-order bonus
Publisher Deep Silver – new owner of the Volition-developed Saints Row series – has announced that Saints Row 4 is getting a special "Commander in Chief" edition, available for free to everyone who pre-orders the upcoming game.Earning the special edition content means you'll get a snazzy Uncle Sam outfit, a "Screaming Eagle" jet, and a "'Merica weapon," which boasts flamethrowers, "dub step guns," and rocket launchers.Saints Row 4 will see the Third Street Saints voted into presidential office on August 20 in North and Latin America, and August 23 in other regions.
Final Fantasy XI expansion CE coming to Steam... eventually
Final Fantasy XI: Seekers of Adoulin's collector's edition is making its way to Steam, although it might not get there in time for the official launch. Square-Enix announced the possible delay in a brief post today and promised an update on the situation soon. "Knowing that there is a possibility that the Steam version will not be available for purchase on launch, we wanted to alert you as soon as we could," the studio said. It's not all doom and gloom, however. There's a terrific three-minute trailer for Seekers of Adoulin after the jump, and don't forget that Massively recently got the skinny on the expansion classes so that you may be properly prepared!
Total War Shogun 2 gold edition coming March 5
Total War: Shogun 2 is getting the "Gold Edition" treatment, Sega recently announced. The collector's edition will feature 2011's Shogun 2 as well as its Rise of the Samurai and Fall of the Samurai expansion packs.Jump past the break to see a pack shot for the Gold Edition, which will launch March 5.
Namco Bandai denies collusion with eBay reseller amid Ni no Kuni Wizard's Edition shortage
After some orders for the Wizard's Edition of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch started being mysteriously cancelled, Namco Bandai stepped forward to clarify that the special edition had been oversold, that the issue was caused by an error in its e-commerce provider's software and that said provider would be in touch to work things out.Shortly thereafter, Wizard's Editions were found on PlayCanada's eBay store, marked up to an astronomical $400 each. The Internet, being the Internet, quickly jumped to the conclusion that Namco Bandai and/or Digital River had entered into a clandestine agreement with PlayCanada, removing inventory from its official site in order to maximize profits through an eBay scalper."NAMCO BANDAI Games America is not, nor has it ever, worked with or in conjunction with the EBay seller known as 'PlayCanada' to sell units of Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard's Edition at a price premium on EBay," Namco Bandai has told us."According to our records, this individual or group of individuals purchased Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch – Wizard's Edition during the NinoStarter promotion period (August 2012); at which time, no limits were placed on how many units an individual could order. PlayCanada's claims that they officially worked with NAMCO BANDAI Games America to obtain their stock is entirely false."Namco Bandai is still attempting to make it up to fans who pre-ordered the Wizard's Edition and aren't going to receive one; every affected person will receive a 400-page hardbound strategy guide that includes a code for an in-game "Gold Hurly Familiar," as well as a $20 clubNamco voucher.
Splinter Cell: Blacklist collector's edition includes a remote-controlled plane
The arms race taking place between publishers of military action games continues to heat up. Ubisoft is one-upping the Call of Duty: Black Ops spy car by including a working radio-controlled plane with a special edition of Splinter Cell: Blacklist. The $170 "Paladin Multi-Mission Aircraft Edition" includes a radio-controlled Paladin airplane, just like the one Tiny Sam Fisher uses as his base in-game (or, if you prefer, a scale model of Regular Size Sam Fisher's plane).The bundle also includes two co-op maps, in-game items, and a Splinter Cell Echoes graphic novel. See footage of the new content, and that plane, on IGN.
Dead Island: Riptide's 'Rigor Mortis' edition has a case of zombies
Dead Island: Riptide's "Rigor Mortis Edition" has everything you need to survive a zombie invasion: a small suitcase, a zombie hula girl figurine, a bottle opener that looks like a hand, and a key. Everything! There's also a "digital strategy map" and bundled DLC for the game. The contents of the $80 collection were chosen by a fan survey.According to Deep Silver, the Rigor Mortis Edition is available for pre-order now in North and Latin America in "extremely limited" quantities. There are only so many tiny magnetic zombies out there to provide source material for those bottle openers, after all.
Mists of Pandaria Collector's Edition half price at Amazon
In part of its Cyber Monday week deals, Amazon is selling the Mists of Pandaria Collector's Edition for $39.99 $34.99. Not only is this half off of the usual price, it is the same price as the normal edition. This price is for the box, not the digital edition version. The Collector's Edition includes the following The Imperial Quilen mount, also included in the Digital Deluxe version The Lucky Quilen Cub pet, again in the Digital Deluxe version as well Behind-the-scenes Blu-ray and DVD Chen Stormstout mouse pad The Art of Mists of Pandaria hardback book Collector's Edition Soundtrack CD We don't know how long this sale will continue. So whether you want the physical goodies for yourself or for a gift, this price is likely to be the lowest of the season. Update Nov 26: The price for Cyber Monday is $34.99.
Tomb Raider Collector's Edition runs $100, strolls to Steam for pre-order
The North American Tomb Raider Collector's Edition costs $100 and includes an "Endurance Survival Kit" tin, an 8-inch Lara Croft figurine that comes with three sets of extra hands (creepy), a 15-by-19-inch reversible map and poster, a 5-by-7-inch art print and three iron-on badges, and that's just the stuff you can put on your shelf. The Collector's Edition also includes the soundtrack CD and the weapons pack DLC.European fans can get the Survival Edition, which has an art book and waterproof survival pouch alongside the map, soundtrack and DLC. The European Collector's Edition includes the Survival goodies, and adds the North American figurine and Endurance tin.Additionally, Tomb Raider is available for pre-order on Steam today, for 10 percent off ($45) and with the chance to unlock reward tiers.
Assassin's Creed Anthology is 'EMEA exclusive,' not coming to North America 'for now'
Ubisoft today confirmed Assassin's Creed Anthology for PS3 and Xbox 360 in Europe, but for now it's not coming to North America. Reached for comment, Ubisoft told us Anthology isn't currently confirmed for the US, and is only slated as an "EMEA" release, meaning it's only currently releasing in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. We should mention Ubisoft did use hedging language like "exclusive for now" and "isn't currently confirmed for US release" in our follow-up.The collection contains Assassin's Creed 1, 2, and 3, Brotherhood, and Revelations, along with all of those games' expansion packs and other DLC. Ubisoft confirmed that includes Assassin's Creed 3's Season Pass. Also bundled in are five lithographs, one for each game, and an exclusive steel book, all in a chunky-looking collector's box.Anthology is priced at £119.99 in the UK, and €150.00 in Europe. It's exclusive to Amazon in the UK, and is being released there November 30. Based on listings on Amazon Germany and Amazon France (now taken down), it's coming to the rest of Europe November 29.
The Walking Dead Collector's Edition retail bundle is GameStop exclusive [Update: Images]
Telltale's The Walking Dead will be available in two forms at retail on December 4: One a decomposed, $30 version that includes just the game for PS3 or Xbox 360, and a bloated, GameStop-exclusive, $70 Collector's Edition. The Collector's Edition includes the complete game, the first 48 issues of the comic in The Walking Dead Compendium One with exclusive cover art by Charlie Adlard, and a special box also slathered in Adlard art.The Collector's Edition will be "extremely limited" and is available for pre-order only, and the compendium won't be sold anywhere but inside this juicy set, Telltale tells IGN.Episode Five: No Time Left is set to hit in November.Update: Check behind the break for an up-close (but don't get too close) look at the Collector's Edition, including that special compendium. The one with the exclusive Adlard art that is only sold in this Collector's Edition. The standard version of the compendium has an MSRP of $60. There; now it's all as clear as a puddle of zombie blood.
EverQuest and EverQuest II offer expansion pre-order bonuses
Whether you're on board the EverQuest: Rain of Fear train or flying high with EverQuest II: Chains of Eternity, your conductor/captain would like you to know that you can score extra bonuses and discounts for pre-ordering before these expansions release next month. While you can pick up the standard edition of either expansion for $39.99, SOE is lowering the price for both collector's editions from $89.99 to $59.99. The Rain of Fear CE includes a special quest, rucksack, house pet, and more. The Chains of Eternity CE comes equipped with plenty of extra potions, a tapestry, and a werewolf mercenary. As added incentive to pre-order, EverQuest is doling out a Harbinger's Staff and something called a "Fear Corrupted Phase Spider Metamorph Totem." You know all the cool kids will have one of those come Christmas. For EverQuest II's part, that expansion pre-order comes with the Cloak of Mourning. Click past the cut to see cover art for both expansions.
God of War: Ascension Collector's Edition isn't angry enough
Remember the God of War: Ascension Collector's Edition that popped up earlier this year? Sony has officially unveiled it, and the $80 package includes some lovely God of War goodies. First and foremost is a statue of the god-killer himself, Kratos, looking much less angry than usual. He looks almost introspective, really, perhaps pondering the meaning of life or, more likely, precisely how to rip open the skull of the nearest elephant man.The collector's edition also includes a copy of the game in a Steelbook case, a soundtrack, multiplayer double XP unlock, a "pass for future DLC content" a dynamic theme and an avatar pack. The package will be available on God of War: Ascension's launch date, March 12, 2013, and is available for pre-order now.Speaking of which, pre-ordering the collector's or standard edition will net you the "Mythological Heroes Multiplayer Pack," which includes four characters: Perseus, Achilles, Odysseus, and Orion.
Metal Gear Rising collector's edition includes a Raiden sword lamp
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance will also have a limited edition, adding a soundtrack, a special package, and a "high frequency plasma lamp" designed to resemble Raiden's sword to the offerings. It's due on the same February 19 release date as the normal version.A price has yet to be announced, but what price could you put on a major award like this?Update: Konami has posted a clearer picture of the lamp.
Injustice collector's edition includes Wonder Woman vs. Batman statue
Among the many things stuffed in the newly announced Injustice: Gods Among Us collector's edition is this statue, a 13" tall representation of a man being choked and, soon, bludgeoned.Well, maybe it sounds better if we say it's an intense battle scene between Batman and Wonder Woman, featuring Superman's Krypton escape rocket (as a weapon) and parts of the Fortress of Solitude. Explain it that way when you get yours, instead of just calling it a statue of a guy getting murdered.The $100 box also includes a "special collector's edition of a brand new DC Comics series," a download of the Justice League: Doom movie, and in-game skins for Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman based on their latest costume designs from the rebooted DC universe. It'll be out in April for PS3 and Xbox 360. The Wii U version will not be released in a collector's edition for some reason.
How can you prepare for tonight's launch?
It's almost here! As your spy across the pond, I'll be keeping you up to date with how the launch rolls out, so that you can know what to expect when it launches in your timezone. You do, of course, need to know what time it's all going down, so you're not sitting staring at your character creation screen for hours on end, cursing the absence of a monk button. North and Latin American realms - 12:00 a.m. PDT, September 25 European realms - 12:00 a.m. CEST, September 25 Korean/Taiwan realms - 12:00 a.m. KST, September 27 But what can you be doing right now to get ready for Mists' launch? Addons Over at Addon Spotlight, we've been working hard to keep you abreast of addon updating and strategizing going into Mists. A lot of the same advice provided for 5.0.4 bears repeating for Mists, and you can check out how to get your addons ready for Mists. Mists is going to be a really interesting launch as far as your UI goes, given that there's no server shutdown and no logging on or off. Either it's all going to go beautifully, or it's all going to go horribly wrong! Make sure you have a UI setup with no addons that is playable on whatever character you're starting with.
