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The Road to Mordor: Breaking down Riders of Rohan's pre-purchase
This past week or so has been absolutely nuts with all the new information flooding in about this fall's Riders of Rohan. We've gotten confirmation about the release date, the expansion website, pricing information for the different expansion pack editions, a partial feature list, an official FAQ, word of a forthcoming instance cluster, and a first look at the mounted combat system. Expansions always rile up the Lord of the Rings Online faithful, and I'm pretty jazzed to see whether Turbine can pull off what's probably the most epic addition to the game since Mines of Moria. I'm going to save analysis of the expansion as a whole until next week because today I want to dive into the slightly confusing morass of pre-purchase options and pricing to see what's worth pursuing -- and what might be worth ignoring.
E3 2012: RIFT shows Storm Legion's Tower of Dawn, confirms digital CE
While we got a great preview of some of the excitement coming with this fall's RIFT: Storm Legion expansion at E3, the public was treated to a "sneak peek" livestream from the press room by the devs. The livestreamed some of the content we've seen already, such as the clockwork dungeon and the mighty colossus attack, but also dropped a few new surprises as well. When asked if the expansion will have a collector's edition, the dev confirmed that it probably will have a digital CE. He then laughed that he probably let the cat out of the bag on that one. He was reluctant to show the in-game map of the new continents, however, explaining that they are a work in progress. The Trion Worlds team also demoed a special interior for the first time, the Tower of Dawn. While not a proper dungeon, the tower will be an expansive and dangerous location to explore. The dev said that players were asking for more interiors to explore, hence why Trion took the time to make it. You can scope out some of our screengrabs from the livestream after the break!
Aliens: Colonial Marines Collector's Edition, Gamestop pre-order bonus now official
Aliens: Colonial Marines may have been delayed all the way until February 12 of next year, but at least we can take solace in knowing that the Collector's Edition leaked back in January is not only the Real Deal with Bill McNeal, but is even more legit than previously indicated.For $100, the Collector's Edition includes a Powerloader vs. Xenomorph statuette and a USCM dossier containing a mission brief, a schematic of the USS Sephora, a recruitment card, iron-on badges, recon photos and a USCM graduation certificate. It also comes with digital goodies, not the least of which is the ability to play as the film's Apone, Drake, Hicks and Hudson.You'll also receive Ripley's flamethrower, "additional marine customization options," two bonus multiplayer weapons ("Sonic Electromagnetic Ball Breakers" and "Phase Plasma Rifle") and an exclusive level, the USCM Academy Firing Range. Pre-ordering the standard edition from Gamestop will net you the four bonus characters, customization options and Ripley's flamethrower, but none of the other content/toys. You will, however, have an extra $40 in your pocket, and won't need to explain the Exosqaud figurine on your desk.%Gallery-156575%
Raptr handing out 10,000 copies of RIFT and RIFT CEs
Haven't given last year's hit MMO, RIFT, a try yet? Trion Worlds has partnered up with Raptr to hand out a whopping 10,000 copies of the game. If that wasn't enough (and it never is), players can earn in-game goggles and a free upgrade to a collector's edition just by leveling up. This offer comes through the new Raptr Rewards program. Players can sign up to the program through Facebook and then earn points by playing games and hitting certain milestones. The copy of RIFT, which includes the core game and a month of game time, will be given away to members who have hit the "experienced" level in one of Raptr's sponsored RPGs. These copies will be available on a first-come, first-served basis starting Thursday, May 31st. Raptr players who take this copy of RIFT and hit "amateur" on the program will get an in-game Dwarven Smithy Goggles, while "experienced" achievers will be granted a free upgrade to RIFT's collector's edition. These rewards are available to players only in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France, and Germany. [Source: Trion Worlds press release]
Tekken Tag Tournament 2 drops worldwide on Sept. 10
The console version of Tekken Tag Tournament 2 will hit PS3s and 360s the world over with a lightning-infused glove come the week of September 10, 2012 -- just four days shy of the game's one-year arcade anniversary Japan.Coming from Namco Bandai's European wing, the announcement was accompanied by news of pre-order bonuses and a European collector's edition, as seen above. Pre-ordering from Shopto will net you Michelle Chang and Angel as bonus fighters, whereas a pre-order from Zavvi includes Kunimitsu and Ancient Ogre, all of which can be seen in the gallery below.Meanwhile, the "We Are Tekken" collector's edition includes a metal case, the game's soundtrack, a remix album, a behind-the-scenes DVD, a 200-plus page hardcover artbook (and the game itself).We've reached out to Namco Bandai to find out if any of these bonuses will be making it stateside.%Gallery-156105%
Far Cry 3's 'Insane Edition' contains the best bobblehead, exclusive to Europe
It's official: Europe is getting the coolest version of Far Cry 3, replete with the amazing bobblehead seen in the trailer above. Is that star of stage and screen Michael Mando with a goatee and hula skirt? Sure is!Beyond the facsimile of Mando, buyers of the so-called "Insane Edition" get "exclusive survival kit packaging" (a cloth book), an "essential island survival guide," and "access to all unlockable content" (which includes the in-game content that pre-orders get in the US). Considering the "Insane Edition" is just £15 more than the standard "Lost Expeditions Edition" at £49.85 (at least in the UK – we're waiting on EU pricing), we're thinking it's worth the dough. Perhaps you haven't looked hard enough at that bobblehead? Really explore that space.
TERA collector's edition gets unboxed
If you're a big enough fan of TERA to pre-order the collector's edition, you probably can't wait to get your hands on it and look at what's inside. But maybe you can't wait on a very literal level -- you have to see what's in that box right now. You're in luck, as the collector's edition has been unboxed by the fine folks at Curse, giving you a chance to see (if not handle) the bonus additions before the game's full launch. So what's contained therein? You probably know already if you pre-ordered: a map, a handsome box, a compass, and of course, the game itself. But there are lots of specifics to cover, like the quality of the extra little collectibles. So if you're in the literally-cannot-wait crowd, click on past the break to see what it's like to open up a new copy of the game before you can do so in real life.
Q.U.B.E. soundtrack, collector's edition dated and dubbed
The Q.U.B.E. soundtrack is set to drop May 4 on iTunes, Amazon and Steam for $5.99, and it includes 30 of the game's original songs and 10 bonus tracks from mixologists Ben Chandler, Felix Zirwes, Steve Dunne and Project Static.A collector's edition of Q.U.B.E. is hitting Germany, Austria and Switzerland this summer, published by Headup Games and featuring "special extras," including the soundtrack. The above trailer shows off a wubby version of Q.U.B.E.'s otherwise ambient, electronic soundtrack, perhaps in an attempt to capture the more terrifying, frustrating or seizure-inducing moments of the game.
ArenaNet releases a sneak peek of The Making of Guild Wars 2
Whether you've reserved one of the coveted Guild Wars 2 collector's edition or are too poor or uninterested to have done so, ArenaNet has a special treat for each and every one of you today. Continuing its blog series highlighting the collector's editions insides, ArenaNet posted three spreads (that's six pages) of the book The Making of Guild Wars 2. The revealed pages discuss the creation of the Mesmer class (which was apparently never in doubt), the difficulty of mastering the Necromancer and Thief professions, how the game was designed, the differences between Guild Wars' and Guild Wars 2's hex mechanics, and the effort that went into producing the game's many and varied creatures. This hardcover book is 112 pages and comes with full-color concept art, screenshots, and developer insights into the construction of the game. Earlier today we reported on ArenaNet's glimpse into the creation of the collector's edition statue.
ArenaNet shows the making of Guild Wars 2's collector's edition statue
When Guild Wars 2's pre-purchase program started two days ago, scores of fans descended upon their local retailers looking to secure one of its few, highly desired collector's editions. For those fortunate enough to grab one, ArenaNet has posted an inside look at the centerpiece of the CE: the Rytlock Brimstone statue. While the team considered statues of each of the races, it decided that the Charr was the most iconic and worthy of star treatment. ArenaNet partnered up with Canada's Happy Worker to fashion the detailed statue that shows Rytlock with his flaming blade, standing over a field of skulls. The heavy statue is 10 inches tall and painstakingly hand-painted. If you're still attempting to hunt down a collector's edition of Guild Wars 2, head over to the pre-purchase page on the official site for the list of retailers in your country.
Guild Wars 2 is now available for pre-purchase, still no launch date
Saddle up, Tyrians -- it's going to be one heck of a ride! As of this morning, Guild Wars 2 is available for pre-purchase from a variety of vendors. The digital versions of the standard and deluxe editions can be purchased on Guild Wars 2's website, although ArenaNet has also posted a list of retailers that are selling the game. It's only through these retailers that physical copies of the standard and collector's edition can be obtained. As of the time of this writing, many tipsters have reported that GW2 collector's editions have been sold out at several retailers. ArenaNet said it will have an update in a few hours on Twitter. By pre-purchasing Guild Wars 2, players not only get the game itself and any goodies that edition contains but will secure access into beta weekend events and the game's three-day headstart prior to launch. The standard edition is $59.99, the deluxe digital edition is $79.99, and the collector's edition is $149.99.
Guild Wars 2 adds Best Buy to CE pre-purchase retailer list, releases new video [Updated]
Preparing to run out and snag your Guild Wars 2 Collector's Edition tomorrow? For avid fans in the US, you used to have only one option: Gamestop. However, now it appears that ArenaNet is shipping the coveted CEs to Best Buy as well. According to the ArenaNet-authored pre-purchase retailers list on the Guild Wars 2 wiki, Best Buy has joined Gamestop, which makes them the only two brick-and-mortar outlets in the US that are selling physical copies of the standard edition and Collector's Edition. US players also have the option of pre-purchasing a boxed standard edition through Amazon. ArenaNet will open the doors for Guild Wars 2's pre-purchases and pre-orders tomorrow, April 10th, and will post the pre-purchase list on the official website at that time. President Mike O'Brien recently clarified some of the finer points regarding the pre-purchase program. [Thanks to Ravious for the tip!] [Updated: ArenaNet has also released a Collector's Edition video to celebrate the impending pre-purchase date! We've embedded it after the cut.] [Updated on April 10th: Tipster Mcguffn has pointed us to a thread in which Best Buy representatives posted that the retailer will not be participating in the promotion, but ArenaNet has since Tweeted that "Best Buy is participating in the pre-purchase program, and will have copies soon. Forum poster was misinformed." We'll update this post if we learn more.]
ArenaNet clarifies Guild Wars 2 CE pre-purchase options
There's been a bit of confusion concerning Guild Wars 2 collector's edition pre-purchases of late. ArenaNet's Mike O'Brien took to Reddit earlier tonight to address the issues, and he had plenty to say about retailer reservations as well as the fact that Amazon isn't listing the CE. The long and short of it is that any retailer that is distributing keys prior to the April 10th street date is violating said street date "and risks losing [its] allocation of keys." That said, ANet can't stop stores from taking reservations, but O'Brien says unequivocally that "a reservation is not the same as a pre-purchase." As far as the Amazon situation goes, O'Brien explains that the company was simply unable to deliver digital codes at the time of purchase in addition to physical boxes on release day, so ANet has "reallocated [its] units to other retailers." Finally, O'Brien provides a link to some pre-purchase CE alternatives.
NCsoft explains NA and EU Collector's Edition price difference [Updated]
Many European Guild Wars 2 fans have been left scratching their heads over the pricing discrepancies between the U.S. and European Collectors' Editions of the title. As followers of the game are probably aware, the U.S. edition is being sold for $149.99 US while the European version is being sold for £129.99/€149.99. The problem, of course, is that with the current exchange rates, £129.99 is closer to $206 US and €149.99 is just under $200 US, making the European versions of the game considerably pricier. NCsoft explained to PC Gamer today that the reason behind this discrepancy is that "currency fluctuations, distribution costs, taxes and market conditions in addition to the cost of goods are all contributing factors when setting pricing. These vary dramatically between NA and EU and our pricing is competitive and adjusted accordingly." As the article notes, this might make sense if we assume that the CE of the game is manufactured in the U.S., but even with the extra shipping costs, it's a pretty hefty addition to an already sizeable price tag. [Update: NCsoft points out that the EU pricing includes VAT taxes (20%), while the North American pricing is pre-tax.]
Guild Wars 2 pre-purchase locations announced
April 10th is fast approaching, and the ArenaNet team is doing its best to be sure fans are totally informed on how best to give up their money when Guild Wars 2 is finally available for pre-purchase. French Community Manager Stephane Lo Presti has put a list of retailers participating in the pre-purchase program up on the Guild Wars 2 Wiki. According to the game's FAQ page, fans will be able to order the digital Standard and the Digital Deluxe editions directly from NCsoft (Steam is not on the list, so they're out for digital pre-purchasing). These physical retailers, though, will offer at least the Standard and possibly the Collector's editions of the game, which means that fans will have a special interest in which of the listed retailers provide the CE version of the pre-purchase. Keep in mind that these are the retailers for pre-purchase, not necessarily launch or pre-order. The list is pretty lengthy; it's almost like ArenaNet wants to make pre-purchase as convenient as possible for as many fans as possible. Hit up the list if you want to figure out where you're headed on April 10th.
Assassin's Creed 3 special editions bound for Europe
The old country will receive three different Assassin's Creed 3 special editions when the game is launched this October: the "Freedom Edition," the "Join or Die Edition," and the comparatively mundane "Special Edition."According to IGN, The Freedom Edition will be £79.99 on consoles (£59.99 on PC) and feature a 9-inch Connor figure, George Washington's notebook, special lithograph, a pair of single-player missions and a multiplayer pack. The £64.99 (£34.99 on PC) Join or Die Edition will include one of the single-player missions, along with the multiplayer pack and GW's notebook, plus a medallion. Finally, the Special Edition will have an exclusive single-player mission called "A Dangerous Secret" and an unlocked Flintlock Musket.Ubisoft informed us "these collector's editions are exclusive to Europe," so what North America will get is still a mystery hidden deep inside the marketing Animus.%Gallery-151583%
New Witcher 2 trailer details new and improved newness, Dark Edition
There are plenty of non-PC gamers out there anxiously awaiting the April 17 release of The Witcher 2: Assassin of Kings Enhanced Edition for the 360, but you PC gaming types who've played Witcher 2 already may be on the fence about whether the new version is worth your dollars. Perhaps this latest trailer, which runs through the Enhanced Edition's new features and content, can help aid in your decision making process.The trailer also briefly teases the game's Dark Edition bundle, which includes the game, its soundtrack, a making of DVD, stickers, a world map, a "Witcher Medallion," a quest handbook, game manual and art book.
Ask Massively: A world without boats edition
As you probably have already ignored, the big news of the day is that the world's boats have all been lost due to mysterious boat-related circumstances. Unfortunately, as human beings are extremely stupid and easily thwarted, no one can remember how to build a boat, nor did anyone take any notes on how one might build a boat. There aren't even pieces of information about how boats work. Long story short, Australia is now completely on its own. In less boat-related news, it's time for this week's installment of Ask Massively. Written while not on a boat, it's fielding questions about the ubiquity of social networking and Collector's Editions that cost nearly as much as a boat. If you've got a question you'd like to see answered in a future installment of the column, mail it to ask@massively.com or leave it in the comments below. Questions may be edited slightly for clarity and/or brevity.
Guild Wars 2 pre-purchase details announced
Things are just getting more and more exciting for Guild Wars 2 fans. Since ArenaNet's blog post confirming a 2012 launch, things seem to be warming up: We've had a press beta, an intensely busy beta signup period, the promise of another late March beta, and now an announcement about Guild Wars 2 pre-purchase. NCsoft sent out a press release today with some juicy details regarding the game's Collector's Edition and the benefits of purchasing early. From April 10th onward, pre-purchasers of any of the editions (Collector's, Digital Deluxe, or Standard) will be guaranteed access into beta weekend events and a three-day head start for launch, which is awesome if you want to reserve a cool name so you're not stuck with being xLegolasXx. An additional benefit to any pre-purchase is the somewhat mysterious Hero's Band, which will apparently give characters a variety of power boosts to speed them on their way. The Collector's Edition is going to cost you $149.99, but ArenaNet certainly seems to be providing bang for your buck: a 10-inch statue of the iconic Rytlock Brimstone and his sword Sohothin, a custom frame with five Guild Wars 2 art prints, a book on the making of Guild Wars 2, a soundtrack CD, and five in-game items (including a mini Rytlock), all of which should make this a pretty tempting order for super fans of the game. The Digital Deluxe pre-purchase is only going to run you $79.99, and the Standard Edition will be $59.99 -- again, any three of those will secure you the Hero's Band, a place in beta events, and a three-day head start. Pre-ordering Guild Wars 2 from select retailers will reserve you a copy of the game at launch and entitle you to a one-day head start. [Source: NCsoft press release]
Darksiders 2 asks fans to vote for Collector's Edition cover art
You know that newly announced Collector's Edition for Darksiders 2? Well, aside from your input of money, THQ is also looking for fans to help decide what will be on the cover of the thing. Death? That's our guess.If you want to vote, you'll have to head over to Facebook. One cover features the main character, Death, and two more feature, well ... they also feature Death. He's kind of the star of the game, you guys.Fans are eligible to vote every day. Three lucky Facebook users will win a signed Collector's Edition of Darksiders 2.
