Just because there isn’t a release date yet doesn’t mean fans can’t get excited about this game and start preparing! I for one, am already in a guild that hopes to be very active come time for release! And, earlier this year ArenaNet confirmed that the game would be launching at some point this year, with beta events preceding the release. Now, they released all of the details regarding the three different versions of the game. First, is the Standard Edition. This will launch at around the standard $59.99 price point, and include only a digital version of the game (no physical copies.) Second, the Digital Deluxe Edition. This will launch at about $79.99 and include the original game as well as a good amount of in-game extras:
- Summon Mistfire Wolf Elite Skill – “This unique elite skill allows the player to summon a temporary Mistfire Wolf pet for use in combat.”
- Rytlock Miniature – “This rare miniature is a perfect replica of Rytlock Brimstone and will accompany your character on all of their adventures throughout Tyria.”
- Golem Banker – “Your very own golem banker, at your command for 5 days! This mechanical man-servant will grant you access to your account storage from anywhere in the world.”
- Chalice of Glory – “Earn some extra Glory with this one-time use chalice. Use Glory to unlock rewards in PvP as well as compare your progress against other players.”
- Tome of Influence – “Give your guild a one-time boost of influence. Useful for unlocking guild vaults, emblems and other items for your guild.”
Finally, the Collector’s Edition will see a price point similar to Skyrim’s Collector’s Edition at about $150. This seems to follow the recent trend of extremely expensive Collector’s Editions seen recently. This version will include everything in the Digital Deluxe Edition of the game, as well as:
- 10-inch figurine of Rytlock
- 112 page Making of Guild Wars 2 book
- Custom Art Frame
- Art Portfolio and Five Art Prints
- Best of Guild Wars 2 Soundtrack CD
Overall this is a great idea: release multiple editions of your product so the devoted fans can have more goodies to brag about, but still release the basic version for those not interested in spending huge sums of money. Additionally, anyone that pre-purchases the game will get the following bonuses (yes, this includes the Standard Edition pre-purchasers as well):
- Access to Beta Weekend Events prior to release
- Three days of head-start access to the game
- A Hero’s Band item that grants +2 Power, Precision, Toughness, Vitality, Condition Damage, Healing, and Critical Damage
The game does not have a stable release date, but pre-purchasing on the official website opens up on April 10th. Mark your calendars folks, maybe they will announce a release date then as well! Also, be sure to keep an eye and ear out for future episodes of Turn Based; I plan on speaking on this game more and more as its release date nears. Let us know what you think about all these fancy collectibles in the comments below!
