The glacier is moving, spring is coming, and ArenaNet has finally released information on Guild Wars 2’s pre-orders. This is always a good sign for those anxiously awaiting the release date, although the ability to pre-order an MMO doesn’t necessarily mean it’s on the verge of release. SWTOR opened up pre-orders some five months before release, after all.
But let’s not let that spoil our good mood, because there’s a lot to digest, including a doozy of a collector’s edition. I’ve been putting some money aside for the CE, so the $150 price tag isn’t going to shy me away (I do love CEs in general). It certainly is interesting that they’re announcing the pre-order program almost a month before accepting them — that doesn’t typically happen — but I think a lot of players will appreciate it, especially if they want to scrounge together that much money for a CE.
So let’s take a look at what we’ve got here, shall we? All pre-orders — standard, deluxe, CE — get you into all of the GW2 weekend beta events between April 10th and release, a three-day head start (yay for ANet not doing BioWare’s weird rollout thing), and an in-game item that has a wide range of small stat boosts. For me, the head start is the most important of the three and worth it for that alone.
We don’t know much right now about what comes with the digital deluxe version, but the collector’s edition haul is listed. Here are my thoughts on each of the items, both physical and digital:
- Rytlock Charr statue — Like SWTOR’s Darth Malgus, I’m could take or leave this. For one thing, I’m just not that big of a Charr fan. For another, I’d rather the “big” item be one of those cool plushies that ArenaNet’s been making for the game.
- Making of GW2 book — Definitely something I’d be interested in reading, so I’m happy this is included. SWTOR’s making of book came separately from the CE, which was a shame.
- Best of GW2 soundtrack CD — On one hand, yay for a soundtrack CD. That’s always a must have for CEs in my opinion. On the other hand, the “best of” part of that title tells me that this will be far from a complete soundtrack for the game, which is a shame.
- Five art prints and frame — OK, this is downright neat. GW2 is already very much known for its gorgeous art style, and to have a choice of which print I want to hang up in a frame is a wonderful addition.
- Summon Mistfire Wolf elite skill — It’s a temporary pet summons skill for in-game use, and you know what? I’m all over that. If any class can use this, it’d be really neat to be able to pull a wolf out of my butt no matter what I’m playing.
- Miniature Rytlock pet — Another mini, cool; a Charr mini, eh. I’m really getting the sense that this Charr dude is the chosen face of the game, so I guess I’ll have to resign myself to that.
- Chalice of Glory — It’s a one-time use item that bumps up your glory accumulation in PvP.
- Tome of Influence — Another one-time boost item that gives you additional influence for your guild.
- Golem Banker — Gives you bank access in the world… for five days. Five days real-time? Five different days you summon it? What?
I’m a little divided on all this. It’s not that I’m not really excited for GW2, I am, but none of this screams “must have!” to me as a whole. As the digital deluxe version has the same in-game items as the CE, then it might be the prudent choice for me. The book and the soundtrack are nice, but an extra $70 worth of nice?
The one thing I’m really disappointed in is the fact that three of the five in-game items have limited use (either one-shot or time-limited). I guess they’d be neat at the beginning, but I was definitely hoping for more, especially if I’m shelling out a lot of extra money for this.
At least we have a month left to decide, and I hope ArenaNet spills a little more information on all of this. What say you? Is this is CE worth $150, or would it be better to save some of that cash for the inevitable in-game cash shop?
Bio Break 
I’m always annoyed when companies just switch out the currency symbol but don’t change anything about the price itself. It’s 150€ for Europeans which equals close to $200. That doesn’t sound fair to me. 😦
I love the Rytlock figurine! 🙂 I’d have preferred something showing all of Destiny’s Edge, though. It does seem a bit “too much” of Rytlock. There are other heroes, after all!
The metal box alone makes it worth it!
I bought the SWTOR, so I can’t really say much against it. To me, it is not worth it. I’m just not interested in GW lore.
Hmm… you’re right, none of it screams “must-have”, imo. I’m sure that I’ll pre-order the game, but probably just the standard version. My husband collects figurines and the like, so he may get the CE, which will be fine, we’ll just share. If not, I can get the book & soundtrack later on eBay. 😉
Never bought a Collector’s Edition of anything. I’m a Hoarder not a Collector.
I’ll be pre-ordering Standard digital editions for myself and Mrs Bhagpuss. The only part that interests me is the beta access and the three-day headstart. If it wasn’t for those I’d go out on the day of release and buy it in a store. If there are any games stores left by then that still carry PC games.
I had to scratch around for the exact U.K. price but I found it in the end. It’s £49.99. So that’s unlimited GW2 gameplay for two people, possibly for many years, for tuppence under a hundred pounds.
I’m not sure that it’s worth it, but at the same time I’m having a hard time judging ArenaNet’s pricing with any sort of accuracy because it’s going to be a AAA MMO with NO SUBSCRIPTION FEE. It’s like having a lifetime membership built into the purchase price, so feels like a steal. Yes it will have a cash shop, but then so do LotRO, Champions Online, and Star Trek Online (all games that offer lifetime subs, the STO lifetime is $300!). If the shop follows the same principles as the GW shop, it shouldn’t intrude in the game at all.
I’ll probably go for the digital deluxe, I’m not much for cluttering up my home even more with “stuff”.
Yes this is the only $150 collector’s edition I would ever consider buying.
My two wishes for a CE were for a nice world map and a special emote, the way there were for GW1 CEs. Neither are an option :(. However, we’re going to buy a CE for our household anyway (and one standard boxed edition) since that’s how we roll, but oh, my kingdom for a large print map of Tyria!
Are you a figure collector?
Yes? Get the Collectors Edition.
No? Get the Digital Deluxe.
I’m probably going to get both, a DD for my lady and the CE for me, since I do collect figures.
I’ll be sticking to standard edition.
It pains me to say it but the ingame items suck. The portable bank is the only thing that I’d want but its only for 5 days so I’ll pass.
The regular digital edition for me, generally not interested in collector editions – not a collector. I also prefer to pay explicitly for something I want only, rather than some general package with items which I might not care that much for.
If you look at their page Syp they actually do list the difference between the 3 editions. It’s just not clearly spelled out. The deluxe edition only gets the in-game items and none of the feelies that the CE gets. The basic one only gets the ring, the beta access, and the headstart.
Overall I agree with you Syp. The big CE looks really underwhelming. The statue looks like one of those WoW figureprints. A “best of” CDs are woefully inadequate as a general rule and I haven’t heard an MMO with music I’d actually want to listen to since Age of Conan anyways. The prints might be cool, but I’m assuming that we get a random assortment from a pool of possibilities, which is kinda lame, nor do they say how big the bloody things are. The book sounds nice, but then I really enjoy artbooks and stuff like that.
So yeah, looks dark on the feelies front. And I’m not going to comment on the in-game items because A) I loathe non-combat pets for cluttering up the ground every bloody where I go and B) the consumable items look like they’re just there to give you a taste of the cash shop.
Personally, I can’t fathom going for anything but the basic package. The deluxe edition wouldn’t even begin to appeal to me unless they had few exclusive armor sets or customization options like the LotRO/Warhammer CEs had; and the CE feelies are pathetic for an increase of $80+shipping.
Although, there is one interesting thing to take away from this announcement. The potential cash shop items. ANet hasn’t been too forthcoming with info about what we should be expecting them to try to push on us. Apart from vague promises to not overstep their bounds.
I’m a sucker for CEs. I really love the SWTOR CE, though I would have preferred a Jedi or lightsider statue.
I’m also really looking forward to GW2. As soon as the preorder for the CE posts on Amazon, I’ll grab one.
After having a looksee at the site, it will be the simple DE for me – I would have shelled out for a full CE but there is nothing in there I want that badly, which is a shame. The Moria boxset CE for LOTRO is, I think, the best I’ve ever seen and I regret not buying it.
I will probably throw down some money for the physical CE. Is it worth it? To me, yes. I love the art and I love the music. Those are items I definitely want. 150 is a bit high but I know the statue itself would retail for around $60 on it’s own. Perhaps the leeway they need to set that $150 price tag.
$200 in Australia aint worth it GG ncsoft GG
I don’t think anything but the standard edition is worth it as all the items are temporary items, but one thing to consider is all these items may be items you can purchase once the game comes out as in game purchasables (except maybe the Mistfire Wolf) but they’ll be more expensive in game.
I hope that’s not the case, as it really would be a slap in the face to their loyal fan base, but I bet the in-game purchases will be more expensive than the DE, or CE items. So, in essence, we’re getting discounts on in-game purchases because we bought them up front.
Not a great deal in my opinion, but some may think it is, and I bet ANet thinks it is, which is very likely why they’re offering such meager in-game items for DE’s, and CE’s.