As our friends at GamesRadar reported, on August 24, Avalanche Software revealed (opens in a new tab) the very expensive $300 collector’s edition version of Hogwarts Legacy.
Video game limited editions can be hit or miss. After all, what if you pledged a triple-digit “le epic nerd” gift box for a real 5/10 experience (or 50%, according to the best video game review system on the planet?)
What if, bear with me, you get the limited edition Dragon Age Inquisition on pre-order as a birthday present in 2014 and it ends up being a pretty satisfying 7/10 (87% (opens in a new tab)), but it comes with a couple of pieces of plastic trash and a “cloth map” which is the same jpg point from Thedas (opens in a new tab) which has been on the Dragon Age wiki since 2009, printed on the cheapest polyester imaginable?
Assumptions aside, the quality of the products themselves doesn’t seem to be an issue with the Boy Who Lived Supderdeluxe Edition of Legacy, at least. Its centerpiece is a giant cast of a magical tome with a map of Hogwarts printed on its open pages. It can be plugged in and turned on, activating the electromagnets under its pages and allowing the included collectible magic wand to float above, very cool!
However, that’s it. The Every Flavored Bean Edition also features an exclusive outfit and all of the digital goods from the lower-tier Deluxe Edition. Players also receive a steel case that, for those of us on PC, will only have a download code, another symptom of our damned modernity. Collector’s Edition owners will also be able to access Hogwarts Legacy three days earlier than other players.
I can’t help but compare this to offerings from Limited Run Games and iam8bit, purveyors of excellent collector’s editions of classic and indie games. I recently got the limited run release of KOTOR 2 (opens in a new tab), an old favorite, for about $200 after taxes and shipping. It’s an old game and none of its included bits and boobahs have the wow factor from Legacy’s levitation platform, but its greater variety of collectibles and art book included speak for me more than the unique success of Legacy.
I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the extensive anti-trans rhetoric and political activity of Harry Potter creator JK Rowling. Avalanche and Warner Bros have sought to distance themselves from Rowling’s policy, stating that she had no creative input into the game and including a “trans-inclusive” character creation system. (opens in a new tab). Let those who’ve never bought a Chick-fil-A spicy chicken biscuit cast the first stone when it comes to “ethical consumption,” but Warner Bros declined to comment to Kotaku. (opens in a new tab) on whether or not Rowling would receive royalties from the game. Given his creation and ownership of the environment, his social and financial gain seems certain.
