We got the news on Thursday that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is set to release on October 31, along with how best to preorder it. As with most AAA studio releases, there are multiple editions you can buy, from a standard edition with just the game and a preorder bonus to a deluxe edition with a bunch of cosmetics.
BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts are also offering special editions with some The Veilguard merchandise, but oddly, unlike other special editions, they don’t come with a copy of the game.
These packages are called “physical item bundles,” and they come with, well, physical items only. The biggest one is the Rook’s Coffer edition, which costs $150. The highlight of the set is the Lyrium Dagger replica, which lights up, but you’ll also get a card deck, an “enchanted” D12 die, a glass potion flask, a cloth map and quiver, a companion lithograph, and a thank you letter from the developers.
Then, there’s the Vyrantium Pack by Scanvo, which comes with a steelbook case for your physical game copy (that doesn’t come in the box), a metal print and magnet wall mount, a notebook, and a collector’s outerbox. There’s no pricing listed.
I can see the reasoning here. On one hand, people might just want the gear, especially if they happen to already own or be able to get a copy of the game. The BioWare store also has some merch available to purchase separately. On the other, these physical item bundles are still just as expensive as a collector’s edition if you have to buy the game separately (as most people will if they’re looking for preorder information). Plus, there are restrictions in place to dissuade scalpers; you can only buy the Rook’s Coffer edition on its own and not paired with other items from the BioWare store.
There’s other strange pricing discrepancies, too. A copy of The Veilguard on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S will cost $10 more than the PC version, regardless if you’re getting digital or physical or if you’re getting the deluxe edition or standard.
So say you want the Rook’s Coffer edition along with a console copy of the game. That’ll cost you $220. It’s not much more than other collector’s editions; the Assassin’s Creed Shadows Collector’s Edition from GameStop costs $280, and Star Wars Outlaws Ultimate Edition that costs $130 only comes with digital items and three-day early access. If anything, these The Veilguard physical editions just show that video game release pricing is just becoming more complicated for the consumer.
