Hogwarts Legacy Collector's Edition Is A Dark Mark On Gaming
If you were paying $300 for a video game, you might be asking how much bang you get for your Buckbeak. Paying $300 for the Hogwarts Legacy Collector's Edition, do you get to be in the game, a replica Golden Snitch made of actual gold, or what about a piece of the Philosopher's Stone so you can live forever?
Sadly... not. As Avalanche Software FINALLY gets ready to swish and flick its way into our lives with Hogwarts Legacy - albeit even later than planned - it's clear the marketing department was running out of ideas when coming up with the Hogwarts Legacy Collector's Edition. In the aftermath of a lacklustre Gamescom trailer leaving us feeling like we've been struck by the Cruciatus Curse, it's now the pricey Collector's Edition being put through its own Triwizard Tournament.
What's In The Hogwarts Legacy Collector's Edition?
After the Hogwarts Legacy Collector's Edition was leaked early, Avalanche quickly took to YouTube to officially unveil what's in the box and the Hogwarts Legacy pre-order bonuses. Apart from it looking like a Harry Potter Monopoly set, there isn't a lot going on inside. For starters, there isn't much of a difference between the Collector's Edition and the Digital Deluxe Edition.
Coming in at $80/£75, the Digital Deluxe Edition includes the same as the physical Deluxe version (including 72 hours early and the Dark Arts Pack), but you'll also get the Dark Arts Garrison Hat and a cross-gen digital upgrade on PlayStation and Xbox. Jumping up a whopping $220/£194, the Collector's Edition ($300/£369) also gives you a physical floating wand with a book case, a collectable steelbook case, and an in-game Kelpie robe. As you can imagine, paying this much for a magic trick you might see a magician perform at a kid's birthday party hasn't gone down well.
One angry muggle grumbled, "The team making this game loves the Harry Potter universe. Whoever was in charge of this collector's edition clearly does not. So many missed opportunities." Another raged, "If the $300 is real, that is RIDICULOUS. For comparison, the God of War and Horizon Forbidden West collector's editions come with WAY more stuff and cost $260. I get the wand levitates, but there's no way it makes the price jump that much."
Is Hogwarts Legacy Doomed?
You only have to scrawl the comments to see better ideas than a floating wand. Back when the books came out, there was the literal magic of the Potterverse. Someone suggested how cool it would've been to have a letter of acceptance to Hogwarts, but instead, we get a plastic wand and a flimsy case. Still, the inevitable short supply of the Collector's Edition means it'll probably fly off shelves and appear on auction sites with an even bigger price tag.
Sadly, Hogwarts Legacy is its own worst enemy. We're not suggesting that a certain author has cursed it, but in the wake of the whole transgender scandal, Avalanche has done its best to distance itself from J.K. Rowling. If gamers boycotting the magical adventure wasn't enough, it's been called out for a lack of gameplay and allegations of a graphical downgrade. That's before we even get to the slew of delays that have now pushed it to February 2023. There's a chance Hogwarts Legacy can still cast a spell over us all, but right now, it looks like the team will need some Felix Felicis liquid luck.
