u/Mistylsle42

“Tobacco causes cancer” - For entire 50 minutes episode.

I just realized something insane about The Blood of Dawnwalker pre-order that I haven’t seen anyone bring up yet, and it’s a massive win for physical media collectors.

We all know the game looks stunning, but look at what they are doing with the physical Day One Edition. For standard retail pricing ($70), the standard game disc is coming packaged directly inside a premium SteelBook as the default case.

Let that sink in. This isn't a separate, limited "retailer bonus" handed over the counter like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced (where stores run out of stock in weeks). This isn't hidden behind a premium Collector's Edition tier. The SteelBook is the standard box for the first print run.

While niche indie/AA games have done this before, this is arguably the first time a massive, high-budget, next-gen AAA open-world RPG is completely scrapping the plastic case for launch.

Think about the sheer production and manufacturing costs of minting millions of metal cases compared to a 10-cent piece of blue plastic. Bandai Namco and Rebel Wolves are eating massive profit margins here just to make a statement.

Come September launch, we are going to see a genuine historic milestone for physical retail. Game store shelves will be lined with rows of gorgeous, uniform matte metal cases instead of the usual sea of plastic. Even years from now, the second-hand market for this game will be entirely populated by premium SteelBooks operating as standard copies.

Rebel Wolves is essentially using their launch budget to gift their debut community a "Collector's Lite" item at zero extra cost just to build goodwill. For a studio formed by the minds behind The Witcher 3, they absolutely understand how to treat physical collectors like royalty.

If you love physical media, this is a literal jaw-dropping anomaly. Props to them.