Gears of War 4 is one of the biggest videogame releases of 2016. Despite the change of development studios (as The Coalition is now in charge), the sequel is shaping up to be another stellar installment for the popular series.
If you are looking to buy the fourth numbered Gears of War videogame, you have several options, including the ultimate and collector’s editions. So which SKU should you get? Before you decided, let’s take a look at several factors.
Pricing
The Standard Edition is the cheapest option if you want to purchase Gears of War 4, followed by the Ultimate Edition. The Collector’s Edition and Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant are the most expensive options (not counting the Xbox One console bundle). You can check out the prices for all four SKUs with the following links on Amazon:
Digital vs. Physical
Another factor to take into consideration as to whether or not to buy the digital or physical version of Gears of War 4. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages.
The latest Gears of War is one of the first Xbox Play Anywhere titles. As a result, you will be get the Xbox One and Windows 10 PC versions for just the price of one by getting the game digitally on the Xbox One. Furthermore, you will be able to share save files and achievement progress between the two.
Getting the physical version of the software product also has a few benefits. For one, you will be able to trade-in the game at a later date. Not to mention that you can easily bring the software product over to a friend’s house to play without much hassle.
Gears of War Xbox 360 Digital Collection
For a limited time, Gears of War 4 also comes with the previous installments of the series: Gears of War, Gears of War 2 and Gears of War: Judgment. These Xbox 360 titles can be played on the Xbox One via the backwards compatibility feature.
This promotion applies to both the digital and physical version of Gears of War 4. However, the offer will expire by the end of 2016. So, to make sure you get the best value, make sure you buy the upcoming title as soon as possible.
Gears of War 4 Season Pass
Another elements to take into account as to which version of Gears of War 4 is worth buying is the game’s season pass. The bundle comes with Vintage VIP Pack, which has five exclusive digital items along with the Vintage JD character skin. Also include are the Vintage JD Emblem Vintage character, Vintage JD Bounty character, Gnasher weapon and Dropshot weapon skins.
The development team at The Coalition recently announced that the pass will come with a 17-pack Starter Air Drop. These item contains five Horde Boosters, five Versus Boosters, five Operations Packs and Two Elite Packs. In total, season holders will be getting 85 cards.
The biggest reason to own the season pass, in our opinion, is the ability to permanently own the 24 additional maps being planned for the game post launch. The development team is planning to release two maps per month for at least one year. While these maps will be available for all players, only season pass holders will get access to these areas for private play via dedicated servers.
Last but not least, the pass will also unlock an exclusive Developer Playlist, which will let you test out new features, maps and modes before they are made available for everyone else.
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits of getting the season pass. While the pass itself is pricey (you can check out its current price tag with this link), you can save some cash by buying it with the game with some of the editions.
Standard Edition
The cheapest option when it comes to purchasing Gears of War 4 is the Standard Edition. This product comes just the base game. If you want the season pass, you will need to purchase it separately.
You can buy the Standard Edition via this link.
Ultimate Edition
If you are planning to purchase the season pass, then it is a better idea to invest in the Ultimate Edition instead. This is because you will save money when buying this bundle as opposed to the Standard Edition and season pass separately. Not to mention that this set also comes with a collectible steel book case in addition to four days of early access when compared to the standalone release.
Purchase the Gears of War 4 Ultimate Edition with this page.
Collector’s Edition
The Collector’s Edition Comes with all of the contents and benefits of the Ultimate Edition along with several other extras, including a Frag Grenade Keychain (which measures at six inches in length), exclusive lithograph made by TriForce, three in-game Gears Crates as well as a premium packaging box.
The centerpiece of this bundle, however, is the JD Fenix Premium Statue, which was also crafted by Triforce. This figure shows JD Fenix, the protagonist of the game, riding on his COG Bike. It measures at 19 inches in length and 11 inches in height.
So, while it may be quite a bit more expensive when compared to the aforementioned cheaper versions, the Collector’s Edition does have some enticing exclusive extras. If you are interested, you can buy the Gears of War 4 Collector’s Edition here.
Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant
The Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant is basically the same as the Standard Collector’s Edition. The lone difference is that JD Fenix wears a more causal outfit.
If you like the look of the statue, then you can buy the Gears of War 4 Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant by using this link.
Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Xbox One S 2TB Console Bundle
If you don’t own a Xbox One yet, then you might want to check out the Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Xbox One S 2TB Console Bundle. This product comes with a Crimson Omen 2 TB custom Xbox One S console with matching controller in addition to the Ultimate Edition of the game.
You can purchase the Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Xbox One S 2TB Console Bundle via this page.
Recap
The Standard Edition is the cheapest way to play Gears of War 4. If you are interested in the season pass, we recommend getting the Ultimate Edition instead so that you can save some money as opposed to buying both the game and pass separately. If you also want to play the game on Windows 10 PC, you should also take a look at the digital release as it is a Xbox Play Anywhere title. You can check out the digital versions with the following links: Standard Edition Play Anywhere and Ultimate Edition Play Anywhere.
The Collector’s Edition, Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant and Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Xbox One S 2TB Console Bundle aren’t really necessary unless you are interested in the extras.
The Gears of War 4 Limited Edition Xbox One S 2TB Console Bundle will be released on October 6th while the Ultimate Edition, Collector’s Edition and Collector’s Edition Outsider Variant are launching on October 7th. The Standard Edition of the game is coming out on October 11th.