One of the first questions every fan asks when a new game is announced is what editions will be available. When Monster Hunter Wilds’s release date was announced to be February 28, it also came with the news of three different editions of the game—for North American audiences, that is. Japan will receive two different special editions of its own for Monster Hunter Wilds, and they definitely live up to the “wild” name: the smaller edition has a pouch and plush toy, while the larger edition has, of all things, a foldable bicycle.
The North American editions of Monster Hunter Wilds are fairly standard faire: our Standard Edition is just the game for US$69.99, while the Deluxe Edition at US$89.99 adds the “Deluxe Pack,” featuring armor for your Hunter and Palico, Seikret decorations, hairstyles, gestures, facepaint, a pendant, a nameplate for your Hunter profile, and sticker sets. Beyond that, the Premium Deluxe Edition includes more layered armor, the “Proof of a Hero (2025 Recording)” music track, a background, pose and nameplate for your Hunter profile, and two cosmetic DLC packs (slated for a Spring and Summer 2025 release) for US$109.99. It’s a lot of zenny, but it’s also a lot of bonuses along with the game. But Japan’s two exclusive special editions blow ours out of the water.
Japan’s Collector’s Edition of Monster Hunter Wilds comes with an adorable Seikret plush and Seikret-themed pouch, as well as a steel case for the game. This comes out to 17,690 yen before upgrading the game to the Deluxe or Premium Deluxe edition—about US$123 at the time of the game editions’ announcement. But what if you want to hunt monsters not on a Seikret but on a bicycle? Well, the Ultra Collector’s Edition has you covered: in addition to all the goodies above, this edition has a full-blown, nine speed foldable bike. With the standard edition of the game, this bundle costs 181,590 yen—about US$1,265!
It may seem wild to spend over $1,000 on a video game collector bundle, but the price is (understandably) mostly all bike: the bike by itself is actually available for pre-order on Capcom’s Japanese webstore, where it costs 165,000 yen (about US$1,149). The regular Collector’s Edition goodies are also available by themselves as a “Goods Set” on Capcom’s Japanese webstore for those willing to import, making these special editions more akin to special bundles.
Bike riding is incredibly popular in Japan, and a foldable bike like this can become as small as a briefcase, making them incredibly convenient—and understandably not available as part of North America’s special editions. The yen has been strengthening in recent months, so it may not be the best time for importing the Monster Hunter Wilds Ultra Collector’s Edition. But for plush toy lovers, the Collector’s Edition isn’t looking too shabby and could have made for a nice optional edition upgrade for players on our side of the Pacific.
Published: Sep 30, 2024 06:32 pm