Demystifying the Horizon Forbidden West Editions – A Data-Driven Breakdown for Gamers

As a fellow tech geek and avid gamer, I know you‘ve been eagerly awaiting Horizon Forbidden West as much as I have. Horizon Zero Dawn was a masterpiece, so expectations are sky-high for the sequel.

But with so many versions and bonuses across the launch and special editions, it can get confusing picking the right one. That‘s why I‘ve put together this comprehensive data-driven guide comparing all the different Horizon Forbidden West editions.

By the end, you‘ll know exactly what‘s included with each version so you can make the smartest choice for your budget and interests!

Overview of Horizon Forbidden West Editions

Let‘s start with a high-level view of what‘s available:

Horizon Forbidden West Launch Edition

• Base game
• Pre-order bonuses:
  • Nora Legacy Outfit
  • Nora Lookout Elite Ropecaster

Horizon Forbidden West Special Edition

• Base game
• Steelbook case
• Mini art book
• Digital soundtrack
• Pre-order bonuses
  • Nora Legacy Outfit
  • Nora Lookout Elite Ropecaster

Horizon Forbidden West Digital Deluxe Edition

• Base game
• Digital art book
• Digital soundtrack
• Digital comic book

Horizon Forbidden West Collector‘s Edition

• Everything in Special Edition
• Aloy statue
• Replica Focus and custom stand
• 2 art prints
• Map/sticker set

Horizon Forbidden West Regalla Edition

• Everything in Collector‘s Edition
• Regalla-themed in-game cosmetics
• In-game resources pack
• Exclusive photo mode poses and face paints

Now let‘s unpack what you get in each one.

Horizon Forbidden West Launch Edition Breakdown

The Launch Edition is the standard baseline edition of Forbidden West. Here‘s what‘s included:

Game Contents:

• Horizon Forbidden West base game (PS4 or PS5)

That covers the core contents – you get the full Forbidden West game and nothing else.

But pre-ordering the Launch Edition provides these promo perks:

• Nora Legacy Outfit: This unique armor set pays tribute to Aloy‘s Nora tribe roots. The stats provide a 5% melee damage resistance boost. It will give you an early game edge against melee attacks.

• Nora Lookout Elite Ropecaster: This enhanced ropecaster weapon inflicts more tear damage to restrain enemies. Tear is effective against larger mechanical beasts, so the Elite Ropecaster will help take down heavy foes.

These pre-order bonuses are nice to have but won‘t drastically affect overall gameplay. They offer a minor early game boost to your equipment.

Launch Edition Costs:

• PS5: $69.99
• PS4: $59.99

Who It‘s Good For

The Launch Edition is ideal if you just want to pay the base price and dive into Forbidden West on release day. With no extras besides the pre-order perks, it‘s all about the core game experience.

If you‘re on a budget or don‘t care for collector‘s editions, the Launch Edition gets you full access to Forbidden West for the lowest possible cost.

What You Get in the Horizon Forbidden West Special Edition

For $10 more than the standard edition, the Special Edition includes some nice physical and digital bonus content:

Contents:

• Horizon Forbidden West base game
• Steelbook case
• Mini art book
• Digital soundtrack
• Nora Legacy Outfit (pre-order bonus)
• Nora Lookout Elite Ropecaster (pre-order bonus)

Detail on the Extras:

• Steelbook Case: The game discs come housed in a metal steelbook case with custom artwork. It‘s a collectible item for big Horizon fans to display their copy.

• Mini Art Book: This 48-page book by Dark Horse provides a behind-the-scenes look into the art and development of Forbidden West. It‘s full of concept art and exclusive insights.

• Digital Soundtrack: The soundtrack includes 14 tracks composed by John Nuba and The Flight. You can download the music to listen outside of the game.

Special Edition Costs:

• PS5: $79.99
• PS4: $69.99

Who It‘s Good For

The Special Edition is aimed at dedicated Horizon fans who want to expand their collection with art books, soundtracks, and collectible cases. An extra $10 gets you all the best physical and digital content.

Hardcore fans will love displaying the Special Edition on their shelf and diving into the lore artwork and music.

Horizon Forbidden West Digital Deluxe Edition Perks

For collectors who prefer digital content, the Digital Deluxe Edition grants access to these in-game extras:

Contents:

• Horizon Forbidden West base game
• Digital art book
• Digital soundtrack
• Digital comic book The Sunhawk

Detail on Extras:

• Digital Art Book: This is the same 48-page art book from the Special Edition but in digital format. It‘s packed with gorgeous concept art from the Horizon universe.

• Digital Comic Book: This is a Horizon Zero Dawn comic book called The Sunhawk. It provides backstory bridging the events between Zero Dawn and Forbidden West.

• Cost: $79.99

Who It‘s Good For

This edition focuses on digital content for lore fans who want to dive into the art, music, and stories of Horizon. You pay a bit more for the digital extras.

The Sunhawk comic provides narrative context heading into Forbidden West, so this edition is great if you want the full backstory.

Horizon Forbidden West Collector‘s Edition Breakdown

Now we‘re getting into premium territory. The Collector‘s Edition bundles:

Contents:

• Everything in the Special Edition (game, steelbook, art book, soundtrack)
• Aloy statue
• Focus replica & stand
• 2 art prints
• Map & sticker pack

Detail on Extras:

• Aloy Statue: This is a sculpted resin statue of the hero Aloy standing 10 inches tall on a carved base. It‘s meticulously detailed and hand-painted.

• Focus Replica: This is a wearable recreation of Aloy‘s Focus scanner from the game. It projects holographic displays and lights up. The stand displays it as a collectible.

• Art Prints: 2 high quality art prints showcasing machines from the Horizon universe.

• Map & Sticker Pack: This includes a cloth map of the Horizon world plus 4 logo stickers.

Cost: $199.99

Who It‘s Good For

This edition is the ultimate prize for collectors. It takes the Special Edition and piles on premium statues, props, and art pieces to provide the full Horizon experience.

Dedicated super fans will love displaying this entire set. But the high $200 price tag means its for true ultra collectors only.

What‘s in the Regalla Horizon Forbidden West Edition?

Lastly we have the Regalla Edition, the creme de la creme for diehard Horizon stans:

Contents:

• Everything in the Collector‘s Edition
• Regalla-themed in-game cosmetics
• In-game resources pack
• Exclusive photo mode poses and face paints

Details on Extras:

• Regalla Cosmetics: This includes 3 in-game cosmetic outfits and 3 weapons based on Regalla, the rebel leader. Her gear has unique visual flourishes.

• Resources Pack: This provides in-game resources to craft ammo, potions, and traps to aid your adventure. It saves you some early game grinding.

• Photo Mode Unlocks: You get new poses and face paints themed after Regalla for photo mode.

Cost: $259.99

Who It‘s Good For

This edition with ultra rare cosmetics and items is tailored for the top elite Horizon collectors who must have truly exclusive content.

The Regalla cosmetics and gear will give your Aloy an exclusive look. At a steep $260 price though, only get this edition if you absolutely must own Regalla‘s outfit and spear yourself!

Comparing Horizon Forbidden West Editions and Prices

To visualize the differences across the various editions, here is a data table showing what‘s in each version along with the PlayStation 5 prices:

Edition	Base Game	Steelbook Case	Art Book	Digital Items	Statues/Props	Pre-Order Bonuses	Cosmetics	Price
Launch Edition	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅	❌	$69.99
Special Edition	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	❌	$79.99
Digital Deluxe Ed.	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	$79.99
Collector‘s Edition	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	❌	$199.99
Regalla Edition	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌	✅	$259.99

A few key things stand out:

• The Special Edition adds nice physical collectibles for a moderate $10 price bump.
• Digital Deluxe gets you in-game comics and art in place of physical extras.
• Collector‘s Edition piles on the merch for mega collectors.
• Regalla Edition throws in ultra rare cosmetics.

So you have lots of options catering to all needs and budgets!

Making the Smartest Purchase Decision for Your Needs

So which Horizon Forbidden West edition is right for you? Here are some key factors to consider:

Your budget: The Launch Edition provides the full experience at base cost. Collector‘s and Regalla are very premium priced. Go with what fits your wallet.

Displaying collectibles: Steelbooks, art books, and statues are ideal if you want to proudly showcase the edition. Digital lacks display pieces.

Digital vs Physical: Digital Deluxe features in-game content vs physical merch and collectibles. Go digital if you don‘t need real world items.

Completing your collection: Diehard fans may want the ultra rare Regalla cosmetics or the full range of statues and props.

Personally, I think the Special Edition hits the sweet spot between price and content. For just $10 more than the base game, the steelbook case, art book, and soundtrack are nice collector pieces.

The Collector‘s Edition statues are amazing but very expensive. And Regalla‘s cosmetics don‘t impact gameplay enough to warrant the sheer cost.

But Collector‘s or Regalla could be worthwhile if you absolutely need every single Horizon item in existence!

Ultimately there‘s an edition for every budget and taste. I hope breaking down the data on each version helps you make the best choice! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Happy gaming!