A £35 download code giving you early access to Starfield is currently topping the charts, even though it’ll be useless by Wednesday.
There was a point in time at which Microsoft tried to downplay the importance of format exclusives, but Starfield has made it clear that there’s nothing that galvanises fan interest more than a big budget first-party title.
Although some of the reviews have been mixed (those that Bethesda allowed to happen before launch), excitement over the game is currently at fever pitch, with those that bought the Premium Edition or Constellation Edition having been able to start playing it from last Friday.
Given the cost, and the fact that the game is out for everyone on Wednesday, September 6 you’d think that sales of the Premium Edition would’ve quickly fallen off, but as of writing it’s still the number one selling Xbox game in the UK and most of the rest of the world.
It’s not actually the Premium Edition itself which is number one, as that costs £99.99, but the upgrade from the standard edition, which is £34.99. That suggests many people pre-ordered the standard edition and then decided they couldn’t wait any longer and bought the upgrade separately.
You do also get future access to story DLC through the Premium Edition, and a few other minor extras, but the central appeal is the five days early access, now reduced to one and a half.
The list of the top-selling titles is a little odd, but the absence of the standard edition is because it’s pre-order only and most of the other stranger inclusions, like the 10-year-old Assassin’s Creed 4 and whatever Who’s Your Daddy?! Is, is simply because they’re cheap.
Technically, the Premium Edition upgrade is also cheap, as it’s currently discounted to £31.49. It may be even cheaper by tomorrow but, of course, by that point it’ll be almost useless, except for the future DLC access.
Nevertheless, it’s so popular that the physical version of the upgrade – which is just a download code in a box – has entered the UK charts at number seven. Although you’ve got to wonder whether stores will make it clear that its main benefit disappears after Wednesday.
What is certain though is that, given how popular this has been, a similar system is certain to be used for other games in the future, with other publishers no doubt viewing Microsoft’s success with great interest.
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