Thewitcher Ps4 Box 1

I'm not overly thrilled at the fact that my age is beginning to increase against my will, but I am thankful that I'm old enough to appreciate physical media. It scares me somewhat that the kids growing up today may never know what it means to flick through the lyrics in a record sleeve or sniff the manual inside a brand new game. It's pleasing, then, to see CD Projekt Red stick a middle finger up at current trends.

It's a sign of the times that when I saw a photograph of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's outstanding retail package on Reddit this morning, I instantly assumed that it was a Collector's Edition of some kind. But it's not: the image that you see above is everything that comes in the game's standard physical set. And yes, I have double-checked my Amazon order just to make extra sure that I didn't accidentally order some special bundle. I didn't.

"You could argue that it's all additional guff, but compared to my PS4 library, this is incredible stuff"

So, let's rundown what you get: the traditional Blu-ray itself comes in a cardboard wrapper, which adds a bit of class to the whole product. Slipping it out reveals a manual, which may be printed in black and white, but is above and beyond what you get with most games these days. You also get a separate compendium insert, telling you about some of the game's major characters and plot beats, as well as a 'Thank You' note from the developer.

But that's not all: you get the game's full soundtrack on a standalone CD, as well as a high-quality map of the game's open world which has been printed on heavy-duty paper. And just to sweeten the deal, the studio's thrown in a couple of wolf stickers for you to attach to whatever takes your fancy. You could argue that it's all additional guff, but compared to the virtually empty cases elsewhere in my PS4 library, this is incredible stuff.

There was a time when this was the standard for all new games, but the fact that I'm taking 20 minutes to pen this short soapbox in the first place shows just how much things have changed. And even if I don't end up enjoying The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt as much as our reviewer, the care and consideration that's gone into the package's physical presentation will always impress me. Step it up, industry – you're being outclassed.

Would you like to see more retail packages like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, or are you done with physical goods? Start a collection in the comments section below.

Would you like to see more retail sets like The Witcher 3? (72 votes)

  1. Yes, physical goods should include more than a Blu-ray and case93%
  2. Meh, I'm not really fussed1%
  3. No, I want to play the game and don't care about the extra crap6%

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