Mass Effect: Andromeda special editions and preorder bonuses revealed

With the Mass Effect: Andromeda info piñata that exploded this morning, you may find yourself wondering, "That's great, but where can I buy it? In how many different versions? And what do I get if I throw money at it before I know if it's actually any good?" My friends, I—in the form of a relevant link to Origin—am here to help.

Mass Effect: Andromeda will be available in three flavors: The Standard edition gets you the basic game; upgrading to the Deluxe release adds on the Pathfinder Casual Outfit, the Scavenger Armor, the Pathfinder Elite Weapon Set, a pet Pyjak, a soundtrack download, and one instant Multiplayer Launch Pack, "which includes weapons and equipment to kick start your progress." The Super Deluxe Edition comes with all of that too, but instead of one Multiplayer Launch Pack you'll get 20 (one per week for 20 weeks), and 20 "Premium Pack" experience boosters.

The standard edition of Mass Effect: Andromeda lists on Origin for $60, the Deluxe edition goes for $70, and the Super Deluxe version will set you back $100. Regardless of which one you opt for, preordering will net you the Deep Space Explorer Armor, a Multiplayer Booster Pack with five 50-percent experience boosters, and the Nomad skin.

I'll be blunt: These don't strike me as particularly strong special editions. The Deluxe version isn't terrible—$10 isn't much of a price difference, and previous Mass Effect soundtracks have been very strong—but the Super Deluxe is an extra 40 bucks for nothing more than multiplayer bonuses, stretched out over a five-month span. What are the odds that you'll still be playing Andromeda's multiplayer in five months?

That holds true for the pre-order bonuses, too: I'm not one for reflexively repeating the "never pre-order" mantra, and obviously a lot of people are going to throw money at this simply because it's Mass Effect. But if a couple of skins and some XP boosters are all that's on the table, I think I'll wait and see what comes out the chute on launch day. Though I do expect the pet space monkey to earn EA some serious money.

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Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.