Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Collector’s Edition delayed for Europe past the game’s launch

destructoid.com:

Nintendo is splitting out the game from the other contents of the Collector’s Edition for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. While the base game will still launch on July 29, the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Collector’s Edition contents won’t roll out for Europe until after the game’s launch.

In a statement, Nintendo says that due to “unforeseen logistical challenges,” the company is unable to open pre-orders for the collector’s edition until after the game launches.

Rather than hold off on selling the game, Nintendo will be offering the contents of the Collector’s Edition as a separate purchase. That way fans can purchase Xenoblade Chronicles 3 at launch and not have to re-buy the software.

The Collector’s Edition includes a softcover concept art book, a steel case, and the outer packaging that holds everything.

Pre-orders for the Collector’s Edition contents will open sometime later in September. The special contents of the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Collector’s Edition are expected to be delivered sometime around autumn 2022, and all items will be shipped with free delivery. You can sign up for updates on the Nintendo UK site as well.

The rollout of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Collector’s Edition hasn’t been smooth sailing. The online store has had a few pre-order windows, and they were usually accompanied by waves of people sitting in a long virtual queue and not making it in. The online storefront even crashed for some. Nintendo has to host several waves of releases as it resolved issues with purchasing physical products on the My Nintendo Store.

Whether this will still be a sought-after Collector’s Edition in September, we’ll see. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is due out later this month on July 29. As Chris wrote in our preview, the RPG is so far