Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition hits PS5 tomorrow, and while combined releases of games and their DLC are pretty common, this one stands out because it's actually complete on disc - or, rather, discs.
Earlier this week, developer Guerrilla confirmed that when the Complete Edition launches for PS5 on October 6, "the physical release will include everything - patches and DLC." This is a massive boon for physical game collectors, since it means you can keep a fully patched-up and finalized version of Forbidden West on your shelf that will remain in its ideal state even after PS5 servers have eventually shut down. No need to download any updates when those updates are already on-disc.
It's not completely unheard of for modern developers to offer updated physical releases containing a game's full rollout of patches and DLC - the Complete Edition for Horizon Zero Dawn on PS4 is a good example. Some updated physical games are released much more quietly, however. Numerous Switch cartridges, for example, get revised printings with patches included on-cart, and it's been a long-term fan project to figure out which cart revision is which.
Sadly, it's often more common for "complete" re-releases to simply include a digital voucher for some DLC and the same unpatched disc that the game launched with in the first place. As we enter an era where old console online services begin to shut down, the future availability of those patches remains uncertain, so for collectors - like me - who enjoy returning to old games over the years, whatever's actually included on the disc is pretty important.
Of course, Forbidden West is massive in terms of file size, especially with the Burning Shores DLC included. Some early shots of the back of the Complete Edition box suggest that it's actually going to come with two discs, which means it's going to beat Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth as the first double-platter PS5 game. That second disc certainly adds a bit of manufacturing cost to the Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition package, but I'm thrilled that Guerrilla and Sony are going the extra mile on this release.
Piracy is the only real path to preservation for a lot of digital-first games, as potential legal alternatives require individuals to go to some ridiculous lengths to help save game history.
