Gears of War: E-Day Collector's Editions are turning up with broken statues
The Coalition has posted a support notice acknowledging that some Gears of War: E-Day Collector's Editions arrived with damaged components, days before the game's launch. It is telling affected buyers to go through their retailer.
Gears of War: E-Day does not launch until October 6, but its most expensive edition is already generating support tickets. In a notice posted to the official Gears of War site on September 29, the team acknowledged that "a limited number" of customers have received the Collector's Edition with damaged components.
What the notice says
The post says the team is "actively investigating the issue and working to determine next steps." It does not commit to a replacement, a refund or a repair, and it does not give a deadline for claims. Instead, affected buyers are directed to contact the retailer they bought from and submit a request.
The routing depends on where you are. Customers in North America and the wider Americas, the UK and the EU are pointed at DPI, the fulfilment partner handling the edition. In Australia and New Zealand, it is JB Hi-Fi or EB Games support.
Why it lands badly now
The Collector's Edition is built around a statue, so a damaged statue is most of the reason to buy it. The timing is awkward too: pre-installation for E-Day opened on September 29, Early Access for Premium Edition owners starts on October 1, and the full launch is October 6. Anyone whose statue arrived in pieces is being asked to wait on an investigation while the game they bought it for goes live.
There is no word yet on how many editions are affected, or whether the damage is a packaging problem, a manufacturing one, or shipping. PlayThruu will update this story when The Coalition sets out those next steps.
Why it matters
Collector's editions are the most expensive way to buy a game and the least protected when something goes wrong, and a publisher pointing buyers back at retailers without promising a remedy is worth watching if you spent the money.