Dragon Age: The Veilguard's Collector's Edition Lets Me Correct a 10-Year-Old Mistake (2024)

Dragon Age: Inquisition was the first title in the franchise I was able to play day one, and I have seriously fond memories of picking up my copy from GameStop, going home with some friends, and playing it till late into the night. I remember my first Inquisitor, I remember the feeling when I realized Solas was truly not just another Dalish elf, and I remember everything leading up to its release - because I made a mistake that has truthfully haunted me for years. Thanks to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I finally feel redeemed in this mistake.

It was sometime after Dragon Age 2 came out that I first played the franchise. I was still in high school, and I was still too poor to afford a lot of video games. I needed something to play and asked a friend of mine if he had anything I could borrow. He mentioned having Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2, so logically I started with the first one. Then, he warned me of the changes in Dragon Age 2, but I also wanted to borrow it. I then bought both games when I could. I bought all the DLC associated with them. It took one playthrough of Dragon Age: Origins, where I played as a City Elf Warrior named Raleigh who romanced Morrigan yet still sacrificed himself to bring the Fifth Blight to an end, to hook me. I am a bit obsessive by nature, but I've never played a franchise as much as I have this one. In fact, I just recently finished a whole run of Dragon Age ahead of The Veilguard. I often joke I know more about Thedas and its history than I do the real world.

Of course, when Dragon Age: Inquisition was announced, I wanted and needed to be there day one.

Dragon Age: Inquisition Was a Must-Play Day One for Me

By the time of Dragon Age: Inquisition's release, the franchise had already permanently endeared itself to me. I could write a thousand love letters and still not explain exactly what this franchise means to me, and I couldn't begin to fathom the number of Wardens, Hawkes, and Inquisitors I've played over the years. When Inquisition was announced, I was about 19 years old and had only turned 20 a couple of months before its release. I knew I needed to be there. If I recall correctly, it was around this time I first became familiar with Game Rant and following news sites for any crumb I could get about Inquisition. Fun fact: my oldest son is named, partially, after my first Warden, and I used a Dorian profile picture for the longest time. I love that man.

In the months before its release, I knew I really, really wanted Dragon Age: Inquisition's Collector's Edition, called the Inquisitor's Edition. I mean, just look at the image below and know IT was repping what a CE should be. It had a beautiful case, tarot cards for Dragon Age companions, a map of Thedas, a lot of beautiful little collectibles. I was OBSESSED. At the time, I didn't make a lot of money, so new game releases for me were far and few between. Years later, what I would do for new game pre-orders is visit GameStop once a week and put $5-10 on an upcoming game. I would keep paying on it before the game released, but it worked for a lot of things. I don't remember how I got the money up for Dragon Age: Inquisition's CE, but I saved up enough to get the whole thing.

I somehow got the money and needed a way to order it. This was before my frequent visits to GameStop to pre-order games, I think, but I don't know why I ultimately didn't do it through the store. I really, really should have known better than what I did next, but I was 20-years-old and I was no Warden. I could barely take care of myself, much less save the world from a Blight and much less figure out how to work a credit card. The job I had at the time was old-fashioned; I received paper checks that I'd cash at a local gas station, instead of direct deposits. I didn't have a bank account or anything like that at the time, so I figured the easiest thing for me to do would be to buy one of those prepaid cards, charge it with enough money to order the CE online, and be done with it. I was so excited. I remember talking my wife's head off at Huddle House about all the things in it and all I knew about the game at the time. I was riding the highest of highs over this and came crashing down harder than High Dragon in Dragon Age.

Not long before the game's release, I had received an email that my pre-order was canceled due to a lack of funds. I was so confused. Two things happened that I did not understand at the time. First, pre-orders don't take the money until the item ships. I thought the moment I pre-ordered it, I was paid in full and had it. Secondly, prepaid cards charge a monthly fee. I mean, sure, I know that now and I should have known it then, but I ended up charging that card with enough for the pre-order, pre-ordering the Inquisitior's Edition, and forgetting about it. In that time, the fees were high enough that I had no realistic way of pre-ordering it again, even it had any stock for me to do so. I emailed, called everyone I could, and filled in all the support channels I could figure out at the time, but the simple truth is: I didn't understand what I was doing, I lost a lot of money to monthly fees, and I was Inquisitor's Edition-less.

To make matters worse, I was dealing with my college classes and my car had broken down, meaning whatever money I did have needed to go to more important things. I was seriously down about this and did not have a way to take care of my responsibilities and get the Inquisitor's Edition. I ended up letting it go and getting a refund of what I could off that card, and that was helpful. But it was only thanks to some friends that I managed to fix my car and also pre-order a standard copy of the game. $100, give or take, and a seriously unlucky streak of events meant I was not getting that CE. I still played day one, I still loved every second of it, and my first Inquisitor was a Qunari Mage named Onyx. But I've thought about this story a lot over the years, and once The Veilguard was officially announced, I knew I needed to get that CE this time around.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a Must-Play Day One for Me

I didn't even look at the content at first. I watched the latest Dragon Age: The Veilguard trailer, losing my mind at every second of it and getting my mind totally blown when I saw the pre-order bonus was Blood Dragon Armor. Hell. Yes. The trailer didn't show the CE so I quickly Googled it and looked on Twitter. Hats off to Wario64. Because of that account, I rushed to the GS website and pre-ordered the Rook's Coffer Edition (and Digital Deluxe copy of the game). Looking over it now, the box design is incredible, the dagger is perfect, and there are TAROT CARDS FOR ROOK. The good news is I have my pre-order secured, AND I know how credit cards work.

It's a silly thing, sure, but I've long been upset that I missed out on the Inquisitor's Edition. I had this idea in my head how my first night with the game would go, and of course, I loved every second of it. It just hurt knowing that one thing I wanted and worked hard for at the time was lost, of course at no one's fault but my own. I wasn't going to repeat that mistake. I have my pre-order locked in, and I know I'll be excited to get this CE and to play the game. Even if it comes in later, I'm going to set up a display space and be so excited to see the box, the dagger, and all of that every time I play. Having locked in the pre-order for this CE, I feel a bit of redemption, and I am so excited to see how the fandom has reacted to this trailer. I am so excited to see where this story goes, I am so excited to see how Thedas changes, and I am so excited to get to know each and every single one of Dragon Age: Veilguard's companions. WITH MY CE FINALLY PROUDLY DISPLAYED.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Enter the world of Thedas, a vibrant land of rugged wilderness, treacherous labyrinths, and glittering cities – steeped in conflict and secret magics. Now, a pair of corrupt ancient gods have broken free from centuries of darkness and are hellbent on destroying the world.

Thedas needs someone they can count on. Rise as Rook, Dragon Age’s newest hero. Be who you want to be and play how you want to play as you fight to stop the gods from blighting the world. But you can’t do this alone – the odds are stacked against you. Lead a team of seven companions, each with their own rich story to discover and shape, and together you will become The Veilguard.

RPG

Systems

OpenCritic Reviews

Franchise

Dragon Age

Platform(s)

PC , PlayStation 5 , Xbox Series S , Xbox Series X

Released

October 31, 2024

Developer(s)

BioWare

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Engine

Frostbite