ScholarlyGamers

News

Farming Simulator 19 Editions and Pre-Order Bonuses at Launch

Before the November 20, 2018 launch, Farming Simulator 19 came in several editions with different pre-order bonuses depending on platform and retailer. This is how they compared.

· 3 min read

A model tractor, beanie and blank game cases laid out on a wooden table (AI-generated image)AI
[01] Editions differed by platform and store, down to the bonus vehicle. · AI-generated image

Farming Simulator 19 launches on November 20, 2018 for PC, Mac, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Each platform has more than one edition, and the pre-order bonuses vary by store. Below is how the main options compared before launch, by edition and platform.

Most pre-orders came with the Mahindra Retriever utility vehicle DLC, but not all, so it paid to check before buying. The list covers common retailers with pre-order bonuses and is not exhaustive.

Collector’s Edition (PC, Europe only)

The Collector’s Edition was PC only, physical only and sold only in Europe, through Amazon. Alongside a PC DVD copy of the game it included:

  • The John Deere XUV865M Gator utility vehicle DLC
  • A John Deere 7530 miniature tractor
  • A Farming Simulator beanie
  • Modding Video Tutorials 4.0
  • Farming Simulator 19 Commodore 64 Edition (an emulated version running on PC)
  • Two posters
  • Ten brand stickers
  • Five concept art cards

Maximum Games, the North American distributor of the physical editions, said it did not have the rights to distribute the PC Collector’s Edition. Publisher Focus Home Interactive did not comment. For North American PC players hoping for the Collector’s Edition, or for the Gator DLC it carried, that was a disappointment.

Standard Edition on PC and Mac

On PC the standard edition was available physically or digitally; on Mac, digitally only.

Digital

  • Farming Simulator website, PC and Mac: Mahindra Retriever DLC. GIANTS confirmed the bonus applied even though the site did not mention it.
  • Steam, PC and Mac: Mahindra Retriever DLC

Physical

  • Amazon: Mahindra Retriever DLC
  • Best Buy: Mahindra Retriever DLC

Standard Edition on consoles

Digital pre-orders on the North American PlayStation Network opened on October 23, 2018.

Digital

  • PlayStation Store: Mahindra Retriever DLC, plus a New Holland T6 Blue Power tractor and a Farming Simulator 19 PS4 theme
  • Xbox Store: Mahindra Retriever DLC

Physical (PS4 and Xbox One)

  • Amazon: Mahindra Retriever DLC
  • Best Buy: Mahindra Retriever DLC
  • GameStop: Mahindra Retriever DLC and a replica Farming Simulator cap

Season Pass and Premium Edition

For future DLC there were two routes.

Season Pass. Console players with a physical copy could buy the Season Pass at any time from their console’s digital store. Historically it has covered every DLC pack GIANTS makes for a game, including packs released before purchase. For Farming Simulator 15 and 17 that meant several equipment packs and a Platinum Edition, a large expansion with more machines and a new map.

Premium Edition. Digital console buyers could pre-order the Premium Edition instead of the standard one. On Xbox One it included:

  • The Season Pass
  • The John Deere XUV865M Gator utility vehicle DLC
  • The Mahindra Retriever utility vehicle DLC

The PlayStation Store listing did not mention the Gator, so it was unclear whether the PS4 Premium Edition included it. The PS4 digital version did add the New Holland T6 Blue Power and the PS4 theme.

At the time, the digital Premium Edition looked like the only way for console players to get the John Deere Gator. Physical copies and standard editions did not appear to include it.

Which version made sense

Read side by side, the options come down to three questions.

Which platform? On PC and Mac the bonuses were nearly identical everywhere, so the choice was about price and whether a boxed copy mattered. On PS4 the digital pre-order carried the most extras: the Retriever, the New Holland T6 and the theme.

Would DLC be bought later? If the answer was yes, the digital Premium Edition on console usually worked out cheaper than buying the game and the Season Pass separately, and on Xbox One it also carried the Gator. Players who expected to stay with the base game had no reason to pay for it.

How much did the Gator matter? It was a small utility vehicle, useful for getting around a map quickly, but not a machine that changes how a farm runs. For most players it was a nice extra, not a reason to choose one edition over another.

The editions also show how much Farming Simulator relies on DLC. The large Platinum Expansion, which added CLAAS machines and a new alpine-style map, arrived in October 2019, almost a year after launch.

Questions readers ask

What was the Farming Simulator 19 pre-order bonus?

Most pre-orders included the Mahindra Retriever utility vehicle DLC. The PlayStation Store version added a New Holland T6 Blue Power tractor and a PS4 theme, and GameStop added a replica cap.

What was in the Farming Simulator 19 Collector's Edition?

A PC DVD copy plus the John Deere XUV865M Gator DLC, a John Deere 7530 miniature tractor, a beanie, modding video tutorials, a Commodore 64 edition emulator, posters, stickers and concept art cards. It was sold only in Europe.

How did console players get the John Deere Gator DLC?

At launch, the only listed route on console was the digital Premium Edition on Xbox One. The PlayStation Store listing did not mention the Gator.