The first physical retail release from thatgamecompany, bringing Journey, Flower and flOw together on a single PlayStation 3 Blu-ray Disc alongside an unusually extensive archive of development material and bonus content.
Release Date
28 August 2012
Platform / Format
PlayStation 3 / Blu-ray Disc
Region
North America (NTSC-U/C)
Developer
thatgamecompany
Publisher
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Product Code
BCUS-98377
UPC
711719983774
Rating
ESRB E10+ – Fantasy Violence
Edition / Version
North American Collector’s Edition
Significance
thatgamecompany’s first physical retail release, preserving its three major PlayStation 3 works and substantial development material on disc.
Summary
Journey Collector’s Edition is a physical compilation of the first three PlayStation titles developed by thatgamecompany: flOw (2007), Flower (2009) and Journey (2012). All three had originally been released digitally through PlayStation Network, making this collection their first appearance together on physical media.
The centrepiece is Journey, the studio’s atmospheric adventure built around exploration and largely wordless interaction between players. Rather than presenting Journey alone, however, the Collector’s Edition places it alongside flOw and Flower, allowing the three games to be viewed as a progression through thatgamecompany’s early design philosophy.
The disc also contains a substantial collection of supplementary material. This includes the original soundtracks for all three games, creator-commentary playthroughs, concept artwork and screenshot galleries, official trailers and developer diaries, and a roughly 30-minute documentary about the making of Journey. Three experimental games — Gravediggers, Duke War!! and Nostril Shot — created during thatgamecompany’s internal 24-hour game jams are also included.
Release & Version Details
The North American Collector’s Edition was released on 28 August 2012 by Sony Computer Entertainment America under product code BCUS-98377. The scanned example carries UPC 711719983774 and the North American ESRB E10+ rating.
Journey Collector's Edition | NTSC-U:C | PS3 scan.pdf
This release is particularly notable because it predates the European physical edition. Europe initially received the Collector’s Edition digitally in April 2013, with the PAL physical edition following in June under the separate product code BCES-01740. Asian and Korean physical editions were also issued with their own regional identifiers.
The North American package uses reversible cover artwork and originally included printed material and a PSN redemption voucher. The voucher supplied 24 avatars from Journey and Flower, as confirmed by the surviving insert in this example. Journey Collector's Edition | NTSC-U:C | PS3 scan.pdf Digital entitlements associated with old redemption codes should not be assumed to remain unused or redeemable.
The disc itself contains:
- Journey
- Flower
- flOw
- approximately 30-minute Journey making-of documentary
- creator-commentary playthroughs for all three games
- original soundtracks for all three games
- concept art and screenshot galleries
- official trailers and developer diary videos
- PS3 dynamic themes and wallpapers
- PSN avatar content
- Gravediggers
- Duke War!!
- Nostril Shot
The three mini-games are especially unusual inclusions. They originated from internal 24-hour development exercises rather than conventional commercial projects and were made publicly playable through this collection.
Why It’s Significant
The most important aspect of Journey Collector’s Edition is that it represents thatgamecompany’s first physical retail release. Before this collection, the studio’s PlayStation work had been strongly associated with digital distribution through PlayStation Network.
As a result, the disc acts as more than a physical edition of Journey. It is effectively an early retrospective of the studio, documenting the progression from flOw through Flower to Journey and preserving supplementary material from their development.
Its preservation value has increased as the industry has moved further towards digital distribution. The three principal games remain available through other releases and platforms, but this PS3 edition preserves the games, soundtracks, commentary, documentary material, artwork and experimental projects together as a contemporary physical record of thatgamecompany’s early period.
The 2012 North American version is particularly relevant historically because it was the first regional physical release of the collection, preceding the European retail edition by almost a year.
Preservation Notes
Complete copies should be checked for their original printed inserts, particularly the PSN Avatar Redemption Code voucher shown in the archived example. Journey Collector's Edition | NTSC-U:C | PS3 scan.pdf Such loose paper components are easily separated from second-hand copies.
The reversible cover artwork is another identifying component worth preserving. Copies should therefore be checked for the original inlay rather than judged solely by the outward-facing cover design.
Because some of the edition’s bonuses were distributed through PlayStation Network redemption codes, those elements should be distinguished from the substantial amount of supplementary material stored directly on the Blu-ray Disc. Expired, redeemed or otherwise unusable codes do not prevent preservation of the disc-based content.
For regional identification, North American copies can be distinguished by BCUS-98377, UPC 711719983774, and the ESRB E10+ marking visible on both the packaging and disc.
Trivia & Interesting Facts
- Journey Collector’s Edition was thatgamecompany’s first release sold as a conventional physical retail game.
- Journey, Flower and flOw had all previously been distributed digitally through PlayStation Network.
- The three bonus mini-games originated from thatgamecompany’s internal 24-hour game jams, in which projects were created from start to finish within a single day.
- The collection contains the original soundtracks for all three principal games rather than limiting its extras to conventional promotional videos and artwork.
- The North American edition appeared in August 2012, while European players did not receive a physical PAL edition until June 2013.
- The original North American packaging included reversible artwork.
- The avatar voucher included with this copy advertises 24 PSN avatars from Journey and Flower.
- The release arrived only a few months after Journey itself debuted digitally on PlayStation 3 in March 2012.
About the Snows Mini Preservation Project
This item has been documented as part of the Snows Mini Preservation Project, an ongoing effort to preserve and catalogue physical media. Our aim is to record releases, variations and their historical significance for collectors and future enthusiasts. Most items featured in the project form part of our archive and may not be for sale.
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