Was there a limited amount of the hardened edition available for pre-order? I'm I screwed if I didn't get one already?

The "official" word is that they only make a limited amount. With that said, you can buy the prestige edition of MW2 from Amazon right now, so I wouldn't worry too much. If you are worried, just pre-order it online. You can always change your mind later.

If you're wondering if you should go with the Hardened over the standard, here's what it all includes:

- The Call of Duty: MW3 game disc, featuring unique disc art
- 1-year Call of Duty Elite premium membership, including:
- 20 pieces of Modern Warfare 3 DLC delivered over a 9 month period
- Incredible variety, including new MP maps, Spec Ops missions and game modes
- Ownership of all DLC, even if your membership expires
- Prized Events, Operations, Leagues and custom in-game playlist and modes
- Special Founder status on Call of Duty Elite, including:
- Unique Founder weapon camo and profile skin
- Exclusive Founder in-game Player Card and Emblem
- Access to the private ""#Founder" Group
- Special Founder Clan XP boost
- Special Founder Operations, Events and Leagues
- Exclusive Founder prizes and experiences
- Premium, collectible steelbook case
- Exclusive Special Ops Juggernaut Xbox LIVE outfit
- Limited edition, collectible field journal chronicling the entire saga with 100+ pages of authentic military sketches, diagrams and written entries

And even more info can be found here:

http://www.callofduty.com/elite/whats-included.html

Call of Duty + free Elite membership = $60

1 Year of Premium Elite membership = $50

Buying the DLC piece by piece as it's released = $60 (if price structure and number of DLC releases follows Black Ops)

Basically, if you think you're going to buy all of the DLC as it's released, the Hardened edition will save you 20 dollars, you'll get to play the DLC earlier, and it'll get you a bunch of exclusive content, none of which will have any effect on the gameplay itself.

Then again, If you'd you rather just buy the game itself, and never touch the DLC, you're welcome to do that. It still comes with 16 maps, which is the same number MW1 and MW2 included. Nothing has changed in that respect.

Is the Founder status exclusive to the hardened edition or can I get it by buying the paid subscription version of Elite?

Also, what is "Special Founder Clan XP boost"?

@MARdude said:

Is the Founder status exclusive to the hardened edition or can I get it by buying the paid subscription version of Elite?

Also, what is "Special Founder Clan XP boost"?

The Hardened Edtion comes with a free paid subscription of Elite, and is 40 dollars more than the retail price of the game. It also comes with some extra free crap, such as an art book and metal game case. The paid subscription on its own is 50 dollars. The Founder things are specifically said to be elite pre-order exclusives, so unless it turns out there is a way to pre-order Elite outside of the Hardened Edition, I wouldn't think so.

And not much is known about Clan XP boost, other than it will help your clan level up faster. For example, it's currently unknown if one clan member / leader with the XP Boost will let ANY clan members level the clan faster, or if the only members who will be leveling the clan faster are the ones with the XP Boost. Furthermore, Clan XP is likely only going to be tied to cosmetic rewards, so it's nothing that I would worry about too much.

- 20 pieces of Modern Warfare 3 DLC delivered over a 9 month period

Do you think that means every map in a map pack is a piece of DLC or do you think Map Packs will count as one? The whole reason I want to buy the hardened edition is just to already get the DLC out of the way.

@MrMazz said:

- 20 pieces of Modern Warfare 3 DLC delivered over a 9 month period

Do you think that means every map in a map pack is a piece of DLC or do you think Map Packs will count as one? The whole reason I want to buy the hardened edition is just to already get the DLC out of the way.

They've announced that there will be 20 pieces of content. Each piece could be anything from a multiplayer/survival map, a new game mode, a new spec-ops mission, or a new mission for single player. After the content has been available for Elite Premium subscribers for a while, and after there have been four or five pieces of DLC released through Elite Premium, they're going to bundle that content and sell it as a DLC pack. This will work just like the DLC packs for previous COD titles.

And if you do want the Hardened Edition, then good luck. It's currently sold out everywhere online, and is said to likely be in extremely short supply at various retail stores on launch day. You're best bet is to keep an eye on Amazon, GameSpot and other online retailers, and hope they get another allotment of Hardened pre-orders before launch.

@SpaceInsomniac said:

@MARdude said:

Is the Founder status exclusive to the hardened edition or can I get it by buying the paid subscription version of Elite?

Also, what is "Special Founder Clan XP boost"?

The Hardened Edtion comes with a free paid subscription of Elite, and is 40 dollars more than the retail price of the game. It also comes with some extra free crap, such as an art book and metal game case. The paid subscription on its own is 50 dollars. The Founder things are specifically said to be elite pre-order exclusives, so unless it turns out there is a way to pre-order Elite outside of the Hardened Edition, I wouldn't think so.

And not much is known about Clan XP boost, other than it will help your clan level up faster. For example, it's currently unknown if one clan member / leader with the XP Boost will let ANY clan members level the clan faster, or if the only members who will be leveling the clan faster are the ones with the XP Boost. Furthermore, Clan XP is likely only going to be tied to cosmetic rewards, so it's nothing that I would worry about too much.

Thanks for the info. I have an update.

The main reason I was asking those questions was because the pre-orders of the hardened edition were all gone. I was able to pre-order the regular edition though at best buy as well as pre-order the one year membership for elite. Apparently as long as anyone activates their Premium Elite Membership within I believe the first 4 days after game launch they automatically achieve Founder Status. The rest of the hardened edition bonuses you miss out on though for buying Premium Elite separately.

@MARdude said:

@SpaceInsomniac said:

The Hardened Edtion comes with a free paid subscription of Elite, and is 40 dollars more than the retail price of the game. It also comes with some extra free crap, such as an art book and metal game case. The paid subscription on its own is 50 dollars. The Founder things are specifically said to be elite pre-order exclusives, so unless it turns out there is a way to pre-order Elite outside of the Hardened Edition, I wouldn't think so.

And not much is known about Clan XP boost, other than it will help your clan level up faster. For example, it's currently unknown if one clan member / leader with the XP Boost will let ANY clan members level the clan faster, or if the only members who will be leveling the clan faster are the ones with the XP Boost. Furthermore, Clan XP is likely only going to be tied to cosmetic rewards, so it's nothing that I would worry about too much.

Thanks for the info. I have an update.

The main reason I was asking those questions was because the pre-orders of the hardened edition were all gone. I was able to pre-order the regular edition though at best buy as well as pre-order the one year membership for elite. Apparently as long as anyone activates their Premium Elite Membership within I believe the first 4 days after game launch they automatically achieve Founder Status. The rest of the hardened edition bonuses you miss out on though for buying Premium Elite separately.

I'm glad you thought to come back to this thread and clear this up. When I last posted, I don't believe it was known that you could purchase Premium Elite outside of the Hardened Edition, and still get Founder Status. We now know that you can, which greatly lowers the importance of the Hardened Edition package.

Hardened will still save you 10 dollars, and get you some free physical items, but that's about it.