🏒 Premium Edition Games | Britt Interviews JP 🏒 #IndieGames

Recently, Britt was lucky enough to catch up with the co-owner of Premium Edition, JP. A company that specialises in the physical release of indie titles on the Nintendo Switch (something that we at Games Freezer FULLY support) - we HAD to know more. 

What events led to the forming of Premium Edition Games?

First off, I wanted to say thank you for allowing us this opportunity to share some details about our company as we have now begun shipping out our first two releases, Super Blood Hockey and Pigeon Dev Games Collection.

When I think back about what led to the formation, it really began as a casual conversation between myself and Jeffrey Wittenhagen. We initially first connected when Jeffrey reached out to me with an idea to do a year-by-year chronological book series that would cover the entire Nintendo Switch physical library (along with some key digital games, etc.).

From there, we then decided to start a weekly podcast series, Switchmania Playcast, to not only help promote the upcoming book but share our love of the Switch. Needless to say, we kept talking about what else we could do together and when Jeffrey proposed the idea of Premium Edition Games, it sounded like the next logical step for us. 

Although we officially launched on August 11, 2020, we had been talking about this for the better part of the year in addition to ensuring everything was set-up for us to launch in August. It's crazy to think we're already approaching the one year anniversary, but it's been such a fun and wild ride up to this point.

What is the focus of Premium Edition Games and how do you see the company evolving?

Our focus is to preserve games physically! There are so many amazing titles on the eShop that potentially may never see a physical and we want to do our part to "save" the ones we love for generations to enjoy on a physical cartridge.

The entire team feels so humbled and blessed that we have the ability to work with such amazing developers and digital publishers to bring their games off the eShop for new and existing gamers to enjoy.

Additionally, we want to have fun with our releases! It's not just about making physical games but making sure they are enjoyed. That is why we started the Challenge Patches where those who buy our games have the opportunity to complete a developer-specific challenge and earn a free patch in the mail!

Also, we include slipcovers and full-colour manuals because we grew up in an era where the packaging was packed to the brim with fun physical goodies.  

In terms of evolving, we definitely love the Nintendo Switch so our primary focus right now is that. However, we are always open to expanding to other consoles and also "enhancing" existing physical releases by creating cool packaging, manuals, etc. for those that may never have gotten them.

However, that's still in the early discussion stages so I would say to stay tuned!

I’m a firm believer in the importance of physical media, what draws you to games and how do you choose which you’d like to release as physical editions?

We're the same way! Jeffrey and I both grew up when physical gaming was the way to play. It's when you'd get manuals, maps, and really beautiful packaging with the games. That love of physical media never went away and that's why we don't even know how to do a barebones release.

When we look for games we are interested in seeing if a physical release is possible, we focus on a few key items. Is the game fun? Do we absolutely love it and can't stop playing? Is the developer(s) passionate about their titles and do they have an interest in bringing it physically?

From there, we'll start conversations, brainstorming and see what we can do and if we're the right fit!

I can see that you have different editions of titles that you release, can you explain a little about the differences between them?

Happy to! All of our releases will have the "Premium Edition" and "Retro Edition" versions. These includes:

Premium Edition

• Slipcover

• Game case w/ interior artwork

• Full-colour manual

• Challenge Card

• Secret item (should be revealed by the time of this interview as we're waiting on the community to share!) 

Retro Edition

• Everything from the Premium Edition

• Retro-inspired box

• Content May Vary with each release: SteelBook, Soundtrack CD, other goodies

Deluxe Edition

• Everything from the Retro Edition

• NEO GEO inspired case to hold the Retro Edition

• Premium Guide that covers the history of the game, interviews, the physical process and of course a walkthrough of the game

• Enamel Pin

• Slipcover to hold the Deluxe case & Premium Guide together

Digital releases can easily fly under the radar. A perfect example of this is actually Super Blood Hockey, which Premium Edition Games are now releasing in physical form. I reviewed the game back in 2017 on Steam and LOVED how it captured the visceral thrills of titles like Brutal Sports Football on the Amiga but I recall lamenting how it could get lost in the deluge of releases through Steam.

As a particular fan of Super Blood Hockey, how did that relationship start as one of the first Premium Edition Game releases?

We are beyond thrilled to have Super Blood Hockey by Loren Lemcke and Digerati be our first physical release. It was a game on our radar when we first started compiling our list of games we wanted to pursue.

Very early on, we got in contact with Digerati who handles the digital publishing for the game among many other titles. Through discussions and looking at their catalogue, we obviously began focusing more on Super Blood Hockey and once we spoke with Loren, we knew it was going to be a match made in heaven.

Our combined love of retro plus the pure fun factor of Super Blood Hockey made this an easy choice for us to move forward with. Throughout the entire process, Loren and the Digerati team have been amazing to work with and set the bar high for how we envision working with all future developers and publishers. 

How have the developers that you’ve worked with reacted to the opportunity of a physical release of their game? From my perspective, it almost feels like validation and gives the game a sense of longevity.

What does the future hold for Premium Edition Games, can you give us any exciting titbits of upcoming information?

It's truly been humbling. As I mentioned before, we talked with Loren (Super Blood Hockey) early on and could immediately hear and feel his passion. As we discussed our company and what we wanted to bring to his physical release, you could sense the shared enthusiasm in making this happen.

I can only imagine what a developer is feeling to spend years on a game and to have a company interested in preserving it physically. Even though it may have already come out on the eShop, it's getting a fresh breath of air as new gamers are going to be experiencing (and playing!) Super Blood Hockey for the first time.

Additionally, with the Pigeon Dev Games Collection, we primarily have been working with Sometimes You (digital publisher) due to a language barrier with the developer, but it's been the same experience. We're so excited that our second release is a multi-cart application with four individual games (Pigeon Dev, Pigeon Dev 2, Explosive Jake, and Bucket Knight) on one cartridge! How cool is that?!

We all know A Robot Named Fight! is coming soon from us along with the Sunshine Anthology, but what else can I tease? Hmm! All I'll say is one of our next games really makes the grade!

Where can people find you online?

You can find us everywhere, haha! Below are the links on where you can buy our games as well as just hang out with us on social media!

Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Discord

Anything else?

On behalf of Jeffrey and myself, we would just like to personally say thank you! A big thanks to our entire dedicated team as none of this would be possible without their support. We want to thank the developers and digital publishers who believed in us from the very beginning and trusted us with their games to do it justice physically. Then there is the community! Without so much love, patience and support, we would not be at this stage of the game. Their love of physical games and well wishes have all contributed to us putting out the best possible version of our games! We are beyond thrilled to not only be gamers and collectors ourselves within the community but also now able to bring games to them that they can enjoy.

Finally, don't forget to pick-up your copy of Super Blood Hockey and Pigeon Dev Games Collection today!

JP

Co-Founder, Premium Edition Games

Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | Discord