How to unlock all Burning Shores pre-order bonuses

The latest DLC for Horizon: Forbidden West, called Burning Shores, is out today and follows Aloy on a new adventure exclusive to the PlayStation 5. In a rather strange decision, the DLC also comes with several pre-order bonuses - which has been the topic of minor controversy. The pre-order bonuses are only applicable to players who have purchased a copy of Burning Shores ahead of time and include several exciting in-game cosmetics and equipment.

The items are not redeemable immediately upon starting the game but must be collected manually from a certain point in the DLC campaign.

Note: Minor spoilers for Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores will follow. Discretion may be advised.

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Pre-order bonuses for Burning Shores unlocked past certain point in DLC campaign

Players who have successfully pre-ordered the Burning Shores DLC for Horizon Forbidden West must first complete a certain portion of the campaign to proceed with unlocking the bonuses. Complete around 30 minutes of the DLC campaign and make your way to Fleet’s End to receive the Very Rare Blacktide Sharpshot Bow and Blacktide Quen Commander Legendary outfit.

Both items can be redeemed against a singular Metal Shard each, with the Stitcher and Hunter offering the outfit and bow respectively.

Additionally, the Blacktide Dye is also available for use the moment you visit a Dyer.

Players should, however, note that these pre-order bonuses are only available from the expansion itself, and a playthrough of the main campaign of Horizon Forbidden West must be completed before attempting to redeem these items.

The DLC is only available to owners of both Horizon Forbidden West and a PlayStation 5, with no support for the PlayStation 4 version planned at the time of writing this article.

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Are pre-order bonuses worth it?

Note: This section represents the writer’s opinions and is subjective in nature.

Despite the somewhat controversial nature of the release of pre-orders, especially for an expansion, the latest DLC addition for Horizon Forbidden West includes some interesting bonuses for the game's early stages.

The Blacktide Quen Commander outfit and Blacktide Sharpshot Bow are decent weapons in their own right and do not disturb the game balance in any way. Both items can be useful in the earlier parts of the DLC but are likely to be replaced with better gear as you progress further into the game.

This is positive news for players who wish to purchase the DLC at a later date, as they will not feel left out.

Players looking to invest in this exclusive gear must, however, keep in mind that it requires Brimstone for upgrades - which may be spent on better gear instead. Additionally, the Blacktide Quen Commander outfit is a better pick of the two on account of it being a Legendary item.

Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores is set to be released on April 19 2023 exclusively for the PlayStation 5 as a DLC for Horizon Forbidden West.