Aliens Fireteam Elite 2: Is the Premium Upgrade Worth It

The Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 40th Anniversary Premium Upgrade is a $19.99 add-on that unlocks two cosmetic weapon-and-outfit packs for players who already own the Digital Standard Edition — it adds zero gameplay advantage and zero early access. This guide breaks down the exact math between Standard, the Upgrade, and the full Premium Edition, what’s actually inside the two cosmetic packs, and the two things (squad size and Switch 2 timing) you need to know before you pick an edition on August 25.

The 40th Anniversary Premium Upgrade is the paid DLC bundle that turns a Digital Standard Edition copy into the equivalent of the 40th Anniversary Premium Edition, without forcing you to buy the game again. The DLC content is also available August 25 as a $19.99 Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 – 40th Anniversary Premium Edition Upgrade for players who purchased the Digital Standard Edition. It bundles two themed cosmetic packs and nothing tied to progression, difficulty, or content gating — it exists purely so people who already bought Standard don’t have to double-dip on the base game to get the anniversary cosmetics.

This is the part worth spelling out because the pricing is designed to be a wash either way. There’s also a 40th Anniversary Premium Edition upgrade, bringing the price to $69.99 and including a couple of DLC packs inspired by the Alien universe, and the DLC will also be sold separately as a $19.99 upgrade. Buy Standard for $49.99 today and the Upgrade for $19.99 next month, and you’ve spent $69.99 — the exact same number as buying the full Premium Edition on day one. There’s no discount for committing early and no penalty for waiting.

So the decision isn’t really about price, it’s about certainty. If you’re already sure you want the cosmetics, buying Premium outright saves you a second purchase and a second update download. If you’re not sure yet, or you want to see the Ripley and Herk Mondo skins in motion before paying for them, buying Standard and grabbing the Upgrade later costs you nothing extra. For a broader look at what the sequel changes structurally, the Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 release date and platform guide covers the rest of the launch details beyond editions.

The Upgrade contains exactly two packs, and both are cosmetic-only. Ripley’s Hive Exterminator Pack includes an exclusive cosmetic outfit themed to Ellen Ripley’s appearance near the dramatic climax of 1986’s Aliens, and all player-created characters can wear the outfit, adding a visual nod to the film rather than anything tied to a specific class. Alongside the outfit, players can also exclusively wield Ripley’s modified pulse rifle, featuring a fiery surprise and further customize their marine with exclusive decals and more. One source specifies the pack’s decal count at her iconic outfit, a modified Pulse Rifle with a unique special effect, additional weapon skins, and eight themed decals.

The second pack skews comic-book rather than film. Herk Mondo’s Pest Pack draws inspiration from the over-the-top comic-book hero, including an appropriately wild outfit for taking on xenomorphic threats. On the weapon side, it also includes an exclusive weapon, Herk Mondo’s massive, modified pulse rifle and a host of decals and other elements to make customizable characters stand apart from the pack. A separate report pegs the decal count specifically at a modified Pulse Rifle, exclusive weapon color variants, and nine unique decals. The two figures (eight and nine decals) come from different outlets, so treat the exact count as approximate until you can check it in-game.

Two things matter more than which edition you pick. First, this sequel changes squad size entirely: expanding from three to four players, AFE2 introduces deeper team-based mechanics that reward coordination and strategic class composition. That’s a structural rework, not a cosmetic one — classes were rebuilt around a four-person fireteam instead of the original’s three, which is worth reading up on separately if you’re coordinating a squad for launch day. The Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 classes guide breaks down all six classes and how the specialist role factors into that four-player rework.

Second, if you’re planning to play on Switch 2, the August 25 date does not apply to you. Aliens: Fireteam Elite 2 will be available worldwide on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Epic Games Store, and Steam on August 25; it will also come to Nintendo Switch 2 this fall. There’s no way to buy or play it on Switch 2 on launch day no matter which edition you choose — that version ships separately, months later.

It’s also worth noting the anniversary packs aren’t the only cosmetic DLC launching alongside the game. The Romulus-themed content is not included in the 40th Anniversary Premium Edition, but is available separately for either version of the game for $9.99. That pack, based on Alien: Romulus, is a fully separate purchase regardless of whether you buy Standard or Premium — don’t assume Premium covers it, because it doesn’t.

Myth: Premium Edition unlocks content early

Nothing in the announced details points to early access, exclusive missions, or gated content behind the Premium Edition. The two packs are cosmetics you can equip once you’re playing — there’s no confirmed head start of any kind.

Myth: buying Premium now is cheaper than upgrading later

It isn’t. As shown above, $49.99 plus a $19.99 upgrade equals exactly $69.99 — the same total as the Premium Edition on day one. The only real cost of waiting is a second transaction, not extra money.

Myth: the anniversary packs include the Romulus content

They don’t. Ripley’s Hive Exterminator Pack and Herk Mondo’s Pest Pack are the only two packs bundled into the 40th Anniversary Premium Edition or its Upgrade. The Alien: Romulus-themed pack is a separate $9.99 purchase available to owners of either edition.