Not a terrible strategy for a fighting game. Just buy the characters you like.

Collectors edition for a digital title? O_o

How is that even possible?

Buy collection, get along with it the usual collectors stuff and perhaps codes to download it to for example a PC.

Dark Souls half did it with some content... like making of video for example.

big disappointment. i would have liked to have seen an awsome game. i did not. i love the KI series, maybe it will get better down thee road, doubt it but who knows.

depending on the price per character this could be fine.

...but i really would have though MS would want this game on store shelves.

Same, I reckon it would sell really well. If they're doing a 'full' digital version, what's the harm doing a box one.

You can buy the full game at launch with all the characters and everything. What they were talking about is letting people download the game for free with only one playable character. It's like a demo, but lets you access everything in the game with just the one characters, and you can buy additional characters separately if you want to.

*edit* Folks should go watch the Gamespot interview. I also watched a Youtube video of a guy that played the game and said it was amazing. 

Why not put a small roster in first (instead of just 1) then do the micro-transactions for the additional characters later?

@smroadkill15 said:

 Ah now it made sense. I was confused there for a moment. Thanks for pointing out the interview.

Wow, talk about a round kick to the face to fans, thought it does make sense...I guess since f2p is starting to get big.

Killer Instinct Launching with Xbox One in November, Free-to-Play Format a Misconception: http://shoryuken.com/2013/06/11/killer-instinct-launching-with-xbox-one-in-november-as-free-to-play-digital-title-jago-announced-as-sole-free-character/