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Stick Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep into and onto your PSP
Square Enix's pre-order bonus for Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep might not be extravagant, but it is ... adhesive. Putting money down at Amazon, GameStop or Best Buy will net you the system-bestickering decals shown, in light and dark variants so as to stand out on any color scheme.
Exclusive interview with SOE's John Smedley on the DCUO preorder and beta
MMO players looking forward to DC Universe Online got lots of exciting news earlier this week with the announcement of preorder bonuses and beta signups for the game. As always, fans had plenty of questions as well as a few concerns here and there. We had some questions of our own here at Massively, so we went straight to the source. Sony Online Entertainment President John Smedley took some time to sit down and chat with us, and we covered plenty of ground. John gave us new closed beta details, discussed the PlayStation 3/PC crossover, and even gave some hints at possible upcoming content! Follow along after the jump to see what he had to say.
Valkyria Chronicles 2 pre-order bonuses revealed for Europe, North America
Sega is bundling downloadable missions with pre-orders of PSP's Valkyria Chronicles 2 in North America (at GameStop) and Europe. The DLC revolves around exercises against other classes in the Gallian Military Academy. The two bonus missions are: Exercise vs. Class E – "A clean-up war exercise against rival class E, which will take place in all of the areas of Leanbluff forest." Exercise vs. Class F – Break through Class F's stonewalling defense and take over their encampment to win. If you were a fan of the original cult darling, it appears you'll be in store for a similarly epic saga with the sequel. Prepare to protect Gallia again when Valkyria Chronicles 2 releases online and on UMD this August 31 and September 3 in North America and Europe, respectively.
Bag a nice pre-order bonus with DJ Hero 2 at Gamestop
Copies of the DJ Hero 2 turntable bundle or "Party Bundle" from Gamestop will include the Puma turntable bag seen above. As far as pre-order bonuses go, this is basically a win-win for Activision, Gamestop, and you (probably Puma as well).
Iron Spider-Man is Amazon 'Shattered Dimensions' bonus ... unlock
What If... Cosmic Spider-Man and Iron Spider-Man were pitted against each other as opposing retailer pre-order bonus characters? Further complicating the continuity of a not-so-tidy superhero storyline, Amazon is offering to manipulate the appearance of the Iron Spider-Man costume in Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions' 2099 dimension for your pre-order purchase of the game. In other words, "you'll receive a code to unlock Iron Spidey early," explains HeroHQ, Activion's Marvel games web base. Amazon will also ship you an art book. Sulking there in the background, the previously revealed GameStop pre-order bonus, Cosmic Spider-Man, is playable in all four of the game's dimensions (of which still only three have been revealed). Cosmic Spidey will actually have a unique look in each dimension and is being advertised as a true "exclusive" for GameStop pre-order purchases (but is not listed as a bonus for the Wii version of the game). Not such a thrilling "What If" scenario, after all. Now, if we add Spider-Ham to the equation ... %Gallery-96661%
Enslaved pre-order bonuses and DLC are bound to retailers
North American gamers face a tough choice regarding Enslaved: Odyssey to the West: when you make your own fateful journey to a store to pre-order the game, your choice of store will determine which alternate character costume, with stat bonuses, you will be able to unlock: GameStop (EB Games in Canada) pre-orders will include "Ninja Monkey," who has unlimited use of the "stun" and "plasma" blast for his staff. Walmart purchases add "Classic Monkey," with a costume inspired by the game's source, the classical Chinese novel Journey to the West, and twice the melee attack power -- and it also makes Monkey look even more like Dragon Ball's Goku (who's inspired by the same source text). Best Buy-ers will receive ... "Sexy Robot Trip," who reveals a specific fetish on the part of someone at Namco Bandai by making Trip simultaneously sexier and more robotic. Using this costume doubles the duration (and sexiness) of stun moves. Additionally, Namco Bandai has announced retailer-exclusive bundles containing more tangible bonuses. Amazon bundles will include "exclusive access" to the game's soundtrack, while Target (and Future Shop in Canada) will offer a bundle with an Enslaved comic book published by Marvel. The source press release is posted after the break. %Gallery-96487%
The Daily Grind: Pre-order now!
Pre-ordering has become something of an epidemic in the gaming industry. Whether you're looking to plunk down five bucks at Gamestop several weeks in advance of Red Dead Redemption or pay for the full enchilada on Amazon and wait for them to ship you a box on launch day, companies large and small have taken to offering their goods up for sale before they're really for sale. MMORPGs aren't left out of course. Currently the darling of the pre-order ball is Realtime Worlds' All Points Bulletin, simply by virtue of being the next big genre release. Along with the early payments, players are generally rewarded with some sort of in-game trinket. Age of Conan's first expansion, launched this week, offered up a Loyal Kappa and Ravager of Jhi pet duo to those who pre-ordered Rise of the Godslayer. Both of these items, while aesthetically cool, are completely unnecessary (they function as fairly weak combat pets and buffers), mainly because Funcom is following the unwritten gaming rule that states thou shalt not provide early adopters any kind of real advantage. Along with the pets, early Godslayer customers were given a bewildering array of expansion upgrade packages to choose from, each featuring different items designed to temporarily boost XP, ease the transition for newbs, or just make their avatars look that much cooler. Whether all of this is a good thing is up for debate. On the one hand, it's clear that players love any chance to acquire new shinies, even if it means paying a little extra. On the other hand, it can be argued that pre-ordering allows MMORPG makers to deliver unfinished games due to pre-existing demand and blind faith from fans. What say you, dear readers? Yay or nay on MMORPG pre-orders?
Two Worlds 2 pre-order bonus includes unique sword and bonus area
You, like ourselves, may have noticed a gnawing curiosity in Two Worlds 2 growing over the past few months. The sequel does, after all, let you freeze people with lightning bolts. If you're dead set on sating your curiosity, SouthPeak has let us in on a pair of bonuses you would receive if you pre-ordered Two Worlds 2 from GameStop: First is the Luciendar, which you probably already know is "the fabled weapon used to defeat the mighty desert dragon Tang'Raoul." Basically, it's a giant, super-powerful, two-handed sword that you'll be able to access once your character reaches level 15. Second is "the Labyrinth," an exclusive bonus area with its own set of quests that publisher SouthPeak has detailed to a hyper-nerdy extent after the break. %Gallery-92963%
Persona 3 Portable pre-order includes Junpei hat
Don't you wish you were as cool as Junpei, one of the playable characters of the upcoming Persona 3 Portable? Well, you'll be able to inch closer with a real-life replica of his hat, included with retail copies of the upcoming PSP RPG. According to a press release, the hat is "only available as a pre-order bonus ... while supplies last." If you want to add the cap to your cosplay wardrobe, you'll have to order the game from either Amazon or GameStop stores in the US or Canada. To get a look at what the hat looks like in real life, click past the break.
Sackboy joins the ModNation Racers
It seems United Front Games is taking more than just inspiration from Media Molecule for their upcoming "Play, Create, Share" racer. In fact, it seems to have actually kidnapped the star of LittleBigPlanet and made him bonus DLC for the PS3 version of ModNation Racers. According to the PlayStation.Blog, early copies of the game (marked with a special sticker) will include a code that unlocks Sackboy as a playable racer. Both pre-ordered copies and first-run copies purchased at retail will feature the bonus. Sony seems very eager to encourage pre-orders for the upcoming racer, as Sackboy is just the latest addition to an extensive pre-order bonus campaign. Has the tactic worked, or are you still on the fence? Check out a new trailer (featuring Sackboy!) after the break.
Pair of Lost Planet 2 multiplayer maps to be GameStop pre-order bonus
Click to enlarge During its Captivate 2010 media event last week, Capcom revealed two additional multiplayer maps for Lost Planet 2. On top of the 10 maps included on the game disc, this pair of DLC maps will be used as a pre-order incentive (apparently exclusive to GameStop) and will also be made available for all owners of the game to purchase at an unspecified point in time after the game's release. The maps, "Helix" (pictured above) and "Back to the Island," are (according to G4) said to feature the ability to swim (well, tread water, at least) with the former taking place underwater at the NEVEC ocean research facility. The latter, a remake of a map from the original game, sounds like it starts off on the beach of Island 902, carries on into the jungle, and then eventually winds up underground after players open a mysterious hatch. It's a lost planet, after all. %Gallery-91178%
Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands pre-order freebies detailed by Ubisoft
Ubisoft has announced a fairly comprehensive roundup of the free junk you'll get from pre-ordering Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands from various American retailers. We say "fairly comprehensive" because only the bonuses associated with the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the game have been covered. Pre-ordering Forgotten Sands from GameStop will earn you the previously revealed "Forgotten Arena" gameplay mode. An Amazon pre-order will be $5 off and come with a free Prince of Persia mobile game. And Best Buy pre-orders will include a downloadable "SandWraith" character skin based on the Prince's transformation in Prince of Persia: Warrior Within. Ubisoft appears to have mistimed its jump with this announcement, however, as these offers have yet to appear on the Amazon or Best Buy product pages. Luckily, the company has possession of the Dagger of Time. Any second now ... %Gallery-90434%
Transformers: War for Cybertron pre-order includes Shockwave or Demolishor
Click to transform into gallery Playable versions of Decepticons Shockwave and Demolisher are part of Activision's pre-order bonuses for Transformers: War for Cybertron. Squishy humans who pre-order through Amazon will receive an unlock code for Demolishor, while GameStop customers receive a code for Megatron's cold and calculating companion, Shockwave. (Sorry, Amazon, there's just no competition here.) The bonus codes are available for the Xbox 360 and PS3 deployments of the game. Wii's Transformers: Cybertron Adventures currently has no announced pre-order bonus. %Gallery-89867%
Vodafone UK to bring HTC Legend on April 2nd, still mum on date for Desire
Compared to some gadgets, a two-week waiting period is only as painful as a mere mosquito bite, but we're pretty sure that British fans of the HTC Legend would strongly disagree. Thankfully, our friends over at TechRadar ended this torture today with the news that Vodafone UK finally has a date for its exclusive Legend -- "arriving on 2 April." This presumably refers to stock availability in retail stores, since Vodafone's still honoring its website's April 6th date for its pre-order deliveries due to the Easter weekend. As for the Desire, Vodafone's still pointing at the April window, which provides plenty of time to choose between the various UK carriers. Oh, so many decisions!
Aion magazine pre-orders end March 25
Judging by the number of Daevas running around with black armor dye in recent weeks, it seems as if the denizens of Atreia have been gobbling up the newly-minted Aion Official Magazine at a rapid clip. The publication, a digital-only collaboration between NCSoft and Cranberry Publishing Interactive, is issued monthly and is the only magazine exclusively dedicated to the world of Aion. In addition to the in-game item bundled with each issue, customers who pre-order a year's subscription receive a goody bag that includes a new set of wings, choice of white or black dyes, a pilot hat, and scrolls and potions. NCSoft's community team posted an announcement this morning indicating that March 25 is the last day to pre-order and receive your bonus in-game items.
Super Street Fighter IV pre-order bonuses include costumes for your fighters, your phone, and yourself
Capcom is sweetening the deal for Super Street Fighter IV in both the US and Europe with some ridiculous pre-order bonuses. In the US, a timed exclusive download pack will be available from Amazon and Best Buy, featuring "Super Classic Costumes" for Dhalsim, Fei Long, Blanka, Gen, and Guile. Fei Long has a Kato (of The Green Hornet fame) costume! Blanka has a Dan costume! Insanity! Pre-ordering from GameStop will get you a set of ... thumb covers with Street Fighter characters on them. For thumb wrestling. The game will be out April 27 in North America. In Europe, where Super Street Fighter IV will be released on April 30, the choice is even tougher. Capcom has yet to reveal which retailers offer which bonuses, but the choice of items is between the Super Classic Costumes pack, some iPhone covers bearing World Warriors' faces, or t-shirts that look like Street Fighter costumes. You can see all the choices in our gallery. %Gallery-86520%
Pre-order Dawn of War 2 expansion, get Saints Row 2 for free
There's no getting around it -- THQ really, really wants you to play all of its games. After recently revealing that the code included in copies of Darksiders is redeemable for a free copy of Red Faction: Guerrilla, the publisher today announced that those buying the upcoming Dawn of War II expansion Chaos Rising will also snag a free PC copy of Saints Row 2. That means slapping down your 30 buckaroos at GameStop or Best Buy (or your digital buckaroos at GameTap, Steam or Metaboli) nets you two games -- one of which we are assured allows you to spray human feces on anything nearby. If that isn't enough of a selling point, what is, you monster?
X10: Lost Planet 2 screens feature Marcus, Dom, and Wesker together
click to lose yourself in the galleryIf you're a huge Resident Evil nerd and a huge Gears of War nerd (a nerd squared, if you will) and are considering pre-ordering Lost Planet 2 solely for fan service, your head is about to explode. In these latest screenshots out of X10, the downloadable Albert Wesker, Marcus, and Dom appear together for the first time. It's like seeing all of your favorite Hanna-Barbera characters interacting with each other in the Laff-a-Lympics, except instead of Scooby-Doo and Yogi Bear, it's a bunch of giant dudes with guns. %Gallery-85282%
Yakuza 3 pitched with pre-order DLC
If you're willing to commit to purchasing Yakuza 3 next month, despite the fact that your pre-order bill already includes God of War III and Final Fantasy XIII, you'll be rewarded with extra content. In North America, a pre-order comes with four DLC bonuses, including a "Battle for Survival" boss-rush mode, two tournament modes and a "Haruka's Request" set of missions. Pre-ordering from GameStop will add an additional Challenge Pack, containing alternate costumes and two-player pool, bowling, darts, and golf minigames. In Europe, the Challenge Pack is the lone pre-order bonus, as Yakuza 3 will be released in "Premium Edition" format, which includes the other DLC mentioned above, a 31-track soundtrack and a "Yakuza Who's Who" guide to the characters -- useful for distinguishing the good gangsters from the bad gangsters!
Red Dead Redemption pre-order bonuses announced
Red Dead Redemption's many, many pre-order bonuses are now detailed on the game's official website, and we can't imagine anyone will be prepared for the barrage of options listed when you click that link. No less than eight different pre-order bonuses, split between ten different US and UK retailers have been dreamed up by marketing. In typical Rockstar fashion, the practice of "exclusive" bonus content has become excessive bonus content. Among the options listed are the "Golden Guns Weapon Pack" (more "Fame" per kill), from Amazon, which also comes with a $10 Amazon gift card; the "War Horse," a steed that Rockstar claims can't be bested by any other horse in the game, only available from Best Buy and HMV; and the "Deadly Assassin Outfit" from UK retailer Game (and maybe GameStop, if the getup wins the vote -- uh-huh, there's a pre-order vote). So yeah, we're going with the Amazon option, too. %Gallery-43816%
