It seems that those who've chained themselves to their couches in anticipation of the September-bound demo for Double Fine's upcoming rock god sim, Brütal Legend, won't be the first ones to get their hands on the game. Rather, unrestrained persons who manage to pre-order the game at their nearest GameStop will be granted early access to the demo on September 17. The pre-order deal mentions this early access beats the demo's normal release by a week -- meaning non-reservers will likely get the trial on Wednesday, September 23.
Also bundled with the pre-order offer is a GameStop-exclusive in-game guitar, which possesses a "unique, sexy body inspired by the members of Tenacious D." We hope this means Jack and Kyle gave their input on what the guitar should look like, and not that the guitar actually looks like their bodies. We're doing just fine without that mental image, thanks.
Update: While the demo access is new information, we actually knew about the gee-tar in May. We've even got a picture of it -- and we're happy to report it doesn't feature nude versions of K.G. and Jack. No, wait! There they are!
[Via Kotaku]
Reader Comments (49)
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 8:41PM MystileArmor said
Power sause will keep you rockin' all day and night.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 8:42PM (Unverified) said
So if you're a silver member, that's getting the demo 2 weeks early!
It's too bad, I'd like to preorder this, but I already have Uncharted 2, Ratchet, Assassin's Creed 2, and Modern Warfare 2 preordered and potentially Borderlands if things go as I planned. So yeah...I'm broke now.
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It's too bad, I'd like to preorder this, but I already have Uncharted 2, Ratchet, Assassin's Creed 2, and Modern Warfare 2 preordered and potentially Borderlands if things go as I planned. So yeah...I'm broke now.
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 8:44PM Enigma777 said
I believe that this is the guitar:
http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/05/brutalaxe.jpg
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http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/kotaku/2009/05/brutalaxe.jpg
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:07PM (Unverified) said
It's not the greatest guitar in the world.
Just a tribute.
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Just a tribute.
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 8:57PM LaughingTarget said
Wow, yet another "buy the game, get the demo" things. Demo, short for demonstration, a presentation to help guide the purchasing process. What's so hard to understand about that?
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 1:28AM darkinchworm said
You're missing the point, taco man. What's being conveyed here is that the "bonus" contradicts itself in a way, and is thus a shitty bonus.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 8:15AM LaughingTarget said
Precisely. When you offer a pre-order for the people who pre-order, the best you can hope is that people keep the pre-order. That's the best case scenario. Every other scenario involves the pre-order being canceled. I'd pre-order it just to get the demo and bonus codes then immediately cancel the pre-order and buy the game from a different store. That's all this sort of thing accomplishes.
Demos are double edged swords. If you offer one up to someone who is willing to buy the game without trying it, they try it, don't like it, you lost a sale.
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Demos are double edged swords. If you offer one up to someone who is willing to buy the game without trying it, they try it, don't like it, you lost a sale.
Posted: Aug 31st 2009 7:02AM Vordus said
Well, you can wait slightly longer for the demo, then preorder it from somewhere that isn't crappy goddamned overpriced gamestop, thus losing very little, and saving a few dollars, whilst simultaneously showing that an exclusive demo preorder is a pretty rubbish bonus. Win-win.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 8:25AM (Unverified) said
Last time I checked, gamestop sells new games at the same price everybody else does. Except walmart, they are usually 2 cents cheaper. Hmm, maybe I need to start shopping there...
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 1:45AM a dark day said
or promoted to the next level of hell... if he already is swimming in that lake of fire... and money?
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:13PM DevilSei said
You know, I've known about this for at least a month or so already...
getting on-topic though, I wish the pre-order bonus was a little better, I will bet you $5 that the Tenacious D guitar is unlockable, or will at least become DLC later on. Hell, Schafer could offer a CD of his top picks from the music from the game and that would be better.
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getting on-topic though, I wish the pre-order bonus was a little better, I will bet you $5 that the Tenacious D guitar is unlockable, or will at least become DLC later on. Hell, Schafer could offer a CD of his top picks from the music from the game and that would be better.
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:20PM (Unverified) said
fuck in-game preorder bonuses
people say shit like "oh it's just a BONUS, so who cares?"
this stuff would likely make it into the game were it not for preorder "bonuses"
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people say shit like "oh it's just a BONUS, so who cares?"
this stuff would likely make it into the game were it not for preorder "bonuses"
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:24PM (Unverified) said
And if you preorder, you still get it. It's not like it's costing you extra money to preorder, so I don't see what some of you get so angry about.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:28PM (Unverified) said
because not everyone wants to buy everything at launch? and what about people who don't even hear about this stuff until after the game launches?
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:33PM (Unverified) said
Well, I always tell people you gotta do your research about things you're spending money on but if casuals don't want to listen hey that's on them.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 8:06AM LaughingTarget said
Pre-ordering lets GameStop use all that money to invest in other activities, they're making money off your pre-order. Money YOU could be making. A dollar today is worth more than a dollar tomorrow.
Besides, this is why I shop at Best Buy. When they have pre-order bonuses, you can still get it without pre-ordering, so long as there are still enough of those pre-order boxes lying around on the shelf. That and they give me $10 for every three games I buy.
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Besides, this is why I shop at Best Buy. When they have pre-order bonuses, you can still get it without pre-ordering, so long as there are still enough of those pre-order boxes lying around on the shelf. That and they give me $10 for every three games I buy.
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:27PM (Unverified) said
MAN I SURE LOVE PAYING FOR DEMOS TO KNOW IF I REALLY WANNA BUY THE GAME.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 9:35PM (Unverified) said
He's just trying it out before he buys that keyboard.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 10:00PM Special Agent Steve said
MAKE SURE THE COMMA KEY WORKS BEFORE YOU BUY IT! Unless, you didn't even attempt to use it.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 11:41AM Commando 2k said
Man This game looks like it sucks worse than Jack Black's School of Rock, why would anyone want this game? every time i goto the local theater i have to sit through the horrible ad for this game, horrible idea, and Black only makes it worse
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 11:05PM JoshMilewski said
That right arm... No, both arms... They don't look right.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 11:28PM (Unverified) said
I would appreciate the gesture, but digital preorder bonuses don't excite me at all. Whatever happened to the complimentary keychain or small art book?
"PREORDER THE WHOLE GAME AT GAMESTOP AND GET THE DEMO NOW!!!"
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"PREORDER THE WHOLE GAME AT GAMESTOP AND GET THE DEMO NOW!!!"
Posted: Aug 30th 2009 11:53PM (Unverified) said
Yeah, I know. Every time I get Atlus' news letter they are announcing some new collector's pack for a new release.
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Posted: Aug 30th 2009 11:52PM (Unverified) said
Well ideally if they released the demo properly before the game came out, I'd be able to play it decide if I want it, and get the pre-order bonus if I decide its a cool game.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 1:32AM (Unverified) said
Oh great, here we go again. Could someone over in the US start bombing Gamestops for a change? I'm not saying go hurt people but I'd really love to see some of these cesspits of evil go up in the cleansing flames of redemption.
This whole "early demo access" is a farce and the worst case of marketing gone bad. People said it about a gazillion times already ... demos are meant to give you an impression of what you are about to buy not of what you already bought blindsighted.
Then again, maybe this is just jealousy speaking since I live in one of the many many countries that aren't infested with Gamestops, where I can't pay 5 bucks for a game that I actually did pre-order as soon as it was listed and probably will have to shell out extra cash for a guitar texture anyway.
Brütal Legend will be awesome, EA marketing ... industry standard fail.
Reply
This whole "early demo access" is a farce and the worst case of marketing gone bad. People said it about a gazillion times already ... demos are meant to give you an impression of what you are about to buy not of what you already bought blindsighted.
Then again, maybe this is just jealousy speaking since I live in one of the many many countries that aren't infested with Gamestops, where I can't pay 5 bucks for a game that I actually did pre-order as soon as it was listed and probably will have to shell out extra cash for a guitar texture anyway.
Brütal Legend will be awesome, EA marketing ... industry standard fail.
Posted: Aug 31st 2009 4:09AM (Unverified) said
I've never pre-ordered a game, never needed to, and never really plan to.... but for those that have:
(a) WHY???
(b) can you cancel it later if you play the demo and don't like it?
Either way... Brutal Legend will rock... but why isn't it on the PC tim?!?!?
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(a) WHY???
(b) can you cancel it later if you play the demo and don't like it?
Either way... Brutal Legend will rock... but why isn't it on the PC tim?!?!?
Posted: Aug 31st 2009 5:05AM (Unverified) said
Curious. If I pre-order the game (and only put $5.00 down) just to get the code and early access to the demo, can't I cancel my pre-order later on?
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 8:13AM LaughingTarget said
It's being designed with a console in mind. Not many PC gamers have a game pad (I'm a PC gamer first and foremost and I don't have a game pad) and the way the game is set up would stink with mouse and keyboard. Certain games just don't belong on the PC.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 6:54AM (Unverified) said
Why are people complaining about having to pre-order to play the demo? You can still get the demo a week later if you don't pre-order. Complaining about not getting the guitar, I can understand.
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Posted: Aug 31st 2009 9:57AM TRTX said
The people complaining about the demo "bonus" are knee-jerk reactionaries that read the headline and then raced to the Reply button. They plauge internet forums, blogs, and news sites with their inability to read beyond the headline.
I would love to see a blog in which the headline was something like "Harmonix and Activision team up for Rock Hero" with the article being a big joke about people who only read headlines...
And of course we could all then laugh at the people who replied with their boundless kneejerk fury.
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I would love to see a blog in which the headline was something like "Harmonix and Activision team up for Rock Hero" with the article being a big joke about people who only read headlines...
And of course we could all then laugh at the people who replied with their boundless kneejerk fury.
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