No LA Noire special edition for you, gumshoe

She had breezed into my office two weeks ago looking for a missing game, a special edition of LA Noire. Not my usual gig, but I was strapped for cash so I took the job, running down every Google Shopping and eBay back alley I could think of. And then it was staring me in the face, right in the comments section of Rockstar's own website.

@LiL.A.King There won't be any special edition release of L.A. Noire, just the preorder bonus content with certain retailers as announced here: http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/14011/presenting-preorder-exclusive-unlockable-bonus-content-when-you-.html Also as mentioned, all that content will be made available as DLC after the game comes out.

She would be disappointed that the special edition had disappeared, if it had ever existed in the first place. I got the feeling she wouldn't like hearing the news that all she could hope for was some pre-order DLC. Not that it mattered to me. My biggest concern was figuring out how to pad the expense report. Beyond that, it was just another case I could take off the books.

Reader Comments (36)

Is anybody surprised by this? Wasn't Rockstar's last special edition GTA IV? That being said, I would totally order one. (:

@JoeSway

I'm not surprised but I am extremely disappointed.

@JoeSway

Hasn't Rockstar only made one game since GTA IV.

@This Little Man Says His Name Is

RDR?

Wow, awesome and unexpected article. Well written!

Feels very Tracer Bullet.

Oh noes!

is this a case of "we shouldn't make a special edition because its not an well established franchise with a huge fanbase"? cause if it is then i would say YOU MAKE SANDBOX GAMES! THAT IS YOUR FRANCHISE!

@aconrad777 L.A. Noire isn't a sandbox game.

@JoshHood

it sure looks like it's a sandbox game in the gameplay videos

@JoshHood
hmmm i wonder why everytime rockstar mentions this game also happen to mention that it will be in a OPEN WORLD (AKA SANDBOX) LOS ANGELES.

im sorry i was mistaken, this is totally not the genre that is the very lifeblood of Rockstar.

Who cares. This doesn't change my anticipation at all.

Still going to be an awesome...forgot to add that in. GIVE US AN EDIT BUTTON.

Sad Face

@Danzaiver

You do look sad. Turn that frown upside down and let that music cheer you up. Jorn Van Deynhoven always brings a smile to my face.

I think all this pre-order exclusive bul$#!t is offensive.
Thankfully ALL of the extra content will be available as DLC.
I for one have simply pre-ordered a standard edition and will be looking forward to the add on content when it becomes available on XBL.

Why would it? It's a brand new franchise.

Remember when LEs actually meant somethign?

@Cleric
When did they?

Seriously, when?

1992

@Premature ejaculation man

I guess they meant something when they are actually Limited. I mean being able to still buy the limited editions of Halo 3, OSTD, Wars, and Reach years after their release kind of shoots the purpose of its added name.

@Cleric
How about because this game had a long dev cycle. I would've loved to see the changes it went through.

this article gave me a chuckle as, Dean Men Don't Wear Plaid

@The BZA Dead* ... wtf

My bank account is rejoicing right now

Pre-order DLC bullcrap which will then be released for a premium to the people who didn't shell out for a pre-order. Why is Rockstar falling prey to the same stupid nickel-and-dime schemes EA and Capcom are notorious for?

I thought Rockstar was better than this. I'm apparently wrong.

@Red Runner

Pre-orders aren't anything bad.. You're not paying anything extra.. Just 5 dollars minimum down, and pay the difference when you pick the game up.. Or pay it off bit by bit, or all @once before it comes out. It's convenient, not evil..

Actually, Rockstar seems like the types of developers that would be into special editions. They just seem very...special editiony.

Not every game needs a Limited Edition

I'm glad. I stopped buying special editions about 5 years ago when I wised up to the the fact that I don't hold onto most games for all that long and I never care that much about the extras. That being said, I always gets a little envious when I see people renting heavy duty trucks in order to cart off their huge Halo and Killzone boxes. Thankfully, the L.A. Noire launch will be envy free.

@TheMCFacemanBandcampcom

GTA 4 JUST got one of those. Good luck with that wait

That's a good thing. I don't think Detective Gumshoe could even afford a Limited Edition copy anyway.

Eh, just gimme the game and I'm fine. I don't play video games to accumulate extra crap around the house. Most of the time it's complete BS anyway. Like a terrible art book with nothing but screen shots from the game, or a plastic figurine whose only purpose is to repel women. It's all trash you end up throwing out somewhere down the road

@eat it
Exactly what a poor person would say.

@Axcalibur

I bet your parents' basement is littered with Special Edition "bonuses" that you insist on buying with your $200 paychecks from Best Buy you 35 year old nerd.

Meh. This game will be awesome, this game will have a bunch of DLC (or at least added "episodes" just like GTA 4) so eventually, this game will be re-released in a "special edition" with all the added content - for probably $20 less.

I think I'm willing to wait. I'll be knee deep in Duke that month (wait, maybe I should rephrase that sentence).

Game developers of the world, take note THIS is how you are suppose to make pre-order bonuses, IF you absolutely insist on having them.
Stop excluding us from contend we have no way of obtaining without having to buy the game multiple times.

L.A. Noire

No LA Noire special edition for you, gumshoe

Reader Comments (36)

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:07PM JoeSway said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:15PM TheHungryPanda said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 4:22AM This Little Man Says His Name Is said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 10:43AM Danthaman said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:12PM Kirkpad said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 11:53AM Unvrfd said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:14PM Jhoalot said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:14PM aconrad777 said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 5:44AM JoshHood said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 9:56AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:03PM aconrad777 said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:15PM The Cole Train said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:15PM The Cole Train said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:16PM Danzaiver said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:08AM Stevetrop Man of Mystery said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:26PM RichieT said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:31PM Cleric said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:43PM Premature ejaculation man said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:51PM PedoJokerBear said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:10AM Stevetrop Man of Mystery said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 1:43AM The Aquacharger said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:33PM The BZA said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:33PM The BZA said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:45PM Mrblonde57 said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:49PM Red Runner said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 10:18AM (Unverified) said

Posted: Mar 21st 2011 11:56PM Shadowbender said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:19AM wcarnation said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:20AM A Sandwich said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 12:37AM Cleric said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 8:28AM Mr Fister said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 10:03AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 10:50AM Axcalibur said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 11:46AM eat it said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 10:49AM Axcalibur said

Posted: Mar 22nd 2011 4:59PM Linkitch said

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