Worried that those pesky digital shelves are going to put your local brick-and-mortar out of business in the next few weeks? Worry not, friends, as Valve's Doug Lombardi is here to put all your worries to bed. Talking to GamesIndustry.biz, Lombardi claimed that "free weekend" sales on Steam (among others) actually help to bolster sales at physical retail locations as well as online.

"Recently we've seen data that shows Left 4 Dead free weekends increase the sales of Left 4 Dead on Steam, at retail and on the Xbox 360, which we would never have guessed could have happened, but it's just that word of mouth," says Lombardi. Furthermore, he waves off talk of bad blood between Valve and GameStop over the developer's Steam service, saying, "We spent more money at GameStop in the US promoting Left 4 Dead than we did at any other chain ... we sold more copies of Left 4 Dead at Gamestop than we did at any other chain ... for us, whichever cash register you want to pay at, that's fine." Not that it matters to GameStop anyway, given the lack of a threat posed for at least another five years, right?

The pre-order incentives for Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack in Time are now ready for perusal on the PlayStation Blog. The bonuses reportedly start today at Amazon.com, Best Buy, Game Crazy, GameStop and other participating retailers. Each retailer has its own thing going, so explore before you plunk down the pre-order cash. Check out the four different programs after the break.

Here's a problem we're sure you're familiar with: you need a new video game console for your own kids right now, but you also need a guaranteed method of ruining that console, and you only have time to shop on one website. GameStop has solved that problem with its Summer Fun bundle, which consists of a Wii and a plastic water gun. Yes, really.

That's actually the least bizarre of GameStop's Wii/cheapo party favor bundles. The others include

• The Pirate Tattoo bundle, which includes a pirate-style tattoo sleeve
• The Take a Bath with a Buddy bundle, which includes a water-squirting rubber duck.
• The Mario & Sonic Olympic Games bundle, which includes -- oh, that one's okay.

We honestly can't tell what's going on here. Is this some form of retail trolling on GameStop's part?

[Via Destructoid]

Not only does your GameStop Metroid Prime Trilogy pre-order come with a shirt and art book ... but now it also comes with a poster (for online customers only). GoNintendo takes note of the latest offering and states, "This is a lot of free stuff!"

It sure is! Now, maybe if we all put our collective will together, we can get an actual Chozo suit thrown into the pre-order mix. Come on, let's all think about it real hard ...

Click to Marvelous-sizeWe didn't dare think it could happen, but when we saw the pre-order bonus for Japanese copies of Muramasa: The Demon Blade, we secretly wished for Ignition (well, XSEED at the time) to bring something half as awesome to us here. The bonus is a five-foot-long scroll featuring a series of amazing pieces of character art from the game.

GameStop has just revealed the North American pre-order bonus, and it's exactly that! We couldn't be more thrilled. Well, we could be more thrilled if two things happened:

1. We confirmed that the back of the scroll had the same enemy and stage artwork as the Japanese version
2. We found out that GameStop's September 1 release date (a Tuesday!) was the real release date for the game.

We've contacted Ignition about those two points. In the meantime, we can all enjoy the prospect of getting a really nice-looking free thing by buying another thing.

The Wii release of Metroid Prime Trilogy just keeps getting better. Yesterday, we learned that it would include a lovely tin and an artbook, and now GameStop has just revealed that copies pre-ordered from the retailer will also come with a free t-shirt! It also comes with video games!

In our opinion, the shirt looks pretty great (we're assuming it's not all dithered in real life like it is in the picture), even with the logo on the side, and even with the added baggage of identifying you as a GameStop shopper. The offer is valid for both in-store and online pre-orders.

If you've been looking to color up your PS3 controller collection, you'll be glad to know that silver DualShock 3 controllers are now available nationwide at GameStop. This new color will set you back $54.99, which is the same MSRP as the standard black controller.

[Via Twitter]

According to a new GameStop listing, PS3 owners who want to purchase the downloadable Marvel vs. Capcom 2 will have the option of purchasing a boxed retail copy. Of course, like other boxed releases for downloads, there won't be a game disc in there, but GameStop lists a bunch of stuff that the box will contain. Basically, it's a Collector's Edition of a downloadable game. Oddly, there's no Xbox 360 version of this item.

According to the product listing, the Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Retail Pack will release on August 13 for $19.99 ($5 more than the cost of the game) and include a redemption code (obviously), a DVD case, a disc containing exclusive wallpapers and other media, an 8-page manual, one month of free access to Marvel Digital Comics, and 2,000 Capcom Unity points, which are used on the Capcom site to participate in auctions.

Capcom offered no official comment on this release, so this will have to remain unconfirmed for now.

[Thanks, Alex!]

GameStop is giving away the Palazzo Medici with a pre-order of Assassin's Creed 2. The bonus location for the stealth game is available with the purchase of either the Xbox 360 or PS3 versions. Both online and in-store customers will receive the code when the title releases.

The Palazzo Medici Ricardi is, like, a totally famous place and stuff. So, exploring it in the game for treasure is far more liberating and cheaper than flying to Florence and checking out the real thing. We also believe that, in the real building, they won't let you climb up the walls and sneak around.

In these tough economic times, corporations are looking for good news wherever they can find it. Take, for instance, this release issued by GameStop, which said that 34 percent of families will be playing games together rather than partaking in more expensive activities like vacations this summer. Here's the kicker though: Topping the list in first and second place, respectively, are "Going to free community events (63 percent)" and "day trips (51 percent)."

So, video games get routed by day trips to the Rarden Whitetail Deer Festival, and GameStop's bragging about it in a release? Jeez, the economy is worse than we thought.

How can we tell that the dude who attempted to rob a Pittsburgh GameStop last night is a real gamer? Just look at his methods: The would-be burglar climbed through air ducts and in through the ceiling of the store, Sam Fisher-style. But when he realized that both the front and back doors of the building were locked, he retreated through the same vent.

A Nintendo Game Counselor consulted about the crime said that if the thief had looked inside the glowing sphere in the corner of the store, he would have found a blue key for the door. Ouch, random criminal, so close.

[Thanks, David]

According to Gamestop's Sterne Agee analyst, Arvind Bhatia, retailers have nothing to fear from digital distribution -- not for the next five years, anyhow. Speaking to Industrygamers, Bhatia disclosed that Gamestop management has been conducting thorough studies on the capabilities of digital downloads and its potential adoption for several years now and that the findings are still in favor of brick-and-mortar establishments. Bhatia predicts that a market for downloadable titles won't put serious pressure on retailers until 2014, which he proclaims will be a time when "25% of the population" will have easy access to download technology and when price and storage capacity won't be such a concern.

Although Gamestop's study might sound like it's trying to combat digital distribution, Bhatia states it's not about competition but more on adaptation and learning how to profit from the changing distribution channels. We can already see retailers taking a slice, stocking network prepaid cards in stores and offering DLC and full game codes stuffed inside retail boxes. If this is how digital distribution is already affecting retailers, how much moreso in 2014?

Meaningful -- as in it'll mean Sony would finally bow to ubiquitous suggestions, predictions and occasional threats that see the PlayStation 3 being lowered in price please please oh please. Sterne Agee analyst Arvind Bhatia is the latest to join the frugal chorus, telling Industry Gamers, "We continue to believe a $100 price cut on PS3 will occur around the launch of EA's Madden NFL 2010, which is scheduled for release on 8/18."

Agee claims to have encountered similar sentiment at a recent GameStop executive meeting, overhearing talk of a "highly likely" and "meaningful" near-term price drop even over the clinking of diamond-encrusted chalices and relentless pre-order thrusting.

It's Sony's decision, ultimately, but if it's alright with you, we'd rather just get this price drop over with. A lower price means more people get in on the fun ... especially when they also get to stop reading these things.

GameStop has detailed the bonus items bundled with the Gamestop-exclusive Limited Edition of Forza Motorsport 3, letting buyers know what their extra twenty bucks will get them. These bonuses shouldn't require the box to be any bigger than the normal version, because with two exceptions, nothing in the pack is physical.

The Limited Edition comes with an exclusive car pack, featuring "5 cars that have been hand tuned and hand painted by the developers at Turn 10 to fly the Forza Motorsport colors," a Dashboard theme, and a "VIP Membership" that entitles the user to "special treatment within the online Auction House, Community Storefront and on the Forzamotorsport.net forums." The tangible items in the pack: a 2GB USB drive and a keychain, both emblazoned with Forza 3 logos. In addition, reserving the game provides access to the "community designed and chosen, Audi R8 5.2 FSI quattro."