Unless you plan on buying copies of
Rockstar's upcoming
L.A. Noire at several different retailers, expect to miss out on some content at launch due to the company's decision to scatter preorder DLC bonuses. Consumers that preorder
L.A. Noire at
GameStop will receive an extra Vice Case to solve and a
Badge Pursuit Challenge that unlocks additional experience points and the Button Man Suit. Those who buy the game at
Wal-Mart get an extra Traffic Case to crack.
Amazon preorders get participating consumers the
Broderick Suit which raises resistance to damage. Buying the game at
Best Buy earns you the
Sharpshooter Suit for better accuracy.
Did you get all that?
Now, here's the kicker:
If you buy your copy of the game anywhere else, despite spending the same amount of money for the game, you miss out on these extra cases and bonuses. The Broderick and Sharpshooter Suit bonuses are relatively minor, but not being able to access both of the extra cases-- which will likely come with their own Achievements or Trophies-- without buying the game at each of the two participating retailers is a questionable business decision.
Rockstar fielded complaints about the preorder program on its website and
offered this solution:
"All of the L.A. Noire pre-order content will be made available for purchase as DLC at some point after the game comes out. We have long planned to do this for all digital pre-order items."
So... there you have it. No matter where you buy
L.A. Noire, you won't be able to experience the full game unless you pre-order and buy copies from multiple retailers... or unless you ultimately pay more than $60.
L.A. Noire is set to bust out of development jail and into retailers on May 17th.
