I just went a preorder a bunch of stuff today to take advantage of bestbuys preorder promotion (gamer club members who preorder 5 selected titles get $100 certificate) and I'm kind of annoyed with the store exclusive DLC stuff.

Now I'm not opposed to DLC in principle, it can get me dust off a title thats just been sitting on my shelf. And the game companies sure seem to think its the only way to recoup the money they loose on the used game market.

But I find the store exclusive DLC really annoying, if I had the time to be a hardcore gamer it might even be enraging. It was bad enough when it was just a character skin or weapon or armor. But now some stores are getting whole exclusive levels.

And the thing that really throws me is gamestop seems to be the only one getting whole levels. If used games really cost the companies so much money, why favor gamestop?

I hate gamestop, so it really grates they get all the great stuff. Even when its just skins and things, they almost always have the one I want. Its not enough to make me buy them there. But it some times is enough for me to simply hold off buying the game until I can either get it on sale or used.

I really wish there was a way to dissuade them from keeping this level trend going. That is REALLY REALLY getting on my nerves.

Anyone know of any other place besides gamestop that gets levels?

Or which games offer store exclusive levels.

assassins creed revelations at gamestop gets the "signature edition" which has a level, weapons, item upgrades, character skin, a short animated film and a soundtrack!!!!!!!! I haven't seen the signature edition available at other stores though.

Batman arkham city had "joker's carnival?" or something didn't it for gamestop?

I do not play many video games anymore but I agree that this is annoying. Obviously the companies think this is the most profitable way to distribute DLC; maybe they are right.

This too annoys me. Especially when they do it to systems also.
Although, in the case of Batman Arkham City, all pre-order and stone only bonuses are just to start the game with, later in the year they plan on releasing all skins (possibly maps?) in DLC for everyone.

But I agree with you.

LD2062- The biggest downside for some of the DLC especially those for "collectors" editions is that when you use the items in the DLC during a Multiplayer game it sends up the red flag to the other players that 1) This person thinks they are better then use since they spent $XXX instead of $XX that the "standard" version costs and 2) If you look a good portion of the time the "exclusives" are actually either reskins of existing in game items or modified versions of the in game items, and unfortunately they modifications given to the items aren't worth the extra cost, ie this gun deals 4-8 damage per shot in the normal version but the "exclusive" version it deals 5-7 damage and say a 10% chance of stunning the target. Also most the time your Collectors editions also seem to include a Limited Edition figureine, exactly how limited are these considering you can go into some stores and see dozens of the collectors editions on the shelf?

Now as for Gamestop, Best Buy, Amazon, ect... each offering different exclusives for pre-orders, I can understand this as a method for them to get your business. Look at Fallout New Vegas, depending on what store you pre-ordered from you received the code for 1 of 4 exclusive (at that time, now you can purchase all 4 DLC's in one package) DLC packs, which while help full early in the game, the weapons really couldn't compare to those you find later. Exclusive pre-order levels most the time don't really add anything to the game play in my opinion, again they are just another way for the retailers to get your money.

As a Gamestop employee told me you can pre-order any game, just because you pre-order something doesn't mean it will be made or even come out, it all depends on the developer, look at Duke Nukem Forever, it took over 10 years for the game to actually come out after the initial pre-orders were taken for the game.

I am one who normally waits for the game to be out for a couple weeks at least before buying it. If I do place a pre-order for a game, it wont be because of any "exclusives" you get for pre-ordering, but because I want a copy of the game. Now I may place a pre-order tomorrow for Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 for the Wii since I am a fan of the Lego games, owning Lego Batman and Lego Indiana Jones for the PSP, Lego Starwars the Original Saga for the DS, Lego Indiana Jones 2 for the Wii (with Lego Pirates of the Caribbean for the Wii ordered from Amazon the other day) and Lego Harry Potter Years 1-4 for the PC. Though if I don't place a pre-order for Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 it's not the end of the world and I know I can pick up a copy of it anytime after its released.

I assume others here got MW3. Anyone preorder it? Was it supposed to have some kind of bonus for preorders? I got mine at bestbuy and it didn't come with any special packaging. And since its out now their website doesn't have any information about preordering it.