OK, another new special edition game pack. Let’s see metal box, extra DVD full of stuff that you look at once and then never use again. Not this time. Rockstar is breaking from the tradition of special edition and collector edition items in a way that only Rockstar would.

The new Special Edition of Grand Theft Auto: IV will feature:

• Grand Theft Auto IV on the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system or the PLAYSTATION 3 computer entertainment system, both with special packaging
• The Grand Theft Auto IV Art Book, featuring never-before-seen production artwork from Grand Theft Auto IV
• Selected soundtrack CD from Grand Theft Auto IV, featuring new material from top artists, only available on this release
• An exclusive Rockstar keychain for the safety deposit box keys
• Completing the collection is a limited edition Rockstar duffel bag

Pre-Orders should be available soon. The special edition will retail for $89.99.

The items included in this collector’s edition announcement has really peaked my curiosity. Usually extra items included with a game have some sort of significance to the game itself. While the music CD and the art book are pretty obvious I can not help but wonder how a security deposit box and a duffel bag will fit in. I am hoping that this is a hint by Rockstar implying that there may be some sort of bank robbery aspect to Grand Theft Auto: IV? Only time will tell unless a little bird at Rockstar wants to call me up sing me a song.

Check the Grand Theft Auto Website here.

Via Press Release

With the big announcement yesterday of Halo 3 being released September 25th, 2007, it got me to wondering how this will affect other games that were already scheduled to be released at that time.

Peering into my video game crystal ball I see some really big titles that could be hurt by this announcement.  First and foremost is BioWare’s Mass Effect, but also Assassin’s Creed, TimeShift, and to a lesser extent Grand Theft Auto IV.  Lets face it Halo is the game that every developer wishes they had, and no one but no one wants to go against.  I am actually looking forward to see what Sony will throw out in the month of September to try to steer some of the PR hype away from the Halo release.  Nintendo has a whole string of their heavy hitters coming this fall, but Halo 3 is so big that it could really cut into their sales as far as the Wii60 homes go.

I was really looking forward to Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, and Grand Theft Auto IV.  I had planned to bang through Mass Effect this summer, in time to work on Assassin’s Creed this September but figured I could have that game finished by the time Grand Theft Auto IV made its way onto consoles in October from there with a few late nights I am guessing I could be very close to finishing GTA IV to finish off 2007 with Halo 3 in November.  But with Halo 3 coming in September, and the fact that all the Halo series have always had such strong multiplayer functionality, many gamers could be playing Halo 3 way into 2008, and picking some of these other could have been big titles up later next spring after some price drops.  Microsoft may find it more difficult to negotiate deals for exclusive and simultaneous release for cross platform development projects next time due to the fact that developers will worry about AAA first party titles like Gears of War or Crackdown sequels being released in close proximity their games.

Only time will tell how sales will be affected.  Lets face it right now all most of us care about is Bungie getting the Halo 3 beta working for us Crackdown owners!

So the video is up at the Rockstar Website.

The graphics look insane!  The video does not show any game play footage.  But it is definitely worth looking at.  Hopefully Rockstar will start releasing more information soon.  But this game is instantly a must have game!

Check out some of the screen shots I was able to capture.