@punkrawka: I don't think that's what this is though. I think this is more like the DLC card included with Gears of War 2 that let you enter a code and specifically download just the Flashback maps.

DorkimusPrime

@TheAngryHeretic: Because you love Gamestop and they totally deserve your money. All hail Gamestop!

liquid_kore

@AnnabelleMippie: Well it is a blatant waste of resources no matter how you wish to perceive the environmental bent.

And considering the global economic downturn and issues involving the environment, wasting resources on something like this is a tad bit ridiculous.

VilgeDuin

@AnnabelleMippie: Oh, you're clearly just a shill for the packaging industry. Or possibly the science publishing industry.

phicaluk

Im betting Gamestop begged them to do this. They are finally starting to realize that they wont be necessary soon.

liquid_kore

@AnnabelleMippie: And here I thought it was free of self-important jackasses. Guess we were both wrong.

KaneTaker

... Why not put a disc in with the stuff on it? That way you could send it to people without internet access. This seems incredibly stupid..

HikariOblivion

Duh, guys.

They're going to offer a preorder extra. A Rockstar keychain or something of that nature. A special DLed gun. That's what they do for pretty much every big-name release these days.

Think of all the folks that preordered LBP to get the Kratos costume. Or the people that preordered Gears 2 for the Golden Lancer.

blacksheepdj

- No disc included in packaging - Downloadable Content Only

directly from the GameStop listting thats posted

Andromatic

@BountyHead: Agreed!

FusionHype

So why would I not just pull it down from Xbox Live?

TheAngryHeretic

Is it OK with you if I don't "think green" but think for myself instead. Jeez I thought the gaming world was free of these PC, gullible bandwagon-jumpers. Go read a science book.

AnnabelleMippie

Usually these cards are just Microsoft Points with pretty pictures on them. They already sell Guitar Hero/Rock Band branded cards that are nothing but 1600 MP.

punkrawka

@hahnchen:
Yeah, I think that's it.
Can't wait for this!

henri1kk

That seems unnecessary and a waste of resources too. Think green!

BountyHead

UK retailers sell boxed Battlefield DLC packs on the shelves which merely contain a download code inside.

Same could happen here.

hahnchen

@BountyHead: Think of the kids that might want it for Christmas. Parents wouldn't want to be instructed by their children on how to purchase content on the Xbox, it's a lot for fun for them (the parents) to wrap gifts and stuff them under a tree. Smart move I think.

Thuggles

@BountyHead: That's the problem. They ARE thinking green ($).

H8ff0000

Not a bad idea since I have GS credit I need to use up.

OGHowie

If I bought something in a game store, I'd want the disc. They can keep the packaging, but I'd want a hard copy disc with unencrypted content, and content that could be cracked if needed.

...otherwise it's just a rental in the end, when support stops and the console it's tied to dies.

fuchikoma

@AnnabelleMippie: Easily the dumbest post I've read this week, if not greater. Go read a science book? The irony. How is one interested in the protection of the environment for future generations, including your offspring, gullible? Boxed dlc merely containing a card, which depends online downloading is clearly profit over sense. If you are indeed interested, you I'm afraid are the gullible one.

Jpm

@KaneTaker: you clearly have things completely backwards

uppitycracker

@Thuggles: I guess a mom who travels through time would have no trouble letting her kid play an M-Rated game, as she knows he will turn out just fine.

Treebs

@punkrawka:
They also have cards with codes to specifically download XBLA games.

SirDanF

@AnnabelleMippie: Environmental point aside (which I agree with also), I've always had a problem with excessive packaging. PC games were obviously horrible offenders until they switched to smaller DVD-style cases. I always hated getting oversized, strange shaped boxes that don't fit in a shelf or box or anything that only contain a standard size manual and a jewel case (or in some cases, discs in a paper sleeve). Its the same reason I get pissed off when I buy something really small (like a single standard DVD) and it comes in a box so large that I can use it to pack up my room.

Packaging adds production costs as well. Instead of some stupid oversized misshapen box that costs money and can't be stored anywhere, get a functional DVD clamshell case. Oh look, it fits on my media shelf, you can fit more of them on a store shelf, they're cheaper, and you can actually store the discs in them instead of putting them on an old spindle or in a stack of random discs (which is what I usually have). Plus it should in theory keep the costs down.

The green part is just an extra. I hate excessive packaging. And the plastic sealed things that I always wind up destroying to get whatever's inside out.

Nik in NOLA

@BountyHead: Advertising.

Skuld

@TheAngryHeretic: Cause you don't want to tie your credit card to your Live account and you don't want leftover MS points from a 1600 points card that will never get spent.

!

cheesecake000

I like this. I like this a lot.

I still don't fully trust the internet when it comes to online-paying. This would make so much sense.

Valve? Are you listening?

lumpi

It'll be just like the golden lancer from GOW2. Just a code and you go home and input the code. Don't see why you need a xbox live account though.... o_0

Skinney

@AnnabelleMippie: Trolling complete.

ChalkdustTorture

@HikariOblivion: But then you can't have 2 discs in the drive at the same time. O_O And if they let you just install it all to the drive without the disc then you could pass it around to all your friends. And if you can afford a 360 you can afford the internet O_O

cheesecake000

@lumpi: You don't trust online payment? Sheesh. As long as you don't do anything dumb like get fooled by a phishing site or pick an obvious account password, you have a better chance of getting mugged on the way to the store than you do of having your money stolen on the Interwebs.

Z-Word

@blacksheepdj: You didn't have to pre-order Gears 2 for the Gold Lancer. You could walk into a store today and buy the collector's edition and it'd be inside the box. All I got for preordering Gears 2 was a poster.

cheesecake000

@blacksheepdj:
Instead of a branded keychain, you'll get.....

"Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned packaging will include a 2 sided poster and an Xbox LIVE Marketplace token card. The token card will contain a unique code to purchase The Lost and Damned over the Xbox LIVE Marketplace."

Someone out there must get excited about stuff like that, but not me.

coalhalo

@AnnabelleMippie:
Welcome and congrats a job well done! Your first comment at Kotaku is an attack on all the "gullible" people in the gaming world who think it's a good idea not keep on fucking up the environment. I think you are the who needs to read some books my friend.

coalhalo

@cheesecake000: Exactly. The ridiculous points system which ensures that you will ALWAYS have points left over (ie its a scam) is the only thing thats stopped me from ever buying any DLC from Xbox Live.

If I could buy this in a shop for the same price it is on Live then the chances of me getting it increase dramatically.

Spidery_Yoda

@cheesecake000: My mistake (I don't have Gears 2, so I guess I'm a bit fuzzy on the details), but my point still stands.

A better example might be the runners bag you got for preordering Mirror's Edge or the bottle opener Best Buy gave for Fallout 3 preorders.

blacksheepdj

@cheesecake000: The Official Xbox Magazine periodically comes with free DLC on the bonus disc, why couldn't this work the same way?

rainking187

It's probably for gifting.

markusdragon

hmm, i can buy this...and giv it as a gift...XD

baconwaffles

You know that thing where companies ship tiny products in ridiculously big packaging? Now there's not even a physical product! If Greenpeace get's wind of this, they're gonna have a field day! :D

MrThunderfield

@cheesecake000: I have a friend whose geological location makes the internet prohibitively expensive.

Anyhow, they could do it like some PC expansion packs do: install the game, then run off this disc.

HikariOblivion

@liquid_kore:

also note that some people probably wouldn't even know about the DLC if it wasn't put on a bunch of fake-boxes and placed around various videogame retail locations...

so its a good opportunity for rockstar to do some advertising for their new product.

joeloliol

@baconwaffles:

muahahahah "Gift" is the german word for poison! i'm gonna be poisoning you all for chistmas!

dgkz0idberg

@Skinney: thats any xblive account, not "gold account only"

you need at least a siler account to be able to access the marketplace in the first place.

dgkz0idberg

@HikariOblivion: For $$, without internet access (to verify a pin), there's no way they can limit how many people access content from one purchase.

mygu