I can't remember the last time I placed a pre-order. The idea generally brings bile to my throat. But here's a pre-order bonus that's sure to ring a few EB tills. "While stocks last" (how do virtual costume stocks run out?) EB Games is offering an exclusive Kratos costume for Sackboy when you pre-order LittleBigPlanet.

After some poking around online, there is talk that these codes can be shared. But blog entries that say that's the case in their title don't seem to make it clear how that is actually the case? So if you REALLY want this, don't assume you can snag it off a friend who placed a pre-order. Be that friend, and secretly hope it stays as exclusive as they claim.

LittleBigPlanet [EB Games] (Thanks clawster!)

Still waiting for your Pub Games code from your EB Games Fable II preorder? Last we heard they were due before the end of last month, but that didn't quite happen, did it?

Well, we have a new, firmer estimate from tipster and EB employee Diomades. He's been told the Xbox Live Arcade tokens will be available from September 8. His EB doesn't have any actual stock, but he suspects they'll arrive today - if they haven't already.

Huh? Since when was Spore set to launch on Sept 11? At least, that's what the Spore Launch Centre over at AU IGN is reporting. True, it's not that far ahead of the Sept 4 date given not so long ago, but it's still a surprise.

Retailers GAME and EB Games still have September 4 entered into their databases, so consider it a rumour for now. EA was contacted earlier for comment, but has yet to reply.

Update: Seems someone at IGN has their wires crossed! EA has confirmed the Sept 4 date is still on for Oz. I've also included a press release with the Sept 4th release date after the jump.

Spore Launch Centre [AU IGN, thanks Matt30822]

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Usually EB's email specials are decent, but the latest one is a massive exception. Massive. Head to EB and hand over $200, four games and your "old" 60GB console and a brand-new 80GB can be yours!

This would be a fantastic deal, if it wasn't so damn, damn awful. Scratch that... it's devious. It works out to be ~$600 for 20GB... as long as you don't mind losing backwards-compatibility, some USB slots and the card reader. Add to this the fact 20GB is worth $4, going by current HDD prices, and it's basically one of the worst deals I've ever seen. The sad thing is people are going to buy into it.

Nothing more to say, really, except to warn your friends and family who are lucky enough to own a 60GB that the deal is horrible.

Sony PlayStation 3 Console (80Gb) [Thanks David W./Luke P.]

Good question. If you preordered from EB Games and were thinking of buying Pub Games, don't! Tipster Ryan decided to ping the retailer to see if it had any idea as to when the codes would be ready. Surprisingly, it did:

The Fable 2 Pub Games pre order codes will be available in store by the end of the month.

[Thanks Ryan]

Sigh. Big sigh. The EB Games' website pretty much confirms the pricing details we heard about last month. $289.95 for the drum kit, guitar and microphone, $119.95 for the game, $109.95 for one guitar and $169.95 for the drum kit. Which means you'll have to shell out $520 bucks for the complete Rock Band experience. If this number looks familiar, it should - it's exactly the same price NZ gamers will be paying, going by the now-retracted info from Gameplanet.

What's particularly damning is that EB's prices prove Harmonix has absolutely no idea what the hell is going on.

Even taking into account the insane cost and delayed release of the original, you guys are still hot for Rock Band 2, with song, DLC and (for those who imported) instrument compatibility with Rock Band being the sexiest factor.

In a related note, AU IGN is reporting that retailers are not interested in stocking Rock Band, given its pricing, bulk and delayed release, and that Rock Band 2 could share a similar fate. Can't say I'm surprised.

Update: Games Warehouse has pricing up as well, with most items selling for ~$10 less. A complete pack will still set you back $480 though [Thanks Adam].

[Thanks to Nick for the EB Games info]

Okay, not really. This looks like your run-of-the-mill pricing error, rather than an attempt by Ubisoft to suck our wallets dry. It makes me wonder though... ten years ago I would have laughed at the idea of $100+ games. I hate to think they could hit the $150 or even $200 mark a decade from now. Of course, I'm excluding titles such as Rock Band and Wii Fit that come with peripherals that beef up the cost.

If you'd like to see this craziness for yourself, reader Dranser spotted it at the Broadway EB Games in Sydney.

EcoGamer's Anthony has once again sent us a great tip for those looking to pick up Soul Calibur IV on the cheap. We've previously posted prices for a bunch of popular stores, but if you're willing to do a bit of leg work, you can shave $50 off the RRP.

I could paraphrase Anthony's tip, but bless him, he's done an excellent job of summing up the details:

If anyone missed out or thought SCIV was too expensive, using a combination of deals you can pick it up for just $49.90. Even less with an EB Games EDGE card (10% discount).

EB Games started their 'Buy 2 preowned games' sale this week, and you can pick up Gears of War, Fight Night Round 3 and Bomberman: Act Zero which are currently not on JB Hi-Fi's trade in exclusion list. Then simply walk into JB Hi-Fi and trade in all three to get Soul Calibur 4. This is also a good opportunity to get Ninja Gaiden 2, DBZ Bust Limit and GRID amongst others for $50. These trade in deals end on the 10th and it is not known yet which ones will be carried into the next catalogue.

In January 2007 we reported on the murder of Amber Belken, a 24-year-old EB manager for a San Antonio, Texas area EB Games store. Belken entered her store around 9AM on January 29th, 2007 only be be found dead - suffocated with a plastic bag - around 2PM when EB managers arrived on the scene to see why she hadn't been answering the phone. Now, over a year and a half later, police finally have a suspect in custody.

23-year-old Geovany Rivera, recently named to the marshal's 15 most-wanted list, was arrested late last night by the U.S. Marshalls Service at a cousin's house in Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Rivera. a former EB Games employee, had long been a suspect in the case, with one witness having told the police that the suspect approached him on the morning before the crime suggesting they rob the store. Homicide detectives applied for a warrant to do DNA test on Rivera this past January after a short black hair had been found near the body.

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Gamerchip is reporting that Fallout 3 has been edited and is on-track for a local release. Excellent. Awesome. Fantastic. Well, it would be all three of these if I was to believe the story.

The piece mentions that the game is due out later this year, with all drug references removed. Apparently this info came from "EB and Game representatives". That's great, EB Games and GAME can say whatever they want, but until I hear word from the OFLC, Red Ant or Bethesda, Fallout 3 is still refused classification.

There's also mention that the two retailers are taking preorders, yet, as far as I can tell, the title remains in exile from EB's Oz site. Even if they are, why wouldn't they? That's what retailers do - they take your money. If they have to refund it later, they'll cross that bridge when the come to it.

Saying the game is "confirmed" is wishy-washy anyway. It's unlikely Bethesda won't create an edited version of Fallout 3 for our market, and perhaps others like Germany. It's not a matter of if, but when, and the degree of content that's altered. Only when I have this information in hand will I be confident enough to throw around words like "it's confirmed" and "import it anyway".

Fallout 3 Confirmed For Australian Release [Gamerchip, thanks Nick]