Preorder bonuses for games are nothing new, and DLC bonuses aren’t exactly compelling (especially when those bonuses can’t be accessed on the PS3 and I still don’t have my freaking Sub-Zero classic skin yet!), but if you keep piling them up, they form a pretty decent argument for going with a specific retailer. Instead of multiple vendor-specific DLC packs spread across Gamestop, Best Buy, Amazon, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, and so on, it looks like Infamous 2 is putting all of its bonuses in Gamestop and Best Buy’s baskets.

What do you get if you preorder from Best Buy? A Kessler multiplayer skin and multiplayer beta access to Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.

Meh, that’s nice, but what do you get if you preorder from Amazon? A Reaper multiplayer skin, Sly’s cane, a caveman club, a samurai sword, and a gold version of Cole’s weapon (all replaceable on his back). Oh, and the multiplayer beta access to Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.

Pretty good, but how can you sweeten the deal? Gamestop figured it out, with a little switching of the preorder bonuses (bonii?). You don’t get the gold energy weapon, but you get the Lightning Hook power, plus the other props and the Reaper skin. Oh, and you also get a poster. Not a DLC poster, but an actual poster you can put up on your wall that shows Cole looking all badass and electric. That’s… a lot of extra crap just for ordering a game before it comes out. Also, adding Sly’s Cane as a DLC bonus? Could this be another hint that, after Uncharted 3 ships, Naughty Dog will work on another Sly Cooper game? If the answer isn’t yes, people are going to get choked.

You can get even more extra swag by getting the Infamous 2 Hero Edition, a $99 premium edition that packs enough feelies and other content to make me consider rekindling our “From the Game” feature. This edition comes with DLC codes for the lighting hook power, gold energy weapon, and Kessler skin (making the Gamestop/Best Buy difference moot, besides the poster), plus an electrocution grenade power. Also, it comes with a soundtrack disc. Also, it comes with an Infamous #1 mini-comic. Also, it comes with an 8.5-inch statue of Cole. Also, it comes with a replica of Cole’s sling bag, which might be the second greatest parkour-using messenger bag ever used in a video game. I’m fairly certain there’s a game in there, too. You’re supposed to get a game along with all this stuff, right?

[Editors' note: I said Naughty Dog when I meant Sucker Punch. I'm an idiot. Carry on.]