It should come as no surprise that L.A. Noire is planning downloadable content, and we may have our first glimpse at it thanks to a flyer from the retailer Best Buy.

Joystiq reports that an ad circular promises the first 16 customers to buy the game at the midnight openings will get an unlock code for the first DLC pack, titled the "Nicholson Electroplating Arson Case." Read more »

AAA games flee before The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings and L.A. Noire, fearful to release in the same week as these two much-anticipated games. Smaller, cheaper, downloadable titles and downloadable content are unphased by this, though. On that front, we're getting Sega Rally Online Arcade, the Honest Hearts DLC for Fallout: New Vegas, and Terraria, which I shall lazily describe as "kind of a bit like an action-oriented 2D Minecraft."

If you're somehow not interested in any of those, there's a a colouring-in game on DSiWare and some Wii titles that'll teach you how to read. Read more »

We've seen plenty of L.A. Noire trailers that show off the facial animations, dapper suits, fedoras, and angry mobsters calling for someone's death. But you know what we haven't seen much of? Good old-fashioned shootouts.

Rockstar corrects this oversight with a new "Official Launch Trailer" in preparation for the game's release next week. It's cinematic like the others, but features significantly more bullets. The crime thriller promises detailed investigations that won't always lead to breaking out your sidearm, but it's good to see some action regardless. Read more »

It probably won't come as a huge surprise, but Rockstar has confirmed that it will be incorporating Rockstar Games Social Club functionality into its upcoming sleuther, L.A. Noire.

First introduced for Grand Theft Auto IV, the Rockstar Games Social Club provides both in-game and web-based features. Players will be able to access the Social Club website for access to a "wealth of robust game progress stat tracking and friend comparison features that members have come to expect, including enhanced versions of the checklists that everyone loved with Red Dead Redemption." Read more »

As reported back in December, L.A. Noire was selected as the first videogame to be screened at the Tribeca Film Festival. The festival was held last night, and in addition to showing off a previously unseen case from the game, Rockstar revealed that the game will include a system that lets casual players skip some of the more action-based sequences. (via MTV Multiplayer) Read more »

The latest trailer for L.A. Noire--the upcoming cop-drama from Rockstar Games and developer Team Bondi--gives players a little more backstory on the progression of the game's main character.

Back from World War 2, Cole Phelps (voiced and modeled after Mad Men actor Aaron Staton) takes to the streets as one of LAPD's finest in one of the most brutal eras of the city's history. Rising through the ranks takes skilled detective work and a good partner. The new trailer, "Rising Through the Ranks," details some of the cases players will encounter and the partners that will be by Phelps' side. Read more »

The PlayStation 3 will be getting its own exclusive case in L.A. Noire, according to a new advertisement for the game. A commenter on the Rockstar site grabbed a screenshot from the ad, promising the "Consul's Car Traffic Case only on PlayStation 3." Rockstar staff replied to the user, "Look for more details on that coming soon." Read more »

A new face-off in the video game industry has begun, but this one has little to do with hockey, John Travolta, or Nicholas Cage. Amidst all of the recent hubbub about the ground-breaking facial animation capture technology in Rockstar's upcoming period cop-drama, L.A. Noire, Remedy Entertainment (Alan Wake, Max Payne), has revealed that it's working on some proprietary tech meant to help games leap even further over the uncanny valley.

According to a report by Edge magazine, who got to visit Remedy's Finland-based offices for a closed-door demonstration, Remedy is going to be using the new tech in their next project, though there's no word of what that project might be. Read more »

The Red Dead Redemption in-game items that were offered as pre-order bonuses will be released separately as downloadable content, Rockstar has announced announced.

The fame-increasing Golden Guns Weapon Pack, Dead Eye-boosting Deadly Assassin Outfit and super equine The War Horse will be released on Tuesday, priced at 99¢ (80 Microsoft Points) apiece. Read more »

The trailer wizards at Rockstar and Team Bondi have shown off yet another piece of impressive cinema-inspired footage for L.A. Noire. Apparently law and order isn't all its cracked up to be, as our protagonist, Cole Phelps, quickly realizes that he's surrounded by dirty cops. It wouldn't be noire without some dirty cops.

In a new trailer for the upcoming Team Bondi period-piece L.A. Noire, players can catch a glimpse at the Wal-Mart exclusive case entitled, "A Slip of the Tongue."

The traffic case will be available to any customer that purchases L.A. Noire from Walmart starting on May 17. Codes, of course, are available for a limited time and only while supplies last. Read more »

Rockstar has a penchant for publishing cinematic games, but today the company announced its next game will be featured at an actual cinema festival. L.A. Noire will be an Official Selection at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, marking the first time the event has honored a video game.

As part of the Tribeca Talks series, Rockstar will preview the game for the Tribeca audience on April 25. They'll show a "live interactive" case, and then host a Q&A session moderated by Tribeca Chief Creative Officer Geoff Gilmore, about the cross-pollination of film and video games. Read more »

There was a murder last night. A woman. Tall, blonde. She was beaten to death with a tire iron in a secluded part of Los Angeles, a place usually reserved for lovers to escape to, in order to get a little more well acquainted. They usually call the place "The Moors." Today, the LAPD are calling it a crime scene. The press will call it the scene of "The Red Lipstick Murder."

Sitting in a dark room in the middle of PAX East 2011, a representative of Rockstar Games begins the demo for the upcoming cop-thriller L.A. Noire. As a newly christened homicide detective, Cole Phelps dusts off his blue pinstriped suit jacket, adjusts his hat, and rushes to the scene with his partner for the case. Read more »

The second part of the fabulous L.A. Noire trailer serious explaining Team Bondi's open-world dick 'em up has arrived, explaining the real meat and potatoes of video game police work.

The new trailer covers players will go about investigating crime scenes and putting the screws on people as Cole Phelps. The more you discover, the more you can pry out of suspects and witnesses, opening up new avenues of investigation. However, you'll need to assess each person and approach them correctly or they'll clam up tighter than a police chief's keister. Read more »

Rockstar has released details on its various pre-order bonuses for L.A. Noire. The assorted goodies will be available across stores in the US, UK, and Canada.

GameStop stores in the US and Canada, and Game in the UK, will get 'The Naked City' vice case and the Badge Pursuit Challenge. In the vice case, players investigate the death of a fashion model. The badge pursuit is a treasure hunt for 20 badges that award 5 XP per badge. They'll also unlock the Button Man suit if you snag them all. Read more »