Rockstar Details Grand Theft Auto V Bonus Content

The Grand Theft Auto V Special and Collector’s Editions will offer a number of unique in-game extras.

So you’re going to buy Grand Theft Auto V, but you can’t decide which version you want to throw your money at. Do you slum it with unadorned standard edition, which features a box, a disc and maybe a couple of small pieces of paper stapled together? Do you upgrade to the Special Edition, with its blueprint map and Steelbook case? Or do you try to bring all the boys to the yard with a milkshake that includes all of the above plus a Los Santos cap, GTAV deposit bag and key, and a big black box? What do you do? What do you do?

Maybe this will help: Rockstar revealed today the bonus in-game content that will come with each of the non-standard editions, starting with (surprise!) guns. Both the special and collector’s editions will include two extra weapons available from your local Ammu-Nation dealer, the .50 Caliber Pistol and the Bullpup Shotgun, and you’ll also be able to pick up the Hammer, although the capitalization makes it unclear whether it’s the name of a really cool, unique melee weapon – a flail made out of kryptonite, maybe – or just, you know, a hammer.

On the non-violence-inflicting side of the coin, shops in Los Santos will give SE and CE owners a 20 percent discount plus access to special items, including one outfit for each character, one article of clothing, a special haircuit, facial hair and tattoo. Each member of the terrible trio will also have a unique special ability: Michael is an expert marksman, Franklin is a highly-skilled driver and Trevor is a “drug-addled sociopath,” which enables him to cause double damage to enemies while only taking half damage when active. Handy!

Both editions also come with “Stunt Plane Trials,” a set of five airborne challenges, complete with leaderboards, that will improve your character’s piloting skill.

On top of all that, the collector’s edition will offer two unique extras not available in the special edition: First, an exclusive garage for storing custom vehicles that comes equipped with the CarbonRS sports bike and the Hotknife 30s-style hotrod plus the GTA Online-exclusive Khamelion electric car, and second, the ability to use Niko Bellic or Claude and Misty from Grand Theft Auto III in the Grand Theft Auto Online “hereditary-based creation system” that allows you to create unique characters by choosing their parents’ heritage and then tweak them further by way of a “gene dominance meter” and adjustable daily activities.

So there you go – everything you ever wanted to know about Grand Theft Auto V in-game bonuses, but were afraid to ask. The rest is up to you! Grand Theft Auto V comes out on September 17 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.