E3 2011: $200 Rocksmith Gibson bundle confirmed

LOS ANGELES--When news that Ubisoft was developing a realism-based guitar game called Rocksmith broke in March, it was noted that a special Gibson edition of the game was also planned. Now, Ubisoft has confirmed that speculation and offered new details about it.

Ubisoft today formally announced a new $200 Rocksmith bundle that packs in an Epiphone Les Paul Junior guitar and conversion cables. Rocksmith will also be available in an $80 standard edition, which includes a Real Tone Cable and a copy of the game. Retailers suggest it will drop October 11.

However, gamers interested in keeping as much of their money as possible might want to consider the following. An Epiphone Les Paul Junior guitar currently sells for $130 at Guitar Center, the national axe warehouse where gamers can apply the $25 credit they earned for preordering the game at GameStop.

Given that Rocksmith sells for $80, gamers looking to purchase the $200 bundle can actually save $15 by preordering the title at GameStop and applying the $25 credit they earned for doing so toward the purchase of the Epiphone Les Paul Junior at Guitar Center.

As for the game, Rocksmith has players strumming along on actual strings. The game begins by teaching players the basics of guitar playing and ramps up in difficulty as a player learns more. The game will come with an input jack that is compatible with "most electric guitars."

Additionally, Ubisoft has announced a slew of songs that will be included in the game. These include classic rock tunes like Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama" and The Rolling Stones' "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction," as well as contemporary jams like The Black Keys' "The Next Girl" and The White Stripes' "Icky Thump."

For more on the new music title, check out GameSpot's most recent preview of Rocksmith.