Description
Working Designs created this extremely limited edition set as both an
award and promotional item during the 1998 Electronic Entertainment Expo
(E3). Review
What can you say
about the PlayStation's only level 10 out of 10 rarity besides, "Whoa?"
When you are brought face-to-face with an Assassin Case for the first
time, a literal wall of awe falls over you, as everything you have ever
collected, sought after, hunted, and played suddenly comes into focus.
There really is nothing like this in the entire US PlayStation library,
not even by Working Designs’ own standards. The care and craftsman ship
in the aluminum embossed case, along with the immaculate paint job on
the GunCon really do stand out. We’ll break the set into its individual
pieces.
1. The Briefcase
Measuring a
robust 16 3/4ths by 9 3/4ths by 4 inches, the Assassin Case has a
pre-molded bottom tray that has space for a GunCon, a double-jewel cased
game, and one official Memory Card. You can actually squeeze a second
one in there, but it looks awkward. The inside/top features a
point-pattern Styrofoam sheet that keeps everything in place.
On
the outside, there are four feet, handle, 2 tumbler locks for the
hatches, and the original Japanese logo of the game. So detailed is the
embossing you can even make out the silhouette’s nipple. Two hinges hold
the case together halves together.
2. Official Namco
Guncon
How do you compliment the ultimate gun game? You give it the best damn
light gun available on the PlayStation; the GunCon. Created by Namco for
their Time Crisis and Point Blank series, Working Designs
took the original creation had had it repainted in shiny gold. The
reflections are sharp as ever, though the included letter warns of the
paint wearing off via sweaty hands.
3. Official Sony Memory
Card
Originally planned to be gold plated as well, it seems that due to
production issues Working Designs opted to just coat the gun by itself.
Oddly enough, the included memory card is actually the very seldom seen
Cherry Red edition. The concept of a gold memory card being abandoned
can be verified in the included letter. It only mentions the GunCon by
gold color. We are currently researching to see if there were gold cards
at all in distribution.
4. Elemental Gearbolt
A
full retail version of the game is included, factory sealed. Oddly
enough, it still wields the contest sticker proclaiming you could win
$10,000.
5. Congratulatory
Letter
Included to announce you were one of the coolest people on the planet.
The letter’s contents are archived verbatim to the right, in our trivia
section.
Enclosures
The entire package
consists of the aluminum embossed case, the gold Namco brand GunCon, an
official PlayStation Memory Card, a factory sealed new copy of the
retail release version of
Elemental Gearbolt, and a congratulatory letter from Working
Designs.
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Trivia
- Less than 50
Assassin Cases were ever created, and of those, only 3 have been
confirmed. This includes the one owned by Working Designs' CEO
Victor Ireland!
- This particular case
was originally owned by GamePro's Dan Elektro, then a fellow
collector, and now Game Rave.
- The case's two lock
tumblers have their "open" combination set to 000 each.
-
It took a full year for
contestants to get their prizes.
- Working Designs held
two different contests at the E3; one that supported both print and
digital game magazine editors, and the other with attendees. Then
Gaming Age editor Mark Macdonald took the professional first
place.
The attendees version was won by a fellow named Joshua
Parker, who ran away with a final score of 11,555,240 on Master Difficulty with
no continues allowed. Damn.
- Timing for the
convention and the first set of prize cases was so tight, that
several employees from Working Designs were re-assembling the
painted GunCons at the show days before the event.
- The complete roster
for the professional tournament was as follows:
Print Magazines
- Dan Amrich (GamePro)
- Oliver Chin (Animerica)
- Howard Grossman
(Expert Gamer)
- Kraig Kujawa (EGM)
- Wataru Maruyama
(Official PlayStation Magazine)
- Eric Mylonas (DieHard
GameFan)
- Greg Off (PSExtreme)
- Andrew Reiner (Game
Informer)
- Francesca Reyes
(Game Buyer)
- John Ricciardi (EGM)
- Tyrone Rodriguez
(Tips & Tricks)
- Byrn Williams
(Gamers' Republic)
WebSites
- Chris Johnston (videogames.com)
- Mike Fahey (videogamers.com)
- John Braden (Digital
Ages Online)
- Jeff High (Inside
Games)
- Joey Gray (PSX
Nation)
- Brian Preble (Game
Sages)
- Dan Granett (High
Resolution)
- Sam Kennedy (Gaming
Age)
- Marty Chinn (Cyber
Games News Center)
- Andrew Pfister (Now
Loading)
- Mark Macdonald
(Gaming Age)
- Kelly Bradley (Game
Otaku)
- Duke Ferris (Game
Revolution)
- Lee Saito
- Fabian Blanche, III
(Gaming Age)
- The full text of the
thank-you letter reads:
June 11th, 1999
Dear Contest
Participant:
Enclosed, please
find the long-overdue promotional premium we promised you around E3
of last year. We had a number of problems with the vendor doing the
gold-plating, and only recently completed the work with them.
Enjoy the game and
gold-plated GunCon. One tip, however. If your hands sweat a lot, you
might want to limit the play on the gun as acidic sweat from hands
will eat the gold plating off the handle. Not everyone has this
condition, but we wanted to warn you if you do!
Enjoy!
Sincerely,
Working Designs
Staff
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