The Season Two Collector's DVD comes with all five PC games from the series, plus "hours" of region-free video with special features, developer commentary, a Christmas video short feature, promo trailers, concept art, desktop wallpapers and a MP3 soundtrack sampler.

Additionally, if you already bought the Sam & Max Season Two downloadable set, Telltalle will give you the Collector's DVD for shipping and handling costs only. It's $34.95 for the rest of ya, and should ship in August, the company says.

Full announcement follows the jump.

Telltale announces Sam & Max Season Two Collector's DVD

Special package featuring five complete games, hours of video bonuses, and original cover art by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell available for order now at www.telltalegames.com

SAN RAFAEL, CA, July 23, 2008 – Interactive entertainment pioneer Telltale, Inc. is announcing that the Collector's DVD for the acclaimed game series Sam & Max Season Two is available for ordering today. Telltale has given the second season of "gaming's first sitcom" the premium boxed-set treatment that has become common for television favorites, with behind-the-scenes extras and loads of special features. Telltale is also introducing new merchandise today to celebrate the release, including a signed commemorative print, a 2-CD Season Two soundtrack, and several special bundle offers.

Sam & Max Season Two has garnered critical acclaim from numerous sources, including two Editor's Choice awards from PC Gamer and positive reviews from mainstream press ranging from the New York Times to Playboy. The series is based on comic book characters created by Eisner award-winning cartoonist Steve Purcell, who has been publishing stories starring the offbeat dog and "rabbity-thing" crime-fighting duo for over twenty years. Purcell contributed an original painting inspired by the games' events to serve as the cover for this unique DVD release.

In addition to all five games from the award-winning episodic series, which play on a PC with a DVD-ROM drive, the Season Two Collector's DVD contains hours of region-free video viewable on a PC or in any standard DVD player. Special features on the disc include game footage reels with audio commentary from the development team, the 20-minute holiday video feature "Sam & Max Nearly Save Christmas," outtakes and promotional trailers, concept art, desktop wallpapers, and an MP3 soundtrack sampler. Samples of the video content can be viewed at http://www.telltalegames.com/samandmax.

Customers who already bought the downloadable Sam & Max Season Two set from Telltale can get the Collector's DVD for just the cost of shipping and handling. For new customers, the Season Two Collector's DVD sells for $34.95 and comes with free downloadable copies of the games. The DVD is expected to start shipping in August. More details are available here: http://www.telltalegames.com/store/samandmax-season2-disc

To celebrate the arrival of the Season Two DVD, Telltale's store has been stocked with new Sam & Max merchandise and great value bundles. The following new items are now available for preorder:

* The complete Sam & Max Season Two soundtrack, a 2-CD set featuring nearly three hours of jazz music from the games and another Steve Purcell original on the cover, retailing for $19.99
* A limited edition case file stuffed with "evidence" from each Season Two episode, priced at $5.99
* A poster print based on the Season Two DVD cover art, available unsigned for $14.99 or signed for $19.99

Additional Sam & Max merchandise currently in Telltale's store includes the 20th Anniversary Edition of Purcell's complete comic collection, Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway, available in paperback and limited edition hardcover versions, and the Sam & Max Freelance Police animated series 3-DVD box set. All of these items and more can be found in Telltale's online store (http://www.telltalegames.com/store).

Sam and Max report for Wii duty [GameSpot - Thanks Dathcha!]

Sam & Max Surfin' the Highway Preorder Page [The Telltale Store]

Best Freeware Games of '07 - 30 Categories! [TIG Source]

So for $29.99, you can get Sam and Max goodies and further piss off your spouse by littering your mahogany-covered living room with more florescent packaging. It's like a 2-for-1 sale and your couples counselor is invited!

Sam and Max Season 1 - Shippin' out [theadventuress]

It encourages a little bit more risk taking and allows you to fine tune things as you go along. At Telltale we tend to stay about 3 episodes ahead of what's on the market. That gives us a little time to course correct; we did that with Sam and Max, episode four was the first episode where we responded to consumer feedback.

So I think from a developers' perspective, since the risk and cost can be lowered up front, you have a little more control over your game. You can be a little bit more experimental. Then you've made the game you want to make and you can take it to more traditional channels.

A short interview that's worth a quick read through.

Telling Tales [gamesindustry.biz]

• An all new "Making Sam & Max" behind the scenes video
  
• A full-sized printed poster featuring artwork by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell
  
• Trailers for all six episodes
  
• Previously unreleased character bios
  
• Loads of concept artwork
  
• Desktop wallpapers
  
• An MP3 soundtrack sampler

Perhaps that's just me.

Anyway you look at it, it is a fine set that could very well inspire me to play episodic adventures like I watch television...waiting for the box set. Michael Fahey>

The Adventure Company And JoWooD Announce Bonus Content For Sam & Max: Season 1 Retail Release

Funniest game of the year to retail with a full-size printed color poster and a Bonus CD of extras!

Toronto, Canada; Vienna, Austria. June 7, 2007. After much anticipation, Sam & Max, the legendary dog and rabbit crime-fighting stars, are making their way to all major retail stores worldwide in August 2007 with Sam & Max: Season 1 for Windows® - and they're bringing along a full-size printed color poster and a Bonus CD full of hilarious extras!

This is the stuff of every collector's dream, with goodies that include:

* An all new "Making Sam & Max" behind the scenes video
* A full-sized printed poster featuring artwork by Sam & Max creator Steve Purcell
* Trailers for all six episodes
* Previously unreleased character bios
* Loads of concept artwork
* Desktop wallpapers
* An MP3 soundtrack sampler

All of this is included with The Adventure Company/JoWooD retail version of Sam & Max: Season 1 for Windows® releasing to fans around the world in English, French and German!

Sam & Max aren't your average crime-fighting duo. Sam is a six-foot tall canine shamus with a love of justice. Max is hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with a taste for violence. Together, Sam & Max are the Freelance Police, ridding the streets of bottom-feeding sludge one dastardly miscreant at a time. Now you'll finally be able to learn how this episodic series came together with its bizarre humor, vivid 3D graphics and clever gameplay in the all-new behind the scenes video footage. Hear development secrets about Sam & Max, straight from the mouths of series creator Steve Purcell and members of the Season 1 development team.

"We are very excited to bring Sam & Max: Season 1 to a bigger audience than ever with our Windows® release this summer and can't wait to give fans the treats they've been asking for on the Bonus CD!" said Albert Seidl, President and CEO for the JoWooD Group.

Sam & Max: Season 1, the funniest game in years, will be released worldwide for Windows® in August 2007 for a suggested retail price of $29.99 USD/€29.99.

This is a prime example of why drinking and GDC don't mix. I was actually given this information by a slightly drunk PR girl at the Sam and Max party, only to completely forget it due to blue alcoholic beverages. All part of their sinister plot, I'm sure.

I believe that this is the future of adventures games, released like television episodes over the internet, and then collected in boxed sets after the fact. As the proud owner of over fifty seasons of various television shows, it's a business model that really speaks to me. Michael Fahey

JoWooD Productions And Telltale Announce Partnership To Bring Sam & Max: Season 1 To Retail

JoWooD will distribute funniest PC game of the year

Vienna, Austria. March 15, 2007. Sam & Max, the legendary dog and rabbit crime-fighting stars that have been reintroduced to the gaming public with Telltale's downloadable episodic series Sam & Max: Season 1, are finally returning to retail stores worldwide beginning in August 2007.

Sam & Max aren't your average crime-fighting duo. Sam is a six-foot tall canine shamus with a love of justice. Max is hyperkinetic rabbity-thing with a taste for violence. Together, Sam & Max are the Freelance Police, ridding the streets of bottom-feeding sludge one dastardly miscreant at a time.

Over the last two de cades, Sam & Max have appeared in a number of formats, including independent comics created by Steve Purcell, an interactive PC adventure game, a Saturday morning cartoon, a webcomic strip, and now innovative episodic games developed by Telltale. The Adventure Company's Sam & Max: Season 1 release marks this series' first foray into retail stores, giving customers worldwide an opportunity to see why the game's bizarre humor, crazy characters, vivid 3D graphics, and good, old-fashioned point & click gameplay make Sam & Max: Season 1 the funniest PC game in years.

"We are excited about working with Telltale. Sam & Max is a strong franchise and fans across Europe, and the world over, are highly anticipating Sam & Max: Season 1," said Albert Seidl, CEO of JoWooD Productions Software AG. "The worldwide retail release will allow us to bring Sam & Max to a wider audience since the game will be available in the five main languages."

Sam & Max: Season 1 will be released for Windows with a targeted global release date of August 2007.

About the JoWooD Group

Shares of the JoWooD Group are traded at the Vienna stock exchange. They are one of the leading publishers of computer and videogames with a worldwide network of distribution partners. JoWooD develops and publishes state-of-the-art entertainment software for all major existing and new generation systems. For more information please visit www.jowood.com or http://corporate.jowood.com.

About Sam & Max

Steve Purcell published "Monkeys Violating the Heavenly Temple" as his first Sam & Max comic in 1987. Sam & Max solved assorted crimes and mysteries as Freelance Police in their sturdy 1960 Black and White De Soto Adventurer from their home base in New York City. After a series of follow-up comic books, Purcell worked with a team at LucasArts to create the critically acclaimed Sam & Max Hit the Road adventure ga me in 1993. The dog and rabbity-thing duo moved to television in an award-winning animated series in 1997, and are now appearing in an all-new webcomic series at www.telltalegames.com.

About Telltale Inc.

Telltale delivers Tales for Your Imagination - high caliber interactive entertainment which features engaging stories, strong characters, and rich environments. A new era of interactive entertainment is emerging, with customers expecting more from their investment in play time. Telltale is developing and deploying cinematic quality animation and storytelling technologies, to create entertaining and exciting interactive adventures which meet these new expectations. Staffed with long time industry veterans, Telltale creates tales based on Jeff Smith's Bone series, Steve Purcell's Sam & Max characters and television's popular CSI program in partnership with Ubisoft. Telltale offers content development and custom publishing services for license-h olders interested in adapting their properties for interactive delivery. Telltale has created innovative tools, designed specifically for rapid development of high quality, space-efficient titles for digital distribution. Telltale titles can be downloaded from its website, as well as online partners such as Yahoo! Games, Direct-to-Drive, Trymedia Systems, Boonty, and CNET. To learn more about Telltale, please visit www.telltalegames.com.

It tasted of pineapple and the spite of an overworked bartender. If anyone knows what exactly this drink is, please be warned that it should be considered armed and dangerous. Do not attempt to subdue it yourself...rather call the authorities to dispose of it from a safe distance.

Telltale threw a pretty cosy little party, which included a peek at the upcoming episode 5 of Sam and Max, Reality 2.0, which looks to be a fine addition to the series' arsenal of funny. It was in a little bar tucked away in an alleyway, which is exactly the sort of place I would expect Sam and Max to show up at. Unfortunately and much to the disappointment of several people in our group, Sam and Max did not make a personal appearance.

I did actually got to shake the hand of Sam and Max creator Steve Purcell, however. It took me several minutes to realize that, unfortunately, because for some reason I lack the special eardrum bits that allow me to hear what other people are saying in bars, and the last time I had seen a picture of Purcell was, I believe, 1992. Once the realization hit me I walked over to him and rudely interrupted a conversation he was having to basically tell him that this giant drunk man was a big fan. I am sure he was impressed.

The food was a lovely mix of strange finger foods, ranging from sweet nachos of some sort to what I am relatively sure was fried squid, which falls under the 'things I would only eat while drunk' food group, tasting like battered deep-sea rubber bands to my sophisticated palate. I am proud to say that between the three Kotaku writers present and the friends we were with we probably consumed a good 25% of the food available.

The night ended relatively young, which was probably a good thing considering the fitful sleep I had afterwards, snoozing first on the bed, then on the floor between the bed and the wall, and then finally on the bathroom floor. I didn't get sick in the traditional hugging the toilet sort of way, but I am not at all right this morning, and this was just the first day. Join me tomorrow morning for the next round, if I don't end up passed out in an alley somewhere. Michael Fahey

Go Nintendo points out that Telltale games is looking to hire a Wii systems programmer ASAP.

The creators of Sam and Max posted a job opening for the position late last week saying that it will be for at least one shipped game and that anyone applying should have a "love of adventure games."

Could Sam and Max be making the jump from GameTap to Wii? Hit the jump for the full job listing. Brian Crecente

Telltale Working on Wii Game [Go Nintendo]

Wii Systems Programmer Posted 1/25/07
We have an immediate opening for a Wii Systems Programmer. This position will be responsible for implementing our core 3D graphics and audio systems on the Wii. This is a full time position at our San Rafael location.

* Responsibilities
o Migrate core components of D3D based PC game engine to the Wii
o Implement additional platform specific features
o Modify and support existing art and production path to accommodate Wii production
o Contribute to the design and direction of Telltale Technology and products.
* Requirements
o Fluent C/C++ (templates, design patterns, STL, etc). Minimum 2 years professional experience.
o Experience designing and building game systems on consoles.
o Minimum of 1 shipped game title.
o Teamwork, communication, interpersonal and organizational skills are essential.
o Attentive to detail
* Additional Preferred
o Prior experience with Wii or GameCube.
o Working knowledge of Lua implementation.
o C# experience.
o Maya experience (as a user and API).
o Experience in natural language processing.
o Love of adventure games.

GameVideos has a quiet little video of interviews with the folks at Telltale, who are currently working on the new Sam n' Max episodes. Each episode will be about an hour and a half, and from what I'm seeing here, it seems like these guys have a handle on what made the originals so good. Let's hope for some invovation without desecration, yeah? Eliza gauger

Here in one article are all the sad stories of these doomed games, with a trace of hope squeezed in here and there:

Still, Telltale decided to make a new game from scratch with Purcell. In fact, Game Tap announced at E3 this year that the new Sam and Max game will be released as episodic content via its network (again, a pretty funny trailer was released at the show). So while Freelance Police may have died, Sam and Max will return.

I'm a little disappointed to see the new Sam and Max is all 3d. I would love to see a return to the gorgeous cartooning that LucasArts used to use for those games.

And we're still hearing about DNF now and then, too! Although at this point, we've been waiting so long and hoping so hard that anything they give us will simply not be enough.

We have gone too long un-Duked, you and I. There is probably nothing for it. Eliza Gauger

The Best Games Never Published [Twitch Guru]

Sam and Max titles have had a rough time making it to market lately. Here's to hoping!

Sam and Max [Telltale Games]

A list of the funniest games ever includes The Secret Of Monkey Island, Sam And Max and Day of the Tentacle, Leisure Suit Larry. Hey peanut gallery, what games do you think are funny? Me, I'll go with almost any MGS title.

Full Story Here [GameSetWatch]

Sam and Max Chapter One: The Big Sleep [Telltale Games]

"Right now we're in pre-production on this, and we're still working out some of the designs. We've got a rough design and we'll be working with brainstorms with Steve going forward."

1UP has an associated "holidays 2008" release date and I have a sneaking suspicion that we'll see it released through a popular online content delivery system.

Sam & Max 2 in Pre-Production [1UP]