THQ has announced plans for a Warhammer 40K: Space Marine Collector’s Edition release along with the pre-order program for the gritty third-person shooter set to light up PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 systems worldwide on September 6th. Surprisingly, for what seems to be more of a console-oriented action game to me, the PC version actually gets the better of the console versions on both fronts. Perhaps a reward for all the support PC gamers have shown to Relic’s Warhammer strategy games over the years?

The contents of the Collector’s Edition, available for pre-order exclusively via the THQ online store, is the same across all three platforms. It’ll come with the following goodies tucked inside its fancy box:

Information Cards: This stunning pack of 25 foil treated collector’s cards will give you key information on some of the main characters you’ll come across in the game, complete with gameplay hints.

Art Book: Packed with art from the game, this hard back art book will give you a behind-the-scenes look at how the world of Warhammer 40,000 was brought to life, complete with developer introduction.

Soundtrack: Musical score by renowned composers Cris Velasco and Sacha Dikiciyan, this original soundtrack will transport you back to the epic universe of Space Marine.

Purity Seal: Awarded to those who show themselves to be honorable in battle, this authentic poly-resin purity seal with double cloth ribbon and magnetic attachment is a replica of those worn in-game by Titus.

The difference is, that the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions will set players back $100, while PC customers will get the same exact package for $80. PC games are always cheaper than console, but usually not by $20.

As for the pre-order incentives, there are many available spanning all the usual retail partners and offering all the usual multiplayer weapon and armor skin freebies. But PC gamers get the best offer of the bunch yet again, with digital copies sold on Steam, the THQ online store and other download services to come with a free copy of the excellent action-adventure game Darksiders (in addition to a in-game bonus item).

Here’s the full list of pre-order offers by retailer:

• The Emperor’s Elite Pack, only available at Gamestop, includes the unique Space Wolves and Black Templar chapter armor skins

• For players who prefer the nefarious forces of Chaos, The Traitor Legion Pack includes the complete armor sets for the Iron Warriors and Emperor’s Children and is only available at Best Buy.

• The Golden Relic Chainsword, the primary close combat weapon for Space Marines, is only available at Amazon.com

• The Golden Relic Bolter, a powerful ranged combat weapon, is only available at Walmart.

• PC Gamers can celebrate their love of the Dawn of War® series by donning themselves in the iconic red and bone colored armor of the Blood Ravens Chapter as well as receiving a FREE copy of Darksiders on PC when they pre-order the PC game through Steam.

• PC Gamers also have the choice of pre-ordering their copy of Space Marine through THQ’s E-Store to get an exclusive PowerSword weapon for multiplayer.

• Finally PC Gamers who choose to buy a digital copy of Space Marine through select digital retailers will be offered a FREE copy of Darksiders on PC.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine is still the name of the game, and it’s being developed by Relic Entertainment for PS3 and Xbox 360 (no PC version as I originally guessed). What’s new is the game’s classification as an action-RPG, which comes as a bit of surprise given how the leaked video made it look like a run-and-gun third-person shooter type of experience. The game will feature a “narrative-driven” solo campaign and “wide-scale online battles,” but details beyond that are on hold until E3. Check back next week for more.

“The Warhammer 40,000 universe has a huge global following and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine will bring that world to life on the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems for the first time ever,” said Kevin Kraff, vice president, global brand management, THQ Inc. “Relic Entertainment is leveraging years of experience developing games within the universe to create an Action-RPG experience unlike anything seen before.”

“Space Marine is an Action-RPG built from the ground up for the Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems, and will allow gamers to take control of individual units and fight in epic battles across the Warhammer 40,000 universe,” said Jonathan Dowdeswell, general manager, Relic Entertainment. “Relic has a deep understanding of the license based on our previous projects with Games Workshop, and our goal is to ensure Space Marine delivers the most intimate and brutal Warhammer 40,000 experience to date.”

Okay, did I miss a game announcement or something? Anyone else ever heard of Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine? Apparently it’s an upcoming third-person action game THQ has in the works in addition to Dawn of War II and the Warhammer 40K MMO. I’ve searched around and haven’t been able to find one scrap of info or even a site listing it in development, but this here developer walkthrough THQ released from the recent Leipzig Games Convention clearly shows that it exists. The walkthrough shows a good 9+ minutes of very early gameplay footage running on an Xbox 360 (I presume it’s also coming to PS3 and maybe PC, but again, I haven’t been able to find any game info). It’s obviously rough around the edges given its immature state, but the concepts on display look like they could be pretty sweet once all assets are in place and the game is polished up.