Rockstar Games has released the official launch trailer for Max Payne 3. The minute and a half footage doesn't show too much actual game play but fans of the series will no doubt gather some more information about the overall story and overtone that takes place in the game.

Max Payne 3 follows the protagonist as he continues to struggle with the events that resulted in his family being slain as well as an ongoing addiction to pain killers. The former cop has taken a job in São Paulo, Brazil as a bodyguard for a wealthy family but as is the norm with Max, life is never as easy as it sounds.

PC hardware specifications and various preorder bonuses were made public last month. The PC version will ship with DirectX 11 right out of the box but if the "recommended" specifications are any indication, you'll want some pretty serious hardware if you plan to run with all of the eye candy turned on. Rockstar lists hardware like the Core i7-3930K, 16GB of RAM and a GTX 680 alongside minimum requirements that include a Dual Core 2.4GHz, 2GB of RAM and an 8600GT.

Max Payne 3 is scheduled to arrive on May 15 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 gamers while those wanting a PC copy will have to wait until May 29 to join in on the action. Expect to dish out just south of $60 for the standard edition and right at $100 for the special edition which includes extras like a 10-inch tall collectible Max Payne statue, a selection of art prints, a bullet-shaped keychain, the official soundtrack and various in-game extras.