grand theft auto IV
Latest
New Gay Tony in-game anime is all too familiar
Grand Theft Auto has always been heavy on satire, making exaggerated observations about the world for the sake of a few cheap yuks. It's readily apparent on the in-game radio programs, which poke fun at both extremes of political talk radio. The in-game TV programming does much the same (if you haven't, we suggest you make time to watch "Republican Space Rangers"). It looks like The Ballad of Gay Tony will continue the tradition with "Princess Robot Bubblegum," an anime parody to be featured on the in-game CNT channel. The show will serve as part of the new TV lineup in the upcoming expansion. In Rockstar's own words, "Princess Robot Bubblegum" features the hallmarks of more than a few animes: "Incomprehensible narrative, wretched dialogue and creepy, misogynistic sexuality." See it all in the trailer above.
Dancing, drinking and drugs: The nightclubs of GTA Gay Tony revealed
The Ballad of Gay Tony's Luis Lopez seems to have a pretty easy life. The main playable character of the Xbox-only GTA IV episode must simply deal with Liberty City's wealthiest clientele, ensuring their experience at Tony Prince's two nightclubs goes without a hitch. According to Rockstar PR, jobs will involve kicking out drug dealers, dealing with the paparazzi, and getting the appropriate pick-me-ups for the stars.Maisonette 9 and Hercules are two new locations added to the Gay Tony episode. In addition to work, you'll be able to partake in a variety of sidequests and minigames: a "familiar-feeling dance minigame," and a new game that takes place in the club bathroom with a girl. We're not entirely sure what that will entail ... but thinking about the franchise's legacy, we think you can figure it out.
Rockstar drops details of new multiplayer in GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Click for grander imagesYou know that iconic moment in the Ballad of Gay Tony trailer when Luis jumps out of some kind of aerial vehicle? Did you ever wonder what it would look like if, instead of one guy parachuting down into Liberty City, it was eight people? Probably not. Anyway, here's a screenshot of that from Rockstar's latest release, detailing The Ballad of Gay Tony's multiplayer modes.Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch will see lots of new weapons, of course, but also new Kill Streaks and Assisted Kills, which provide cash bonuses. Free Mode gets a little freer with the addition of Buzzard helicopters, APCs, and, of course, parachutes. We can't wait to see what kind of ridiculous emergent competition comes from parachute-based combat.Check our gallery for more new multiplayer screens!%Gallery-75593%
PSA: GTA IV is now available on demand, $30 in US
Crime epic Grand Theft Auto IV has arrived (as promised) on the Xbox Marketplace's Games on Demand lineup. The grand theft mega-hit costs $30 to download, which is the same price as a fresh new retail version -- a tiny bit more in some cases. We should probably note that a used copy from GameStop is about $25. By all means, if you have no way of getting to a retailer please feel free to buy the game online. Oh, wait, that was a missed opportunity for a "steal a car" joke, wasn't it?
New 'Ballad of Gay Tony' trailer's got the (action movie) look
digg_url = 'http://www.joystiq.com/2009/10/07/new-ballad-of-gay-tony-trailers-got-the-action-movie-look/'; We can look back and laugh at the funny dialogue and guys-in-underpants of previous Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony trailers, but in the latest one, things get real. It's titled "There's Always a Girl" (after a featured line of dialogue) but could more accurately be dubbed, "There's Always Jumping from Motorcycles onto Moving Jets and Tearing Through Liberty City in an Armored Personnel Carrier." Oh, it has more of Luis parachuting into Liberty City and even confronting (then riding with) members of The Lost motorcycle club -- you know, from the previous DLC, The Lost and Damned. All of this paired with Roxette's "She's Got the Look." You've got to look!
Rainbow-licious Gay Tony Tees from Rockstar
Are you excited for the release of The Ballad of Gay Tony? Would you like to display that excitement for the whole world to see? Wait ... no ... pull up your pants, we were talking about T-shirts. Rockstar is now selling T-shirts celebrating the release of the upcoming GTAIV expansion. Up for grabs are several Gay Tony logo tees -- available in white, black and pink -- as well as the Episodes from Liberty City tee and, our favorite, the Rockstar rainbow logo tee. At twenty bucks each, you can get enough for the whole family. That, or you could just save the scratch and buy the actual game. It's up to you, really.
Left 4 Dead, GTAIV, SFIV join Xbox Platinum Hits
Microsoft has announced that several new titles will soon be joining the ranks of the Xbox 360's budget priced Platinum Hits line. The new additions include some seriously heavy hitters, namely Grand Theft Auto IV, Street Fighter IV, Left 4 Dead, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and Saints Row 2. Microsoft's announcement (oh so conveniently) neglected to mention prices for any of the titles, but a quick check around the ol' internet points to a price of $29.99 for most of the new additions (though SFIV curiously seems pegged around $40 for the moment). We should also point out that while these are some legitimately great games, both SFIV and Force Unleashed are receiving upgraded, budget versions in the near future -- Ultimate Sith Edition later this year and Super Street Fighter IV in early 2010. It's also worth noting Left 4 Dead is receiving a full-blown sequel only a month from now. Microsoft has also announced that retailers will be offering a "Buy 2, Get 1 Free" promotion for Xbox 360 Platinum Hits through October 31, though the release makes no mention of which retailers are doing so. We've contacted Microsoft for more information on the promotion.
New 'Episodes from Liberty City' introduces Armando & Henrique
Good friends are hard to come by, especially on the seedy streets of Liberty City. That's why we're so glad the above trailer for Episodes from Liberty City (which features snippets from The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and the Damned) emphasizes the comradery one can experience in the city's many boroughs.Don't believe us? Just ask The Ballad of Gay Tony protagonist Luis Lopez's childhood friends Armando Torres and Henrique Bardas, who have stuck with Lopez through thick and thin.
Catch a gold bar from Yusuf Amir in the new Ballad of Gay Tony trailer
It would be outright unfair to spoil any of the hilarious, minute-long trailer for upcoming GTA IV expansion The Ballad of Gay Tony that we've dropped above. We would like to highlight its introduction of Yusuf Amir, a character who seems to be on the level of Brucie in terms of sheer personality. With any luck, we'll get to hang out with Mr. Amir quite a bit while playing through The Ballad of Gay Tony when it's released on October 29. %Gallery-68537%
Weazel News reports rise in Liberty City terrorism
It looks like the inhabitants of Liberty City now have more to fear than crazy foreigners and roving bike gangs, according to a recent Weazel News expose. Terrorists have made their way into the city and brought their tools of destruction with them. Sticky bombs, exploding bullets (doesn't every bullet kinda explode?) and attack helicopters are just a few of these new dangers facing players in upcoming The Ballad of Gay Tony (not to mention every Burger Shot-loving local on the street).But, thanks to the hard work of the Weazel News team, we have a good idea who's behind this sudden influx: Frickie Van Hardenberg, an African emigrant with a sordid past. What? Seriously, that's his name. Watch the news clip above if you don't believe us.[Thanks, Juan!]
See the Tony of GTA: Ballad of Gay Tony
If you haven't heard by now, there's another Grand Theft Auto coming out. The Ballad of Gay Tony, the second Xbox-exclusive expansion pack to Grand Theft Auto IV promises to pack in more explosions, helicopters, sky dives ... and disco dances than ever before. In this short new character vignette released by Rockstar, we see the titular Tony Prince. The reason for his apparent ballad? "The mob are on my case, I'm massively in debt, silly f*cking me."That would certainly explain Tony's need to pick up a gun and go on a rampage, GTA-style. "Man, therapy has a lot to answer for, huh?"
Rockstar's Agent sneaks into 2010 release window
Aside from the game's exclusivity to the PlayStation 3 and the logo you see above, we've seen little else about upcoming '70s espionage game Agent. But while answering some fan questions about next month's GTA IV expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony, on its forums, Rockstar North mentions that it's "working hard on a lineup of PlayStation 3 releases for 2010 ... including Red Dead Redemption, Max Payne 3, and the PlayStation 3 exclusive AGENT." The statement goes on to tease "yet to be announced" titles, possibly lending some credence to Michael Pachter's statements on another GTA game in the not- so-distant future. Considering Rockstar's statements were made in response to queries about GTA IV DLC coming to PS3, we wouldn't be surprised if those "yet to be announced" titles are the result of Microsoft's timed-exclusivity expiring. [Via Superannuation]
Xbox 360 version of GTA IV patched to prevent cheating
Coming just before the new DLC, which is sure to renew interest in Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar Games alerted us to a new Title Update that will make the game a bit harder for jerks, but more playable for the rest of us. It apparently fixes the glitch that allows players to appear invisible, and disables "cheat code exploits" in multiplayer.Frankly, we're shocked to hear of cheating in Grand Theft Auto IV. That's immoral. Everyone should just play nice so that we all have a good time performing murder sprees in stolen automobiles. %Gallery-3442%
GTA IV: Episodes from Liberty City gets box arted
Though we'd love to spend our precious time poring over the just-released cover of upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV DLC retail pack, Episodes from Liberty City, we're not entirely certain of what to pick apart. The usual sexified lady and mean-looking gentlemen are present and accounted for, as is another helicopter to remind us of The Ballad of Gay Tony's apparent vehicle of choice. A few friends from the The Lost & Damned also make an appearance, but there isn't much else to ogle. We still don't have a release date for the expansion or much more than a handful of screenshots, so we really hope you enjoy this box art until the first trailer hits tomorrow afternoon. %Gallery-68537%
First screens for The Ballad of Gay Tony go airborne
Earlier today, Rockstar Games released its first volley of screens for upcoming GTA IV expansion, The Ballad of Gay Tony. From what we can see in the four images -- handed "exclusively to fan sites," according to the Rockstar Games website -- it appears as though air-based warfare will be the focus this time around. Eagle-eyed fans will also notice that the protagonist is wearing the same letterman jacket found in the teaser image Rockstar released last week for the game's second DLC, still scheduled to arrive this Winter, further confirming his main characteriness. All will be revealed this Tuesday we hope, with the arrival of the first trailer (and hopefully some new media alongside that). For the time being, peep all four images right here.%Gallery-68537%[Thanks, Adriaan!]
Incoming Xbox Deals of the Week: Lost and Damned, Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 2
How often is the Xbox Live Deal of the Week actually exciting? Not this week, at least, but it will be this month! On August 24, Microsoft will offer something pretty tempting: Grand Theft Auto: The Lost and Damned for 1200 ($15), 5 bucks off the normal asking price for the Grand Theft Auto IV expansion. If you're the guy who bought GTA IV on 360 but hasn't picked this up yet -- and you don't want to wait for Episodes from Liberty City -- now's a great time to pick up a new set of missions to give up on halfway through the game, in favor of just doing awesome bike jumps. The announcement also reveals that a deal for Penny Arcade Adventures Episode 2 is incoming, so ... you know, don't buy it yet. Also, a Halo 3 Dashboard theme that you really don't need to buy ever.
The Digital Continuum: SWTOR is in a year far, far away part 2
If holiday 2010 was the prime release window, we would -- at a minimum -- know some specific core MMO features. Heck, nobody even has a clue as to whether or not BioWare plans on enacting the "Holy Trinity" approach to group dynamics, let alone what Jedi variations players can select. As much as I'd love for the game to release in late 2010, the scope of this its design, funding and third-party involvement alter the odds to such a low percentage that, were it to occur, would astound me more than SWTOR's actual existence.
GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, Episodes from Liberty City hitting Oct. 29
Rockstar has dated the second Xbox 360-exclusive DLC expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV, The Ballad of Gay Tony, for October 29. A disc-based retail compilation of the new episode and the game's first add-on, The Lost and Damned, titled Episodes From Liberty City, will be available the same day for 360. The news comes via a tweet on the company's Twitter feed and two official site updates. The new DLC will be priced at 1600 ($20) while Episodes will run $39.99 and will not require a copy of GTA IV in order to play. To coincide with the announcement, Rockstar has updated the official Ballad of Gay Tony site with a new desktop background -- there's even an iPhone-formatted version for you mobile mobstas.
Analyst: 2 more GTA IV episodes on the way, GTA V by fiscal 2011
Do you want more Grand Theft Auto? Well, that's what Todd Mitchell, analyst for Kaufman Bros. Equity Research wants. Nay, expects! Speaking to GI.biz, Mitchell stated that he's anticipating two more downloadable GTA IV episodes to launch after The Ballad of Gay Tony. "It's been indicated to me that would be the case," he said. Additionally, with Microsoft's exclusivity deal covering only two episodes, these DLC add-ons may also appear on PS3. In addition to new GTA IV episodes, the analyst believes GTA V will debut some time in the 2011 fiscal year. The only reason it wasn't announced or teased in any way during E3, he believes, is "Rockstar's track record with delivering on time." The most curious of statements Mitchell made was regarding the possibility of a new Grand Theft Auto hitting the PlayStation 2 system. No, you read that right. He believes a PS2 port of the PSP port of the formerly DS-exclusive Chinatown Wars may hit the aging Sony system, although he admits he's not too "confident" about that prediction. Pachter, eat your heart out.
Fallout 3, GTA and Team Fortress 2 as seen through Fauvism
Listen, we don't know what Fauvism is, but we know cool art when we see it. Artist James Barnett's oil paintings of scenes from Fallout 3, Grand Theft Auto 4 and Team Fortress 2, are done in the early 20th Century style known for strong lines and color.We asked Barnett, who has spent more hours in those games than he cares to admit, what inspired him to create images from those games in the style of Les Fauves. He told us, "I really liked the idea of turning on its head the idea of PC 3D video games that had been trying so hard to get everything as close to reality as possible. You have teams of super-talented artists and designers, and you just try and imitate normal old reality? Come on, people! Do something weird! There are enough overmuscled, gritty space marines in brown-grey hallways. I'm less annoyed about this than I used to be thanks to games like Braid and Super Mario Galaxy, and cel shading, etc."Barnett, who has also done woodcut pieces depicting the Space Invaders, added that the idea of using an age-old process to depict something that couldn't exist at the time was a nice experience. If you've got the cash, you can always purchase Barnett's work from his site. If you've got more cash, you can commission a piece.%Gallery-66679%
