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Grand Theft Auto IV dated for April 29
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Grand_Theft_Auto_dated_for_April_29'; Apparently, despite our frequent doubting, Grand Theft Auto IV will be hitting the February to April target that Take-Two set when the game was delayed last year, if only just barely. The game has now been slated to drop on April 29th.If you've checked out the multitude of previews that dropped this week, you'd know that game is looking really, really awesome, so we're counting on Rockstar to hit its date this time around. What more is there to say, really? GTA IV. April 29. We're there.
GTAIV: Dynamic weather, auto saves and more
The lucky ducks over at IGN (and many others) somehow scored a visit to Rockstar's studios recently to get some hands time with an updated build of this Spring's blockbuster. And, well, let's just get to it. This, friends, is Grand Theft Auto IV.After their 90 minute GTAIV hands-on preview, IGN came away gushing over the game's graphics, lushiously dynamic weather effects and put to rest their worries of a jumpy frame rate. To them, this is the next-gen GTA experience they've dreamt about. Some interesting tidbits we extracted from their preview were little things, including the addition of auto-saves, every street having a name, how much the physics engine has improved and the fact that Rockstar has kept true to the GTA formula. Other more gameplay focused additions are mentioned like the fact that the combat system will feature a Gears of War inspired cover system (complete with blind firing) and the importance of Niko's cell phone in the game (you can even call 911). The preview should get you excited for GTAIV and should put to rest any worries you may have had about Rockstar's commitment to the franchise. Simply put, GTAIV sounds amazing and we can't wait to give it a spin for ourselves.[Thanks, DaveC and Xenocidic]%Gallery-3451%
Grand Theft Auto IV preview-splosion!
So, an embargo up and expired today and, in a torrent of words and screenshots, we were inundated with previews of Grand Theft Auto IV. GamesRadar flips on the caps-lock key to call it their "most massive preview EVER"; IGN takes an "extended look at the near-final Liberty City"; Kikizo bills it as their "third GTA IV preview spectacular"; VideoGamer.com pitches us with "3,500+ words GTA4 preview + screens"; and lastly, Team Xbox politely avoids mentioning the size of their preview, though it still weighs in at a massive 2200 or so words.Maybe we're just getting old, but we went straight for MTV News' far more palatable preview which, at 1500 words, was practically a lesson in concision. Sure, you don't get the fancy new screenshots or what have you, but you do get some new details on the game all presented on one beautifully long page. So what's new? How about a totally refined combat system that sounds more like the the elegant system used in Gears of War or Uncharted than the clunky mess reused for five Grand Theft Auto games. Also, just in case the sex and violence weren't going to be enough to get the game vilified in the mainstream media, they've added in the ability to get drunk which makes "walking and driving controls wobbly" and the camera shaky. Also, no more eating too much and getting fat (just like real life), and no more crazy outfits ("That's not the mood of this game," a Rockstar rep said), both perfectly reasonable limitations considering what appears to be a stronger emphasis on story and character. While we didn't dig through the thousand upon thousands of words gathered in these half-dozen plus previews, we did assemble the links with the help of a tipster from RockstarWatch.net. Enjoy, and let us know if you spot anything we should all know about. Read – Grand Theft Auto IV Details Unloaded ... [MTV News]Read – GTA IV: A New Look [CVG]Read – Grand Theft Auto IV UK Update [IGN]Read – Grand Theft Auto IV - updated impressions [GamesRadar]Read – Grand Theft Auto IV: Kikizo Preview 3 [Kikizo]Read – GTA4 First Look [VideoGamer.com]Read – Grand Theft Auto IV Preview [Team Xbox]
GTAIV in March, so says Micro Center
According to a flier from computer retailer Micro Center, Grand Theft Auto IV will go on sale beginning "March 08." GameDaily speculates that this date refers to Saturday, March 8. Joystiq, on the other hand, assumes the "08" in question refers to the year 2008 (C.E.). Given that the only word on the release date from Rockstar and Take Two is that the game will release sometime during their second fiscal quarter (February - April), we're inclined to agree. Sure, it's possible, but it seems odd for GTAIV to forgo the traditional Tuesday release day (and it would put the game on US shelves a full month before the projected April release for the UK). In other words, don't hold your breath.[Via Joystiq]
GTA IV dated 'March 08' in Micro Center ad
Leading game retailer Two-bit computer and electronics chain Micro Center has taken Grand Theft Auto IV's target release window – between Feb. and April, 2008 – and divided it in half: "March 08," declares the store's new circular. While GameDaily recommends we leave our calendars open for Saturday, March 8th, we're pretty certain Micro Center's "08" is an abbreviation for '2008,' and further evidence that no one knows exactly when to expect GTA IV. Do yourself a favor: don't be that guy who drives all night to Mayfield Heights, Ohio, arriving during the wee hours of the 8th, only to find a few eager campers for Smash Bros.
Target offering free 360 skin with GTAIV pre-order
If you are one who likes to pre-order games and are all about getting Grand Theft Auto IV this Spring you may want to drive on over to your local Target for some free pre-order goods. Available now at every Target retailer are specially decorated $10 GTAIV pre-order cards that secure your game come launch day. But not only do you get the rather l33t pre-order card, but you'll also get a free Xbox 360 GTAIV skin pack to decorate your console when you pick the game up. We aren't sure what the skin looks like, but we have a hunch that it'll be black and feature the letters "IV" boldly inscribed somewhere. Again, we advise this only if you're a video game pre-order maniac who wants GTAIV and loves free stuff. Skins FTW!
Next Gen compiles best of 2008: GTAIV on top
Next Generation has put together its own list of the best upcoming games of 2008, a popular thing to do at this time of year. Their list has an interesting twist though: estimated sales numbers. Each game is given a three month sales projection derived by taking sales of previous entries in a franchise (or similar games in the case of new franchises) and tacking on expected sales increases for 2008. Most titles are nestled somewhere in the 300,000 - 900,000 sales range. Undoubtedly though, the one game predicted to blow the competition away is none other than Grand Theft Auto IV, projected to sell between 3.5 and 4 million copies. The only titles close to this number are Fable 2 which could go as high as 1.3 million and Fallout 3 and Halo Wars, both of which could break 1 million. Granted, these are all merely predictions, but we'd say it's a pretty safe bet that Grand Theft Auto IV will be the game to beat in 2008.[Via Evil Avatar]
TheStreet.com rattles off the big games of '08
Though we're still shaking off the gaming haze of 2007, aught-eight is under way and waiting for no man. Just when it seems like nothing could top last year's surfeit of incredible games, along comes a feature by TheStreet.com, covering 2008's biggest known releases and reminding us that we're not out of the water yet. Considering their Wall Street pedigree, it shouldn't be surprising that they concentrate mostly on the major public companies and their biggest '08 releases. First up is Take-Two and Grand Theft Auto IV, the obvious frontrunner in terms of sales for '08. Next is EA's Spore, which presents a slightly more muddled outlooks; without a franchise name to build off of, and a nebulous release date, analysts aren't sure where to put it. THQ's been hurting a bit lately, so analysts are hopeful that Saint's Row 2 (expected in '08) along with licensed games (y'know, for kids) will help pull them out of their funk. Oh, and there's some Wii Fit thing which is supposed to make "Nintendo" a bunch of cash. Or something. The last two titles on their list are PS3 exclusives: Metal Gear Solid 4 they say "will be a bigger deal for Sony than for Konami" while LittleBigPlanet could "revive Sony's fortunes in the video games industry." What other big titles should we be looking out for in '08? [Via GamePolitics]
Rockstar: No third exclusive GTAIV episode exists
Reports of a third chunk of Xbox 360 exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodic content being announced have been clogging the internets following a Take-Two conference call that took place earlier this week. But before your excitement level reaches astronomical levels, know that it was all just a misunderstanding.The conference call outlined GTAIV's episodic content release schedule stating that the two previously announced 360 exclusive GTAIV episodes would release in 2008 with another new one following in 2009. But sadly that information is wrong. Take-Two clarified their conference call remarks with Next-Gen.biz saying that their talk of episodic content was misunderstood and that there is no "new" 360 exclusive episodic content to announce. All that's in the works is the two episodes that we've known about. The misunderstanding stems from the fact that GTAIV's release has been delayed a bit and the downloadable content that was supposed to release in March '08 and Fall '08 is now being bumped back later in the year with the second episode now being released in 2009. Still, we'll be getting two exclusive episodes and we can't be bitter about that. And lesson learned Take-Two, through clarity world peace is achieved.
Pachter: GTA IV is not a Take-Two panacea
Take-Two might be seeing improved financials, but Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter is tapping the brakes if the company thinks Grand Theft Auto IV is going to drive profits and be a "panacea" for all its ills. Giving GameDaily some fancy financial math, Pachter lays out that Take-Two management is operating in a fantasy world if they think their profit forecasts are credible. Pachter goes on to say that Take-Two still receives a "Sell" rating and questions if management is even capable of turning the company around.He then plunges the dagger deep into Take-Two management not only over fiscal issues, but basic management. He believes they are sincerely trying to turn the company around, which continues to operate at a loss, but that they have "not managed a business like this one in an environment like this." He doesn't understand why there weren't staff reductions after the "abysmal performance" of All-Pro Football -- especially with EA having the NFL in its pocket. Pachter believes investor confidence in Take-Two is unfounded and reminds the company had a cumulative operating loss of $450 million between Feb. '05 and Jan. '08. He concludes that investors and management have "overconfidence in the performance of GTA IV."%Gallery-3442%
GTAIV dated April 25 for the UK says MCV
According to MCV, "senior industry sources" have intimated that the UK release of Grand Theft Auto IV will not be in March as previously expected, but rather on April 25. Naturally, Rockstar refused to comment on the speculation when contacted by MCV. Assuming the sources are correct, this would put GTAIV's release in the very last week of the second fiscal quarter for the game's publisher Take Two. This lines up well with previous statements from Take Two head Strauss Zelnick, who noted last month that the release would be, "sometime between the beginning of February and the end of April." It's also worth noting that an April 25 release in the UK would likely put the title on US shores somewhat earlier. Don't expect Take Two or Rockstar to talk anytime soon either, as one source expects them to wait until "two or three weeks before release" to divulge more information.[Via Joystiq]%Gallery-3451%
Rumorong: More exclusive GTA IV Xbox 360 content in '09
According to Take-Two there is no additional exclusive episodic content for the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV beyond what was previously announced. The confusion stems from a call last night regarding Take-Two's financials where CEO Ben Feder said, "In fiscal 2009 we'll also be offering additional episodic content for Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360." A Rockstar rep tells Next-Gen that Feder was referring to the second announced episode.The semantic crux in the statement is that if the second episode is released after Nov. 1 '08 it is part of Take-Two's fiscal '09. We already knew that the first GTA IV episode was planned to come out shortly after release, and then the second episode about a half year after that, which places it after the fiscal '09 start date. The devil is in the wordy details.%Gallery-3442%
Gaze at new GTAIV screenshots
There isn't much more to say really. Rockstar has released some new screenshots of Grand Theft Auto IV. There are twelve new shots in all, which we've added to the Grand Theft Auto IV gallery (handily embedded below). The new shots show off some new characters, locales, and plenty of vehicles including a boat, motorcycle, and helicopter (although we can't be sure if the helicopter is actually being flown by Niko, the game's protagonist). The images also display a variety of lighting and weather conditions, including the particularly stormy image above. Overall, the game is looking nice, though some of the textures look like they could use a little work (case in point). Enough talk, though. Check out the images yourself and tell us what you think.[Thanks, DjDATZ]%Gallery-3451%
MCV: GTA IV to hit UK April 25
Ever since the Grand Theft Auto IV's much-ballyhooed delay to the somewhat nebulous "Q2 2008," would-be gangsters everywhere have been clamoring to know the specific date the game would hit (and Take Two has been no help on that score). Now MCV purports to have an answer, citing "senior industry sources" to pin the game's British release date at April 25, 2008.If MCV's unnamed "sources close to the game's publisher" are correct, the game would just sneak in before the end of Take Two's promised second fiscal quarter, which runs from February through April. The story gives no hint at a U.S. release date, but recent games in the series have hit our shores a few days before Britain's.Rockstar gave MCV a blanket "no comment" or the rumor, and one source hinted that we might not get much official warning from the publisher. "I'd expect some more concrete news from them two or three weeks before release," a retail source told MCV. Yikes! That doesn't leave much time to rob enough hookers for the needed cash to buy the game.
Sex Worker Alliance: GTA normalizes violence against sex workers
On this fifth annual "International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers," we remind you to tip -- but not to kill -- your service providers. According to The Toronto Sun, Anastasia Kuzyk of the Sex Workers' Alliance of Toronto believes that games like Grand Theft Auto feed into the "subculture of allowing the violence to continue," and that violence "against sex workers should not be normalized, but it is." Although she doesn't mention GTA by name in the quote, it's the only well-known game we can think of that lets you "run down prostitutes and kill them and beat them up and take their money."Kuzyk has cause for concern, as 171 female sex workers (no stats on men given) were killed between '91 and '04 in Toronto. This is also not the first time in recent memory that GTA has received flak from sex worker advocates, though there's no word yet on whether GTA IV will allow for the ironically health-enhancing activity of picking up a prostitute like in other installments in the series. So, Happy International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers everyone! Boy, that's a mouthful.[Via GamePolitics]
Preview the characters of Grand Theft Auto IV
IGN has the exclusive scoop on five of the characters that you'll be seeing this Spring in Grand Theft Auto IV. The characters' mini-biographies are moderately interesting and give us a better feel of how GTAIV's story will progress and what kind of drama they'll be creating. Our favorite? It has to be Manny. Anyone willing to clean up their life, give back to the kids and make a life documentary is A+ classy in our book. Click on over to IGN to read about all five true-up GTAIV gangsters that'll probably make your life as Niko a living hell.[Thanks, to everyone who sent this in]
Grand Theft Auto IV rated MA 15+ in Australia
Eagle-eyed Joystiq scouts in the land down under noticed that Grand Theft Auto IV very recently received an MA 15+ rating from the Australian Classification Board. The rating was given on Dec. 11 and is in line with the MA 15+ ratings given to the other Grand Theft Auto games.The takeaway from this info is potentially twofold. Firstly, GTA IV apparently won't be dragged through an insane Manhunt 2-style ratings fiasco. Second, and far more speculative, is that this bodes well for the game releasing before holiday '08 as many now expect. We've already asked Rockstar if it has submitted the materials to the ESRB for a US rating -- maybe GTA IV will actually come out between Feb. and April '08.[Thanks Rob]
GTAIV trailer 3 gets analyzed
With the release of GTAIV still months away, what are bored geeks to do but analyze the hell out of every scrap Rockstar throws our way? That's exactly what the folks at GameVideos have done, posting a nine minute analysis of the two minute trailer that was released yesterday. Naturally, we're not going to learn too much more than we already knew, but there are a few interesting points made. In particular, we get a look at some of the recurring characters in the story through some careful scrutiny of the footage in the trailer. Other than that, we get a closer look at some of the graphical effects gamers may have missed on the first viewing. You know, things like pasties covering stripper nipples. We totally missed that the first time. Check out the video to see what else you might have missed.
GTAIV trailer now available and on XBLM!
Rockstar Games' latest Grand Theft Auto 4 trailer "Move up, ladies" has just released onto the internets and it's teh awesome! We don't want to spoil it for you, but we will say that you get to see more of the game's characters, personalities and locations. And we have to say, we're loving our friend Niko. Take a look at the embedded version above or download the trailer in HD off of the XBLM. Take it all in folks, 2008 and GTAIV cannot come soon enough. We've already polished our guns.
Grand Theft Auto IV: 'Move up, ladies'
As promised, the latest trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV – titled "Move up, ladies" – hits the world in the face with a baseball bat and takes its Lincoln Town Car. This trailer's not limited to just your usual suspects, all destined to crumble under the combined weight of millions of F5 keys; no, this time it should be available at a large array of outlets, including Xbox.com and the Xbox Live Marketplace. Need a refresher? Watch the first two trailers after the break.
