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Warriors actor sues Take-Two
Adding another issue to Take-Two's already-full plate, actor Roger Hill is suing the publisher for the publisher's alleged use of his likeness in the game The Warriors. Hill is seeking $250,000 and a court order barring the use of his likeness, according to the New York Daily News. In the film, Hill plays Cyrus, the leader of the Gramercy Riffs and is subsequently assassinated by the leader of the Rogues, who frames the Warriors for the murder. Hill, who now works at a Manhattan business college library, claims Take-Two approached him about using his voice and likeness, but he rejected the offer and the publisher never renegotiated. A spokesman for Take-Two claims that the company "has a valid third-party license for the rights to use Roger Hill's likeness and the character of Cyrus in The Warriors videogame and related marketing materials."[via GamesIndustry.biz]
Imagine Publishing behind GTA4 hoax
QJ reports that they have discovered the nefarious creator of the fake GTA4 screenshot. It turns out that the infamous email from a "disgruntled Rockstar employee" came from the mail servers of none other than Imagine Publishing. Imagine is responsible for several UK gaming mags including X360 and Retro Gamer. So why in the world would a publishing company release a fake screenshot? I think QJ has the right answer: Imagine wanted a story for their next issue. What do you think? Was it a prank gone too far or a diabolical corporate scheme?
GTA4: Girl Theft Auto [update 2]
According to 360Era.com this just might be a screen from Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV (click for an embiggened pic). Hmm, looks about on par with Table Tennis to me. So, is it real? Fake? Frankly, anything with a girl wielding a morning star has my approval. Update 1: It's fake. From Eurogamer: "Rockstar says that an image circulating around web-forums this afternoon, supposedly showing a TV screen running a debug version of Grand Theft Auto IV, is a hoax ... The image ... first showed up in the inboxes of various media organisations this morning under the subject line 'From a disgruntled ex-employee of Rockstar...' ... But that's not the case, Rockstar told us this afternoon. It really is a hoax." Man, fake news travels fast. This screen was circulated and debunked in a matter of hours. Simply amazing. Thanks, Josh. Update 2: It looks like QJ discovered the perpetrator behind this heinous crime. You won't believe who it is. Read the full story here.
Sony: We don't need no stinkin' GTA
Sony is so confident that their next-gen console is going to be such a smash hit, that the loss of exclusivity of their huge PS2 and PSP top-seller, Grand Theft Auto, will be no skin off their bones. In an interview with TheStreet.com, Jack Tretton, executive vice president of Sony Computer Entertainment America, was asked if the loss of GTA as an exclusive franchise would hurt the PS3. His response: "There's no question that having the Grand Theft Auto franchise helped us a lot and helped us sell some units, but I don't think the battle would be any different with or without Grand Theft Auto."Completely dumbfounded by Tretton's response, TheStreet asked one more time, just to be sure. "No, I don't think it hurts us. No, I really don't," Tretton said. Whatever the execs at Sony are smokin', please let me know because I would love some of that. Exclusivity is pretty much the one thing that Sony really has going for it. To dismiss the true effectiveness of holding titles in your hands like Grand Theft Auto, Final Fantasy or God of War is just complete ignorance. I don't believe for one second, however, that Tretton or any Sony exec truly doesn't care about losing GTA. Whether they want to admit it or not, it hurts.[via Team Xbox]
GTAIV will share the Table Tennis engine
There's a rumor floating around these here internets suggesting that the next iteration of Rockstar's money-printing machine known as Grand Theft Auto will be using their own in-house RAGE engine (Rockstar Advanced Game Engine engine), recently seen in Table Tennis. Gamespot's Rumor Control traces the rumor to a TotalVideoGames.com post which mentioned, but neglected to link to, an MTV News report from over a month ago. That report stated, "The Rockstar reps explained that the game was running on RAGE, the Rockstar Advanced Game Engine. This is the graphics technology gamers are to expect from future Rockstar games, including the next GTA." I contacted MTV News' Stephen Totilo to see just how definite this was, and he returned, "I met with Rockstar publicists and producers for Table Tennis twice prior to the game's release. Both times they volunteered that RAGE would serve as the engine for all next-gen Rockstar games. 'Including GTA?' I asked both times. Including GTA they said both times." So there you have it folks. Following EA's acquisition of GTA's old-engine, Renderware, Rockstar has went and made their own. Sure, Table Tennis looks great but really, anything's better than the dated engine they're using now.
GTA IV dumps renderware, picks up RAGE
Rumor has it that Grand Theft Auto IV (or GTA4 as the kids call it) will be using Rockstar's RAGE engine (that's Rockstar Advanced Game Engine). Many of you are already familiar with the RAGE engine if you own a copy of Table Tennis. The previous engine, Renderware, is seriously showing its age, and I doubt many will lament its loss. And it doesn't hurt that Table Tennis already looks mighty fine. Is there any chance we might see Tommy Vercetti both pinging and ponging?
Rockstar vets enlisted for GTA IV
According to IMDb, Rockstar President Dan Houser and GTA/Manhunt veteran James Worrall are the principal writers for Grand Theft Auto IV. Lazlow Jones, who wrote for GTA III & Vice City and did voice work for Liberty City Stories & San Andreas, is listed as a cast member, along with Navid Khonsari who has voiced characters in almost all of Rockstar's titles, including his role as Porn Host in Max Payne 2.Grand Theft Auto IV will debut October 16, 2007 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In addition, Rockstar will create downloadable episodic content for the Xbox 360 version.
Tepid Coffee: Take-Two gets foreboding slap on wrist by FTC
The Federal Trade Commision today handed down its final verdict regarding the "Hot Coffee" controversy. While not fined, the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection director Lydia Parnes stated that the hidden sex game, and publisher Take-Two's subsequent coverup, "undermined the industry's own rating system and deceived consumers," adding that "parents have the right to rely on the accuracy of the entertainment rating system."The harsh words give the impression that this is the game industry's final warning on the subject of full disclosure to ratings systems -- the FTC ruling did note that all future violations by Take-Two will results in an $11,000 fine per violation (i.e. per game sold). As GameSpot extrapolated, with 7.27 million copies of San Andreas sold in the US, Take Two would have had to pay almost $80 billion dollars.The Hot Coffee incident involves a sex minigame found in the code of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which could only be found by hacking the title or downloading user-made modifications. Although difficult to find (and play), its inherent inclusion (and Take Two's initial denial) ignited anti-game activists and more than a few opportunistic lawmakers into action.[Thanks, SickNic]
2K Games kicks its habit, drops Snow [update 1]
While not surprising (we haven't heard anything about the game since E3 2005), Take Two subsidiary 2K Games officially announced today that it has cancelled Snow, a drug-dealing strategy. In the game, you start out as some small-time pot dealers to a narcotics empire capable of taking out the competition (usually involving violence). Snow used cel-shading to give it the feel of a graphic novel.The content of the game, from glorified drug peddling to gang wars, was ripe with controversy; Take Two has enough controversy (Hot Coffee, Oblivion, and Bully) to deal with right now. Bully, in fact, has not been mentioned by Rockstar since December of 2005, yet has become a staple example of the "horrible games industry" by certain anti-game activists.You can check out some screenshots and impressions of Snow over at GameSpot.[Thanks, Joe and JC][update 1: it was cancelled only once -- typo fixed]
Overheard in New York...
Overheard in New York (City) poster, Everclear, caught this snippet of a conversation on the 2 train near Borough Hall:SAT* prepping kid #1: What's 'hydrolysis'? SAT prepping kid #2: Dude, don't you play Grand Theft Auto? Hydrolysis is what makes the cars bump up and down. SAT prepping kid #3: Um ... Hydrolysis is the splitting of things in water. SAT prepping kid #2: Whatever. Same thing.*standardized test[Thanks Lex!]
Microsoft's coup: GTA on 360 and PS3
Peter Moore just dropped a bomb on us during their keynote (which we're liveblogging here): Rockstar's blockbuster series, Grand Theft Auto, is coming to the Xbox 360 on October 17th and 19th, 2007, in North America and Europe respectively. Peter Moore said it would be on 360 "from day one" implying the title will see a simulatenous release on the competition's PlayStation 3 console.This takes one of Sony's biggest assets this generation and makes it moot. Well played Microsoft ... those billions sure do come in handy sometimes.(Updated: GTA4 is dropping in 2007 -- not 2006 -- meaning it will ostensibly drop on both 360 and PS3 on the same date, or "day one" as Mr. Moore said.)
Becks loses two Bimmers to laptop-toting thieves
For every hundred or so stupid criminals that we feature on these pages, there are a few just as brilliant as their contemporaries are dim: look at the international group of hardware pirates who managed to build their own version of Japan's NEC Corp, or the laptop-toting thieves who succesfully stole not one, but two, of soccer football star David Beckham's BMW X5 SUVs by hacking the keyless-entry systems. In the last six months, the Real Madrid star and Mr. Posh Spice has seen two of his $60,000 vehicles lost to geeky criminals, with the most recent GTA occurring while Becks dined at a mall in Spain. Apparently thieves armed with a particular model's security schematics can jack into the car's PC and run software that dumps out the necessary codes for breaking the encryption, allowing them to unlock the doors, start the engine, and in some cases, even disable built-in tracking devices. Yeah, we're kind of impressed, but let's see these fancy criminals use their high-tech lockpicks to "hack" the cold, hard steel of our "Club LX."[Via Left Lane News]
Rockstar playing it low-key at E3
After reviewing the E3 2006 floor plans, it's clear that Rockstar will not be renting a showroom booth this year. Over at Planet Grand Theft Auto, Jordan speculates that Take-Two's prized developer might be stowed away in a small, perhaps private meeting room. According to the floor plans, Take-Two has reserved room 150C in the Concourse Hall.Rockstar's absence on the show floor likely means that the next GTA installment will not make the PS3 launch — or, if the franchise is going to defect, the Xbox 360's holiday lineup. Still, we can't help but wonder what might be previewed behind closed doors. Let's hope it's not just a high-stakes Table Tennis tournament.
Stefan Eriksson charged with multiple counts
Guess whose favorite scandal-ridden carousing ex-gangster party animal Los Angelean Swede just got charged with felony counts of embezzlement, grand theft auto, driving under the influence, and illegal possession of a firearm by felon? You got it, Stefan Eriksson. who supposedly faces 14 years in prison, if found guilty. What, you didn't think someone this shady was going to go about his business forever more without further question after that fateful evening last February, did you? Oh, and FYI, the handsome, mysterious Dietrich -- the man accused by Eriksson of driving the $1m Enzo into the pole at 160mph -- continues to evade capture, despite prosecuters' claims he does not exist. We have just received word, however, that he was spotted late last week attempting to cross the Canadian border in a Groucho Marx disguise and Ferrari PowerWheels.[Thanks, Alex B]Update: Apparentl Eriksson pleaded not guilty and was held on $5.5m bail. Yo, dudes at Xero Mobile, you wanna help a brother out? Thanks, Freddy.
MS trying to score a GTA exclusive?
The latest issue of Game Informer stands by the mag's last bombshell rumor and adds a new one. Xboxic has a summary:GI is standing by their April issue in which they revealed Forerunner, a new title in the Halo series. Now this month in their Loose Talk section, they reveal Project Orion. According to GI, Bungie and Ensemble Studios are teaming up to make a Halo FPS MMO. They claim this project is in “planning stages” just like Forerunner, so things could “change.”Microsoft is currently trying their hardest to secure the next version of GTA as an Xbox 360 exclusive. They claim MS is going full out in this. Even if MS does not secure it as a full exclusive, they will try to get it as a timed exclusive (similar to Sony last gen).That should get the PS3 fanboys' coffee percolating.
Gizmondo chief finally arrested for being too shady
We shamelessly ripped this headline verbatim from the subject of reader Dave M's tip, because, well, it's just so perfect, isn't it? Specifically, former Tiger Telematics Europe executive and drunk driving enthusiast Stefan Eriksson was arrested at his Bel-Air residence on Saturday, booked on suspicion of grand theft, and is currently enjoying decidedly less-luxurious surroundings, as the Sheriff's Department is wisely holding the slippery Swede without bail. It's not immediately clear whether the theft charge is related to Eriksson's destruction of that million dollar Ferrari Enzo in February (pictured in cake, above), but since we'd already heard that a Scottish bank may be the rightful owners of the mangled supercar, we wouldn't be surprised if the former videogame exec is guilty of playing a little real life GTA along with his favorite DUI. Meanwhile, Eriksson's imaginary friend and supposed co-conspirator, "Dietrich," remains at large.[Thanks, Dave M]
ZOMG GTA Chicago! Skepticism overwhelms us
Sure, it's not April 1st yet, but that hasn't stopped some guileful folks from getting a jump start on their annual trickery. Take, for example, the suspiciously timed appearance of a website ostensibly promoting Rockstar's latest and greatest: no, not Table Tennis, but Grand Theft Auto: Chicago of course!Why does this GTA: Chicago thing smell fishier than a two week old tuna sandwich left in your high school locker? Let us count the ways: The previous GTA games have eschewed real cities, opting instead for fictional cities closely inspired by actual ones. Liberty City ~ New York City; Vice City ~ Miami; San Andreas ~ Los Angeles. Chicago doesn't sound right. Suspicion triggered. It doesn't look right either. That font is seriously dubious. Rising. Why announce a game on (or a day before) April 1st? Why announce a huge title like GTA just several weeks before E3 and a week after GDC? Why take the focus off the other title you're busy promoting, Table Tennis? Suspicion reaching the boiling point. The site was registered through GoDaddy.com, who in turn report the registrar as an anonymous service called Domains by Proxy, Inc.. Suspicion nearing dangerous levels. All of Rockstar's other GTA domains have been registered through Network Solutions to Rockstar directly. Check LibertyCityStories.com, ViceCity.com, and GTASanAndreas.com. Suspicion core overload. Evacuate Zebes. Oh April Fool's Day pranksters, you'll have to do better than that. [Thanks, Buttonbasher]
GTA TV could be headed to Spike TV
According to Variety.com, Spike TV is undergoing a "macho makeover," which will include the addition of new dramas and action-adventure series geared towards male audiences. Among the proposed concepts, is a live-action take on Grand Theft Auto that could premiere as early as Summer 2007. It's unclear if the show would be a licensed adaptation of the game or simply inspired by the content featured in Rockstar's franchise.[via Gamecloud]
GTA worth $900 million; look to PSP for future of franchise
Research analysts Jason Kraft and Chris Kwak have determined an answer to the question, "What's Grand Theft Auto worth?" Parent-company Take-Two has been rocked by some troubles of late. With rumors that the company is for sale, and that Elevation Partners is browsing around, the question has been on a lot of minds lately--ours included. First, they anticipate only two next-gen GTA games hitting the consoles in the next five years, versus the three current-gen titles. In the same period, they say "there is potential for up to six PSP titles (five, post Liberty City Stories) over the next five years," continuing, "Take-Two could develop unique PSP games between major next-gen console releases or ports of existing titles. Shorter development cycles on PSP enable Take-Two to release PSP titles more frequently. The regularity with which Take-Two releases GTA titles on PSP will be critical to the franchise’s revenue growth in the next-gen cycle and underlies our revenue growth forecast."They also suspect console releases will either be released on multiple platforms, to capitalize on the larger install-base, or console exclusivity would place Take-Two "in a position to demand cash in return... in either scenario, Take-Two wins." They conclude that the Grand Theft Auto franchise is currently worth about $900 million, or $10-$13 per share. Removing the $1.52 per share of cash reserves, the remainder of Take-Two is worth $1.71-$4.71 per share. Those numbers show GTA as being worth 62%-81% of the company's total value! Will potential buyers be wary of placing all their eggs in the GTA basket?Send an email to kraftandkwak [at symbol] sig.com for a copy of the report.
LEGO Grand Theft Auto?!
Tipster, Timá, dug this one up. It looks like it's been around for a while, but hopefully most of you have never seen it. It's good for a chuckle or two, and it's definitely office-friendly. And who knows... if they made LEGO Star Wars, why not take it one step further? [Thanks, Timá]
