GTAIV
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Rumor: GTA IV DLC going coast to coast, Niko books ticket to San Andreas
New cities? Pfft! How about an entire state?! While rummaging through the Rockstar Social Club, a GTAForums poster uncovered the plane ticket pictured above (full view). Looks like Niko is headed to the fine state of San Andreas, famous for its lowriders and piping hot coffee. Whether it's the stuff of fan fiction or a not-so-subtle hint of content to come, your guess is as good as ours, but the ticket does rekindle last month's rumor that the exclusive GTA IV DLC for Xbox 360 will feature "new downloadable cities." What's curious is that the flight isn't destined for one of San Andreas' specific airports, but rather the state itself. What could it mean? Well, for one, that you'd need a bigger hard drive.Alternate theory: The "San Andreas" on this plane ticket could be a reference to the original San Andreas, a top-down city based on San Francisco, from the first Grand Theft Auto. [Via X3F]
Counting Rupees: GTA IV vs. Iron Man
Each week Jeff Engel and Geoff Brooks contribute Counting Rupees, a column on the business behind gaming: According to several "analysts" last week, the successful launch of Grand Theft Auto IV threatened to sink the box office returns for Iron Man. The thinking went that since the game and the movie both target primarily the same demographic (males 18-29), that demographic would stay home and play the game instead of going to see the movie. While it's impossible to declare with complete certainty, as Variety did, that GTA IV had absolutely no effect on Iron Man's opening (with $104.2M in domestic receipts, $201M worldwide, and a release date for a sequel already announced), whatever effect it may have had was clearly not enough to significantly impact the movie. But clearly, many had predicted that the game could adversely affect box office receipts. It makes me wonder -- have we ever seen this sort of effect before?
Rumor: GTA IV will return to San Andreas
Ah, sharp-eyed forums posters. Thank you all. Without your tireless efforts the internet's tubes would be quite empty. One of them over on the GTA Forums was messing around with the Rockstar Social Club and found an interesting item, a plane ticket. For Niko. To San Andreas. While this of course means nothing concrete (it could simply be an homage) it could refer to the DLC, which mas been rumored to resemble entirely new cities. Unfortunately, unlike real-world airplane tickets, there is no departure date for us to pine over. So, San Andreas DLC? Maybe.
Rockstar releases GTA IV multiplayer guide
If you're not the type of noob to simply dial up your new pal "Multiplayer" and leap blindly into a hail of bullets and screaming 12-year-olds (er, "18, right?"), then you may find Rockstar's just published -- and carefully reproduced after the break! -- Grand Theft Auto IV multiplayer guide just the sort of literature you've been pining for. Want to know how to get the "Party" started? Unlock new threads? Flip someone the bird? It's all in the details that follow.%Gallery-3442%
CNN's Beck 'could care less' about games, bloggers are 'losers'
Glenn Beck, host of CNN's The Glenn Beck Program, has added his name to the list of concerned citizens against the violence and sexual content found in Grand Theft Auto IV. In a recent interview with Dr. Cheryl Olson, co-author of Grand Theft Childhood, Beck lashed out with indifference toward gaming and then proceeded to 'dis' bloggers."I will tell you that all these video gamers ... they're bloggers, as well as video gamers - they're writing all kinds of stuff about me [that] I'm the enemy now of video gamers. I could care less about video games. Video game bloggers? They're losers ..."For someone who could care less about gaming he sure does have his share of opinions on the subject. Watch as Beck wastes Dr. Olson's time by ranting about his personal life as an internet joke when he realizes the good doctor wouldn't be able to add to his sound-byte reel of uninformed gaming hatred.Our favorite part? Beck cashing in on the Grand Theft Auto IV hatred for ratings and advertising dollars and then proceed to accuse the 'game industry' of giving GTAIV an M-Rating purely for monetary reasons. Say it with us now. Irony.
HIPerSpace monitor wall makes a great Grand Theft Auto IV canvas
Rolling around jacking up innocents and tossing Molotov cocktails is pretty enthralling on your vanilla 46-inch HDTV, but can you even imagine the rush of swiping a hot dog, burning out in someone else's whip and then snagging a new pair of kicks on this? Researchers (and gamers, obviously) down at UC San Diego have re-engineered their middleware to enable such masterpieces as this to be played on the big monolithic HIPerSpace screen, and needless to say, we can't imagine much real work getting done with this new functionality coming to light. Head on down to the gallery to see what you're missing -- science, research and 4.0 GPAs are such beautiful things. %Gallery-22388%
MS releases even more GTAIV facts and figures
Yesterday, we brought you some of Grand Theft Auto IV's stellar sales figures, which we have to admit were ... uhh, stellar. Now today, courtesy of team Microsoft, we bring even more GTAIV facts and figures specific to the Xbox 360, including estimated 360 sales and how many achievements have been unlocked to date.Speaking of achievements, Microsoft revealed that in the first week, 2.3 million gamers unlocked upwards of 12 million GTAIV achievement, worth somewhere around 100 million Gamerscore. Yowzaz! We also learn that retailers report that 60% of all GTAIV software sales were the Xbox 360 version which MS estimates increased 360 hardware sales by 54% week over week. Double yowzaz! Still not enough stats and figures for you? Head towards the break to view Microsoft's bragging list of GTAIV sales and Xbox Live stats.
GTA IV statsplosion! Xbox Live and US 360 sales detailed
Rockstar continues its statistical assault, putting down its scientific calculator and giant sacks of money just long enough to share some Grand Theft Auto IV data with us, by way of Microsoft's Gamerscore Blog. First, Microsoft wanted to share some GTA-related Xbox sales data (Europe can't have all the fun, right?): Xbox 360 console sales "went up 54% week-over-week"; retailers say that the Xbox 360 release accounted for more than 60% of all GTA IV sales in the first week; sticking those two together, retailers say that "roughly 40% of new 360 console sales" went out the door with a copy of GTA IV. Now for the really interesting stuff: Xbox Live stats. We already knew GTA IV took the top spot on Xbox Live (and apparently helped the service break the "1 million concurrent users" milestone), but know we know how: more than 2.3 million people played on Xbox Live, unlocking more than 12 million achievements, and setting "a new record for time played," with your average gamer investing more than four hours in the game's first week.Without decent info to compare and contrast these numbers with, they're little more than trivia. Regardless, here's our best apples and oranges comparison: in the first nine days after the release of the Call of Duty 4 map pack, that game logged some 30 million hours of play so, if GTA IV had 2.3 million users spending an average of four hours with it in the first week, we're clumsily calculating something like 9.2 million hours versus something like 23.3 prorated hours for CoD4 ... or something. We warned you it was apples and oranges. Now you tell us: how much time did you spend with GTA IV?
GTA IV makes Xbox 360 sales jump 125% in UK
Microsoft is apparently quite happy with the hardware sales boost it received with the release of GTA IV in Europe. GameDaily reports that a representative for Microsoft Europe said, "Today is has become clear that consumers are finding Xbox 360 the best way to experience Liberty City." Microsoft stated that Xbox 360 console sales jumped 125% in the UK, "reflecting the popularity of this franchise on the platform."Not to rain on Microsoft's parade, but the company didn't actually reveal a sales number to go with that 125%. So, for all we know, the week before GTA IV released the company sold 10 consoles in the UK, and the following week it sold about 23. Let's put an end to the war of percentages! We know victory is 200% sweeter when fought that way ... but we believe that's true only 33% of the time.
'You will probably see' DLC for PS3 GTA IV
One of the big advantages of the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV is its exclusive DLC, coming later this Fall. Some may argue that a game as deep as GTA IV doesn't need additional content (Liberty City is a massive sprawl already!). However, it's not like PS3 owners shouldn't have the option.Speaking to videogamer.com, SCEE boss David Reeves said that we may see DLC for PS3: "Well I think you probably will see it, it's just that a deal obviously was struck between Microsoft and Take 2 to do that ... I would say to them then, you know, email Rockstar (laughs), and ask them what's coming. I think they already are, probably!"Reeve's wishy-washy answer certainly doesn't inspire confidence in the certainty of DLC for the PS3 version of GTA IV. For now it's still a pipe dream -- one that PS3 fans are incredibly reluctant to let go of.[Via Joystiq]
SCEE President: 'You will probably see' GTAIV DLC for PS3
SCEE President David Reeves has indicated that PlayStation 3 owners may be able to enjoy some Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable content, after all. Speaking to VideoGamer at yesterday's PlayStation Day, Reeves said, "Well I think you probably will see it, it's just that a deal obviously was struck between Microsoft and Take-Two to do that, and if that's what they want to do, I think that's the last shot they have."Of course, executives are known for their superhuman ability to talk a lot of hot air, and Reeves is no exception. The deal Reeves refers to is the $50 million Microsoft reportedly gave Take Two for exclusive GTAIV "episodes." It's unclear if Reeves is hinting at that DLC coming to Sony, entirely new DLC (also of questionable exclusivity) or absolutely nothing tangible at all.
GTA IV gets 1.01 patch, freezing not fixed [Update]
Looks like Grand Theft Auto IV got a little band-aid patchwork today with a 1.01 update. It's a small little tweak at 18 MB, and it supposedly will fix up those freezing problems everyone's been getting antsy over. So far, we've been playing with the new patch for the past few minutes and everything seems to be going smoothly.[Update: Looks like the freezing issue has not been fixed after all. Many gamers are stating the problem is persisting. Apparently, this update is supposed to fix multiplayer connectivity issues which cause the game to lockup. Eurogamer notes: "reducing the loads on the servers at GameSpy and hopefully the completely random hangs that some users have seen".][Thanks Lee!]
UK GTAIV first week sales: 926,000 copies
Hey, remember those ridiculously high Grand Theft Auto IV sales estimates Chart-Track provided for the UK? It looks like they weren't ridiculously high enough, as the final numbers have now been released. Sales for the first week of GTAIV availability in the UK reached a whopping 926,000 copies (approximately) with 631,000 being sold on the first day, handily topping the original day one estimate of 609,000. Of the 926,000 copies sold during the first week, 514,000 were for Xbox 360 with the remaining 413,000 going to the Playstation 3.The game also managed to drive console sales, raising Xbox 360 sales by 125 percent and PS3 sales by 127 percent from the previous week. Perhaps most impressive of all, in its first week of sales GTAIV has already surpassed all but the top three UK titles of 2007 (FIFA 08, Brain Training, and Call of Duty 4). Just to clarify, that's one week sales versus total sales for 2007. One last statistic: GTAIV is now the record holder for one week sales for a multiplatform game in the UK.Yow.[Via Joystiq]Note: You may have noticed that 413,000 and 514,000 don't add up to 926,000. We're guessing that the numbers are the result of rounding one way or another.
Zelnick: GTA IV is glitch-free, Us: There's a GTA IV patch coming today
Take-Two boss Strauss Zelnick's recent interview with CNBC may just be the least surprising one you'll hear all month. First off, he thinks the company made the right moves in holding Grand Theft Auto IV back from its original release and in refusing to acquiesce to the advances of Electronic Arts. Can you believe it?Also, Zelnick insists that there are no glitches in GTA IV, which makes the news of today's incoming multiplayer patch for the PS3 version of the game just hysterical. Of course, when Strauss said that glitch line, we're pretty sure the interviewer was asking him in her own Draconian fashion if there's any hidden doin' it in the game. Now we're wondering if he's wrong about that too.Update: The v1.01 patch is now live (18 MB) -- thanks to everyone for the heads-up!
GTAIV breaks records, $500 million first week sales
Holy record breaking Grand Theft Auto IV sales Rockstar! We knew GTAIV would be a sales behemoth, but never did we think it would rack up hundreds of million dollars in sales its first week on U.S. shelves. But that's exactly what it did.Rockstar and Take-Two just announced that U.S. GTAIV sales reached $500 million in sales the first week, which means 6 million copies were purchased from retailers nationwide. GTAIV also shattered Halo 3's $170 million twenty-four hour sales record, ringing up some $310 million in sales on April 29th alone. We guarantee it's all smiles over at the offices of Take-Two and Rockstar, though truckloads of cash tend to do that to a person.[Thanks, PrivateBurke]
GTA IV sets sales records with 6 million unit / $500 million first week
Amazingly, prerelease estimates of a $400 million first week for the latest edition of Grand Theft Auto turned out to be low, with publisher Take-Two trumpeting a 6 million unit, $500 million debut. GTA in HD isn't without controversy however, with reports of overscan issues on older HDTVs (we've experienced it, with the last number or letter in mission descriptions sometimes running off the screen), and the PlayStation 3 version of the game not quite meeting our 720p expectations (although some say differences in textures and lighting more than make up for it). Being "only" 640p didn't stop previous record holder Halo 3, and looking at the numbers it appears Rockstar has made the right moves as well, although we're sure some will wait for the inevitable PC version to run the game in as high a resolution as possible.[Via Joystiq]
GTA IV snatches $500 million in first week
At last! The miserable, sleepless nights we've had to endure since Grand Theft Auto IV's launch will come to an end, with the New York Times thoughtfully informing us just how much money a gigantic corporation has earned from the release of one of the year's most anticipated games. That would be 500 million dollars in the first week, just so you know.Other statistics expected to escape from Take-Two's maw later today (Update: The figures have now been officially announced by Take-Two) point to the open-ended carjack caper having sold 6 million copies so far -- 3.6 million on the first day. Though Rockstar's smash success comes as little surprise and exceeds expectations, it'll be more interesting to see how it affects EA's ongoing hostile takeover attempt. Will the deal be sweetened?[Thanks, Jacques]
GTA IV sells 926,000 units first week in UK
Although we're going to have to wait until next month's NPD report for the US info, Chart-Track revealed that GTA IV sold 926,000 copies during its first week on sale in the UK. Gi.biz reports this means GTA IV has broken the "all format" record, while the "individual format" record still belongs to GTA: San Andreas with 677,000 units sold its first week on the PS2.We previously had Chart-Track's estimates on GTA IV's first-day sales, but the official tally was 631,000 units. During the first week, 514,000 copies were sold for Xbox 360, while 413,000 sold for PS3 -- a 55/45 split. We really wish Take-Two would just give the global figure already.Update: Yes, we know the math doesn't work (514k + 413k ≠ 926k), so we're guessing Chart-Track rounded up somewhere and rounded down somewhere else.
Joyswag: Win Grand Theft Auto IV on your platform of choice [Day 4]
After a brief break (spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV) we're back with Day 4 of our GTA IV giveaway. While there's only two more days left of this Joyswag giveaway, you actually have one more chance to win a copy of GTA IV on your platform of choice (including a special GTA Statue of Happiness ... err, statue) by listening to last week's Joystiq Podcast. To try your hand here, follow these simple rules: To enter this giveaway, leave a comment telling us your preferred platform and what your parents and/or significant other thinks about the level of violence in the games you play. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person in this post (comment more than once and you'll be disqualified, but try again tomorrow). This entry period ends at 6:00pm ET on Wednesday, May 7th. We'll randomly select a winner at that time (please check your email!). For a list of complete rules, click here.
X3F TV -- Points>Life: Six Golden Stars
Each week, X3F tips gamers to the tricks of the trade of Achievement hording in Points>Life. Every week a new achievement is unlocked to help you continue your unhealthy obsession with the Xbox 360 meta-game.This week Points>Life has been carjacked by Grand Theft Auto IV and we bring you a tip that is both hilarious and informative. Utilizing the easter egg found at the heart of the city, we show you how to nab the achievement for a surviving a 6-Star Wanted level for 5 minutes. Check this one out![iTunes] Subscribe to X3F TV directly in iTunes.[Zune] Subscribe to the X3F TV directly (Zune Marketplace link coming soon).[RSS] Add the X3F TV feed to your RSS aggregator and have the show delivered automatically.[MP4] Download the MP4 directly.
