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Details on next GTA IV DLC 'coming soon'
With E3 2009 just a scant 17 days away, the hype machine has certainly started to build for quite a few game companies. And Rockstar Games is apparently no exception, teasing its upcoming GTAIV DLC via Twitter of all places. Stating as vaguely as possible, "Details on 2nd episode of GTAIV downloadable content coming soon," Rockstar has officially started the ball rolling on wild speculation. Though it's possible the company will bust out details on the next expansion to Liberty City pre-E3, we're not betting anyone's baby on it. But then really, who bets a baby? You monster!
CNBC ponders a Grand Theft Auto slowdown
CNBC is wondering if slow sales for The Lost and the Damned and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars are pointing to an overall slowdown for the series. The site points to analysts' estimates that only 1 million of those 13 million who bought GTA IV picked up the first DLC for the game, and to the crummy 89,000 units the DS title moved in March.We're not sure we're on board with CNBC's theory just yet, though. The market for GTA IV's DLC was already split because of its 360 exclusivity and Chinatown Wars is a hardcore game on what's largely thought of as a casual system. What do you think?
EEDAR: DLC to drive AAA title revenue up 10 percent by 2010
DLC can expand a game in many ways. Not only can it expand the experience offered by a title, but it can also expand your wallet, take out your money, and place it in the hands of publishers and developers. And, by 2010, EEDAR predicts that "the average AAA title should be able to earn an additional 10% in revenue by releasing additional content through digital distribution."It's not a hard pill to swallow; DLC packs such as The Lost and Damned and Call of Duty: World at War's Map Pack 1 have been selling like virtual hotcakes, and Sony has been milking LittleBigPlanet in all the appropriate ways. Also, let's not forget about Criterion Games, the company that has been adding value consistently to its Burnout Paradise game. Of course, gamers have been complaining about paid DLC just as consistently.
Oh, Aaron Greenberg: PS3 'hemorrhaging at retail,' GTA IV DLC would have beaten Killzone 2 at retail
Citing February NPD numbers against those in the past couple of years -- and Microsoft's own, mysterious Xbox Live numbers on GTA IV's exclusive downloadable expansion -- Xbox 360 product management director Aaron Greenberg did quite a bit of chest pounding to Gamasutra's Chris Remo yesterday. Broaching the subject of competitors head on, Greenberg says, "What we hear from our partners is that it's not just PS3, it's also PS2 down 62 percent year over year. With that business declining, and with the PS3 business declining, it's been described to me as hemorrhaging at retail right now, and it just keeps getting worse."Moving right along to the subject of Killzone 2 -- a game released on the 27th of a 28 day month -- Greenberg compares the title to the aforementioned GTA IV mystery numbers, "If that content was sold at retail, it would be one of the best sellers across all platforms. It would have outsold Killzone 2." Considering GTA IV's astronomical sales numbers, if even half of the game's owners have the 360 iteration and a quarter of those people bought the expansion, that's over 1.5 million downloads. Still, without hard numbers to back up his statements, Greenberg's words amount to little more than our monthly rendezvous with executive smack talking. Update: SCEA responds to February NPD numbers on Joystiq PlayStation. "We have no doubt [Killzone 2] will deliver a next gen experience and will be responsible for driving hardware sales throughout the year."
Analyst: Lost and Damned earned $18 million online, $3 million at retail
Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) analyst Jesse Divnich's crystal ball predicts brick-and-mortar retail sales of GTA IV's expansion, The Lost and Damned, to be less than $3 million. He believes current global sales from customers who purchased it across Xbox Live to be around $18 million. This latest bit of analyst prognostication comes following Pachter's missive (translated from an Illuminati memo) that GTA's biker expansion could sell upwards of two million units by year's end.Although the 6-to-1 online vs. retail ratio seems dramatic, is it really surprising when The Lost and Damned was promoted as a DLC pack anyway? In this case, retail was just a middle man, as those who purchased the "game" at their local bodega received a card with a code to download the expansion. All we really know at this point is that the game is selling very well.%Gallery-37692%
Take-Two stock jumps up 10% following earnings report
Take-Two recently dished out deets concerning how much of the coveted moneyz the company made and how much of that was attributed to car theft. Following that, the company's stock started to get a spring in its step, rising 10% yesterday. With the company reporting a $50 million loss, seeing such a sharp climb is surprising, to say the least. Take-Two's next game, GTA: Chinatown Wars, is due for release on March 17.
GTA IV: 13m shipped as of Jan. 31, DLC Ep. 2 in 2009
Take-Two's Q1 investor's call is going down right now, and one of the first items of news to blast its way out is the knee-wobbling figure of 13 million units; which is roughly the number of copies of GTA IV that has shipped worldwide on all platforms as of January 31, 2009 (technically, it's "over" 13 million shipped). To put that in perspective: that's more than one third of the population of Canada.Also of note, Take-Two continues to list GTA IV's second Xbox 360 DLC episode for release in "fiscal 2009" (that's before November 1, 2009 -- for all you regular calendar users). "DLC will be an important part of our business going forward," CEO Ben Feder declared during the call.
Pachter: New GTA in 2010, Lost and Damned could sell 2m this year
Wedbush Morgan soothsayer Michael Pachter foresees the next console Grand Theft Auto releasing next year and estimates sales of DLC The Lost and Damned reaching two million units by year's end. Pachter feels Take-Two remains a "one-hit wonder" with Grand Theft Auto, that one franchise has been (putting it mildly) immensely successful.Although Take-Two has yet to announce a new GTA, Pachter believes the next installment in the crime series will pull up to retail next year and likely outsell GTA IV by 50 percent, due to the greater next-gen console install base by next year. Although there are currently no solid numbers to support Pachter's belief that The Lost and Damned DLC will sell two million units this year, we do know a lot of people got on their hogs for biker-based adventure.%Gallery-37692%
GTA IV's 'The Lost and Damned' found by many, many people
Move over Bionic Commando: Rearmed and Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix, because there's a new top earner on Xbox Live, and it's GTA IV's "The Lost and Damned". Rockstar's Xbox 360-exclusive DLC pack featuring Johnny and his crazy motorbiking buddies has set a record on the service, as its first-day sales revenue has eclipsed all other titles that have debuted on Xbox Live (note: at $20, The Lost and Damned is also more expensive than the previous record holders). Sadly, exact sales figures aren't given, so we don't know how much Microsoft and Rockstar have made off the DLC yet. When we know, we'll be sure to let you know.GTA IV's "The Lost and Damned" DLC pack is available now on Xbox Live Marketplace for 1600.%Gallery-37692%
Utah game bill one step closer, Thompson speaks to Joystiq
Whoever said being a Bar-licensed, practicing lawyer had anything to do with amending existing laws has clearly never met Jack Thompson. Thompson's most recent game bill, authored by Representative Mike Morley and Mr. Thompson, was resoundingly passed (at 10-3) by the Business and Labor Committee of the Utah House of Representatives yesterday. What does this mean for Utah residents? Well, nothing yet, as the bill is now headed off to the full Utah House of Representatives for consideration. If the bill goes into law, however, retailers of all varieties in the state (from big-box outlets like Best Buy and Wal-Mart to independent theater owners) will be facing a $2000 fine for every documented sale of mature-rated content to a minor. We wanted some clarification on the law and it's possible ramifications, so we went straight to the source. After the jump you can see for yourself everything Mr. Thompson told us about his recently penned bill.
Lost & the Damned DLC OK'd for Singapore despite male nudity
Digital dong appreciators in Singapore rejoiced today as government officials have OK'd the digital distribution of the Grand Theft Auto IV 360-exclusive expansion, "The Lost & Damned." Regardless of the "controversy" surrounding the expansion's full-frontal male nudity, Ernest Khoo, Singapore's head of video games and media content at the Singapore Media Development Authority, has deemed the DLC safe enough for consumption in the country.Approaching the nudity issue head on, Mr. Khoo says, "[the scene is] non-sexual and can hence fall within the M18 rating." Expanding on the M18 rating, he explained, "only those 18-years-old and above will be buying the game and its expansion pack." Hopefully, the army of Media Development Authority workers manning individual Xbox 360s in Singapore will be checking IDs. [Via GamePolitics]
Joystiq Review: GTA IV's 'The Lost & Damned' (DLC)
Rockstar's ambitious Grand Theft Auto IV downloadable expansion, The Lost and Damned, tells a new tale in Liberty City, focusing on the vice president of The Lost Motorcycle Club, John Klebitz. Fans of the GTA series need no introduction to the content within this episode and will likely relish the opportunity to fulfill more of the series' staple quests. For those of you who couldn't care less about the franchise, however, know that Rockstar has set a wonderful precedent for the quality and size of a DLC offering with The Lost and Damned. It's practically a game within a game.Now, here's the part where you make your choice: "Continue" on to read our full review or jump to our video review below and give your reading eyes a rest. [And don't forget to enter for your chance to win The Lost and Damned right here!]
Hot flask: GTA IV's Lost, Damned and Unexpectedly Naked
Contextually appropriate character idiosyncrasy, or questionably shaped carrot dangled in front of the gaming press? Either way, Rockstar's latest addition to the Grand Theft Auto franchise -- one of controversy's more intimate acquaintances -- roasts yet another wiener on the fiery debate over mature content in games. Though we're certain most players were expecting a fair amount of dicks in The Lost and Damned's cast, the presence of a penis may come as a surprise. The folks at 1UP (NSFW) have captured the scene between protagonist Johnny Klebitz and massage-loving exhibitionist Mr. Stubbs in all its full frontal glory. If you're going to watch it, be prepared to have an important thought rushing to your head: Is Rockstar cheekily pushing our beloved medium forward, or simply erecting another financially beneficial controversy trap? We're inclined to think that IT'S A TRAP.Source [NSFW]
Dress up in leather with Lost & Damned Avatar apparel
Microsoft has added a touch of leather to the Avatar closet, delivering biker themed clothing to celebrate the release of Grand Theft Auto IV's The Lost & Damned downloadable content.As has been the norm, all clothing is free and denoted by a yellow star in the Avatar customization application. Sadly, there is no miniature Avatar motorcycle to go with the new biker duds. Guys: Rocker Jacket, Pixie Boots, Grunge Pants, Metal Combats, Top Hat, Skull Ring, Leather Biker Gloves, Left Feather Earring, Right Feather Earring Gals: Punk Tee, Black 60's Boots, Leopard Print Leggings, Biker Jacket, Biker Gloves, Skull Wrist Band, Left Feather Earring, Right Feather Earring
GTA IV's 'The Lost and Damned' soundtrack detailed
When it was revealed that Liberty City's radio stations and TV would get an injection of fresh content with the Xbox 360-exclusive add-on, The Lost and Damned, we wondered just how much new music we'd get to hear. Well, the wondering is over, as MTV has posted details on the upcoming add-on pack's music content.If you're a fan of hip-hop and rap, then you're in luck. The Beat 102.7 is getting a new show, hosted by Funkmaster Flex, as well as a slew of new songs (some recorded specifically for GTA) and another new show DJed by Statik Selektah. Then there's Busta Rhymes, who will have another track featured other than his upcoming premiere of "Conglomerate."On the other end of the spectrum, metal station Liberty City Hardcore is getting some fresh content with a new show DJed by Max Cavalera of Sepultura and Soulfly fame (click here for a sample of his brand of metal) and will feature new tunes, including artist Bathory. On Liberty Rock Radio 97.8, Iggy Pop will return as DJ, and the station will get some new tracks, and indie-rock Radio Broker, DJed by Juliette Lewis, will also receive some new music.Interesting factoid: the new music and shows will play first, before the established music and shows, allowing the new content to have priority with players. So that's nice.
Rockstar ditches Amazon, goes with iTunes for music partnership
There's a neat feature in GTA IV that allows players to identify and purchase any of the songs appearing on the various radio stations of Liberty City. It's called ZiT! and may be accessed at any time through the cellphone in-game, but the MP3 itself is delivered to the user through Rockstar's Social Club site, thanks to a partnership between Rockstar and Amazon. With the new The Lost & The Damned expansion set to hit in one week and update five of the game's radio stations, Rockstar has ended its relationship with Amazon and is instead going with Apple's iTunes Variety's Cut Scene blog reports.Apple recently killed DRM throughout iTunes -- that, plus the number of folks using the service regularly, seems to be the winning combination for Rockstar. The switch will take effect when The Lost & The Damned releases on February 17.%Gallery-37692%
Lost & Damned to add new hip-hop music, TV content and commercials
Per our conversation with Rockstar Games and information gathered from a recent Associated Press report, we've learned that Grand Theft Auto IV's The Lost & Damned downloadable content will feature new music, television programming (including a new season of Republican Space Rangers!) and radio commercials.Flexmaster Flex, along with a few other artists, will be featured in Lost & Damned. We're also told that Trevor Tamerri Smith, Jr. (aka Busta Rhymes) will exclusively debut his latest track, "Conglomerate" in the DLC. We're sure the Busta news would be more interesting if we still lived in 1996, but just go with it. All-new songs (and presumably new commercials) will be added to five of the in-game radio stations and, as with all GTA IV-featured music, players can "tag" each song for purchase through iTunes. Woo-ha!
Top 5 selling games in 2008 across global markets
NPD, GfK Chart-Track and Enterbrain have combined video game software sales lists for the respective regions they cover to declare Mario Kart Wii as the top selling game of 2008. Games sales across the "world's three largest games markets" saw an 11% increase, totaling 409.9 million units last year.Top five selling games for US, UK and Japan combined: Mario Kart Wii - 8.94 million Wii Fit - 8.31 million Grand Theft Auto IV - 7.29 million Super Smash Bros. Brawl - 6.32 million Call of Duty: World at War - 5.89 million The rankings are almost identical to Edge's "guesstimate" sales list released last week, which included all of Europe, but not Japan. Overall, the US and UK markets saw increases of 15% and 26%, respectively. The Japanese market saw a 13% decline in software sales, which Enterbrain explains has little to do with the current generation of consoles, but is due to the 46% software sales drop on the PS2. Check out the chart after the break for a regional dissection of the software ranks.
Say hello to The Lost and Damned's Johnny
Rockstar has released a new trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV's upcoming Lost and Damned DLC, featuring who we're assuming is the lead character, Johnny Klebitz. Sporting black leather, a bald head and a grizzled face, we're guessing he gets mistaken for Left 4 Dead's Francis all the time. It might explain why he's so angry. The trailer shows off all the GTA funnery we've come to expect, including a police chase on an airplane runway. Check it out after the break.
Houser: Freedom of expression 'easier' in games
Rockstar Games' vice-president of creativity, Dan Houser, was recently interviewed by The Telegraph, a UK newspaper. Houser commented on the state of video games as a respected form of expression, comparing the industry to books and movies. "I think the medium is still very young. It's not a baby, but it's still probably an infant. So everything is growing and evolving as we go along and we're still figuring out how to do stuff." When asked whether he thinks it'll be long before game writers are treated with the same respect as movie or TV writers, however, he responded with, "I hope it's long. "Movies and TV and books have become so structured in the way they have to approach things. Not working in that environment gives us enormous freedom. I'd rather keep the freedom and not have the respect." While the narrative freedom for games may be massive, the number of people willing to take advantage of that is sadly small. Video game writing is getting better, thanks to dedicated in-house and freelance writers in the industry, but these are still relatively few and far between. [Via GI.biz]
