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Grand Theft: MS robs Sony of GTA exclusivity
Console war vets nearly spilled their hot coffee Tuesday morning when Peter Moore's GTA tattoo-baring stunt at Microsoft's E3 keynote was over-zealously interpreted to imply exclusive rights to Grand Theft Auto IV. It quickly became clear that Sony didn't get jacked quite that badly. The first next-gen installment in Rockstar's amazingly popular yet politically touchy series will be released on both consoles simultaneously in October 2007. It's still great news for 360 owners, who won't have to wait an extra 12 months to run over high-polygon hookers. Conversely, it's a potentially signifcant blow to the golden kneecaps of the pricey PS3. Loyal Sony fanboys who go into usurious debt in order to purchase that caviar console would presumably prefer a little alone time with those dead prostitutes, at least until they get their credit card paid off. So much for what was once a major selling point. Sony may not have an edge when it comes to grand thievery, but they still have a license to steal -- from their customers.
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.)
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.
Thompson's Rockstar mad-on intensifies
"I am become Jack Thompson, the destroyer of worlds." Apologies to the Bhagavad-Gita, but the paraphrasing seemed appropriate in light of the Florida attorney and anti-game activist's most recent comments regarding his personal nemesis, Rockstar Games. In an interview with GameSpot, Thompson commented on the ongoing litigation in the Alabama GTA murder case, stating that it would "destroy Rockstar" and "change the face of the entertainment industry."You can say one thing for him, he's persistent. He's also more attention-starved than Kathy Griffin. Although I'm starting to wonder if all of this video game violence has started to rub off on Jack, judging by his choice of words. Instead of simply "putting them out of business," you almost get the impression he wants to bomb the Rockstar corporate offices into oblivion. Hey, maybe Jack would make a good game designer after all!UPDATE: Here's another image of Jack Thompson in all his video game-hating glory. Apologies for offending anyone with the previous image.
Grand Theft Ping Pong hands-on
IGN has a hands-on preview of Rockstar Presents Table Tennis that confirms two things: It's a Ping Pong game and there are no dead hookers:There's a kind of Geometry Wars learning curve at work where you get better and better and the game gets more addicting and more addicting. No, it's not going to ever replace real ping pong, but the game does replicate that same intense feeling of a long intense rally, and that's really all Rockstar was trying to do. Take this as you will, but the preview build of Table Tennis came closer to replicating the feel of the real-life sport than maybe any sports game in history.There are plenty of people who still think this whole charade is promoting a mini-game in GTA Next-Gen: Sluts of Shanghai, but it looks like Grand Theft Ping Pong is just that: Ping Pong. Any time the words Geometry Wars crop up in reference to simple yet addictive gameplay the Joystiq crowd gets excited. If Rockstar really has created the ultimate replication of a rec room paddle war, and avoided the Medusa-like stare of Hillary Clinton for at least one game, who can complain?
More Grand Theft Auto speeding onto the PSP
Grand Theft Auto's publisher, Take-Two Interactive, gave PSP fans some joyous news this week as they reported on their lackluster financial results for Q4 and 2005.Among several ho-hum announcements (including, ironically, that a port of Liberty City Stories is in the works for the PS2), was the big news that PSP fanboys worldwide can expect another original Grand Theft Auto title in 2006. Additional details were sparse, but we'll take what we get when it comes to more portable GTA goodness.More info is expected at E3 later this year.
GTA update provides HDTV support
If you're a "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas" player on the PC, you might want to hook that PC up to your HDTV if you can. A new GTA patch was announced last night that addresses some of the sexually-explicit scenes of the "Hot Coffee" update. More importantly, support for 720p and 1080i is included in the 11.2 MB patch.Get your download, get your HDTV and get your game on!
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]
