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Licensed music, multiplayer modes in Chinatown Wars
Keeping track of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has proven hellish, if only because there is so much to the game. Fortunately, we picked up some chunks of new information from Stephen Totilo's excellent write-up, so we're going to try and glue these disparate pieces into a coherent post.Firstly, one of the more fundamental changes to the 3D GTA formula is found in the police system. As in the home console and PSP games, your "Wanted" level wavers depending on how much crime you wreak, but here, escaping the police is not an option. Instead, you'll have to wreck a certain number of police cars before your Wanted meter falls.When you're not steering the authorities into buildings, you'll be able to take in the same slow-motion stunt jumps and 24-hour day/night cycle that were in other GTA games, and Totilo confirmed the presence of licensed music, minus the vocals; for what it's worth, one Rockstar rep described the soundtrack as "familiar." Typically, there will also be in-jokes to appreciate, with several missions named after other games, such as "Pursuit Farce" and "Street of Rage."Most excitingly, Chinatown Wars will have multiplayer modes. Aside from the online leaderboards we already know about? We're not sure, but we look forward to finding out!%Gallery-35102%
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars preview-splosion
In case you haven't noticed, there's been a glut of previews today for Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Fortunately, GTAGaming.com has collated all of them and provides selected highlights. The isometric view will be joined by a steady 30 frames per second, weather effects and day / night cycles. As for the soundtrack -- a franchise staple -- there are some instrumentals of licensed songs, but nothing to write home about. It also doesn't seem to shy away from the F-bomb, according to IGN.The wanted level is handled very differently. While you still need to outrun the cops, you're now also required to send a few cops shuffling off the mortal before you'll lose a star. And yes folks, piloting a helicopter makes a very welcome return.
Rockstar: No GTA IV follow-up coming before holidays '09
Though work continues on the upcoming expansion, The Lost and Damned, Rockstar has rubbished claims that a full-on follow-up to Grand Theft Auto IV is planned for release by the end of 2009. The rumor, which had its origin in the latest issue of Game Informer, suggested that Rockstar North was already preparing a new crime caper separate from the two DLC episodes headed to Xbox 360. Speaking to Kotaku, a Rockstar rep insisted that there was "no truth" to the reports, relegating the whole thing to the realms of wishful thinking. With the second episode of downloadable content scheduled to arrive towards the end of the year, we're much more likely to see a bonus-packed "Game of the Year" re-release of GTA IV. We're sure somebody gave it a Game of the Year award.
Chinatown Wars 'complete,' Rockstar makes with the deets
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is well on course to make its March 17th release in North America, with Rockstar revealing to Edge that the game is complete. Edge saw this as a neat opportunity to write another preview of the game, spilling more delicious details into our gaping, GTA-loving maws.Most of the new information focuses on the PDA belonging to protagonist Huang Lee, essentially a direct substitute for the cellphone used by Niko in Grand Theft Auto IV. From here, you'll be able to view sat-nav minimaps of Liberty City, look at the main map, select weapons, and receive emails. You'll also be able to order weapons from Ammu-nation, which now delivers weapons straight to your safehouse.Speaking of which, your safehouse in Chinatown Wars is more fleshed-out than ever before, giving you somewhere to show off trophies (awarded, we assume, for completing missions). It also features a whiteboard with pictures of all your contacts -- tapping these lets you access missions. Excellently, these can be replayed, and your best performances uploaded to the game's online leaderboards.Finally, one of the few concerns we had about the game, the ease of combat, has been thoughtfully addressed. Muzzle flare and tracer lines are both used to make things a little clearer in the heat of battle, and the exact trajectory of grenades is depicted with a green arc on the top screen. All of which sounds great -- we just hope you're old enough to play it!%Gallery-35102%[Via videogaming247]
Rumor: Rockstar North prepping new GTA for holiday 2009
A sequel to a successful franchise, surely you jest!? Still, as much as another game being made in the Grand Theft Auto series is a no-brainer, if gossip found in the latest issue of Game Informer is to be believed, the inevitable follow up could be coming sooner than expected. The rumor mongers at GI write that Rockstar North is "already working" on the next GTA, with the game expected to light up cash registers during holiday 2009. The magazine describes the as-yet-unannounced title as a "full retail game," rather than simply new DLC or a compilation of previously released downloadables. Still, juicy as this is, we can't help but find this rumor somewhat difficult to swallow given that nothing about the project has been so much as whispered before now. However, if true, it seems likely that the game would follow previous releases and adopt a subtitle similar to GTA: San Andreas or Vice City. How about Sesame Street? What's the hooker situation like over there? Update: Rockstar denial.
Chinatown Wars receives '18' rating in UK
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars has been granted an "18" certificate in Britain by the BBFC (British Board of Film Classification, and no, we don't understand that, either).Huge surprise, right? Well, no. We already know about the drug-dealing subgame, and any GTA game receiving a restrictive age rating is hardly news. But then Chinatown Wars is also the first DS title in the UK to receive such a classification, a landmark that is worth recording. Incidentally, no DS title has yet obtained an "Adults Only" rating from the ESRB (indeed, only six have been rated "M" -- C.O.R.E., theresia, Ultimate Mortal Kombat, Dementium, Touch the Dead, and Resident Evil: Deadly Silence); could Chinatown Wars be the first?Also of interest: the BBFC's listing for the game reveals that the title contains 168 minutes of in-game cut-scenes. Wow!%Gallery-35102%[Via MCV]
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars 'far bigger' than PSP installments
Speaking to Nintendo Power, the developer of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, Rockstar Leeds, revealed that while the game may be on the small screen, its scope is anything but diminutive. Studio president Gordon Hall uses the two PSP Grand Theft Auto games – which it developed – for comparison, saying "this game is far bigger."According to Hall, Chinatown Wars outclasses the PSP games with "more odd jobs, deeper missions, and more moments of over-the-top action," adding that it features "huge interaction with the Rockstar Social Club [and] a massive [narcotics trafficking] game that would stand alone on its own." Game? Surely he means a motivational tool.[Via DS Fanboy]
Size matters: Chinatown Wars bigger than GTA on PSP
If you dream of INCREASED SIZE and LONGER SATISFACTION, there's only one place to turn for your portable Grand Theft Auto thrills: and it's not the PSP. Rockstar Leeds president Gordon Hall has told Nintendo Power that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be "far bigger" than any of the GTA games on the Sony handheld, despite that platform's extra grunt. Which is ideal, really, because Grand Theft Auto titles are all about playing in giant, sprawling cityscapes. Hall also believes the narcotics trafficking game could "stand alone on its own," and promises "more odd jobs, deeper missions, and more moments of over-the-top action" than anything seen in other handheld entries in the franchise. Contrary to any fears that the DS would see a reduced GTA, Rockstar appears to be stretching hardware boundaries ... again. %Gallery-35102%
Take-Two: GTA franchise made $710 million this year
In a conference call today following the release of Take-Two's quarterly report, CFO Lainie Goldstein revealed the GTA franchise brought in $710 million so far this year. According to GameDaily, that aforementioned chunk of ducats would account for about 60% of the company's publishing sales. In Q4, GTA brought in $40 million, which is about 17% of the company's sales.So ... yeah. The newsflash is GTA makes lots of money for Take-Two, which clearly is a huge shock to us all. Guess it's a good thing the company locked down the Rockstar talent then, huh?
Gamestop GTA pre-order provides in-game rewards
For those of you that decide to go the way of Gamestop for your copy of GTA: Chinatown Wars, know that a pre-order will net you some perks starting out in the game. For one, you're gifted with $10,000 in cash. That'll come in handy, too, because you'll also be starting the game with every weapon unlocked. No better way to spend that 10K than towards an AK, right?Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars releases to North America on March 17th, 2009.%Gallery-35102%
Chinatown Wars releases on March 17th
If you've been liking what you've been seeing from Rockstar's upcoming installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, GTA: Chinatown Wars, then know that you're only a few months away from the game's release. Rockstar has informed us that the game will be available in North America on March 17th and hitting Europe on March 20th.So, who's pumped to deal drugs and take part in other shady deeds in Chinatown Wars?%Gallery-35102%
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars coming March 17
We know it's hard to think about any other holiday with the holidays just around the corner, but there's a big new reason to look forward to St. Patrick's Day. Next year you'll spend March 17 ditching the green beer and big crowds at your local pseudo-Irish pub and snuggling in with Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Our friends in Europe will able to pick the game up three days later on March 20. ... Hey, why are you crying? Oh! Well, we were just kidding about the green beer, pumpkin, of course you'll have time for both! Punish your thumbs, then punish your liver, that's what we always say.
Grand Theft Auto IV DLC named, detailed, dated: 'The Lost and Damned' on Feb. 17
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/xbox/First_GTA_IV_DLC_confirmed_for_Feb_16_stars_a_biker'; USA Today reports that the first DLC episode for the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV will be titled "The Lost and Damned" and will be available for download on Feb. 17, 2009. According to the article, the episode will star Johnny Klebitz, a member of Liberty City biker gang The Lost.The paper's website quotes Rockstar VP of creative development, Dan Houser, who calls Johnny "a very different character than Niko, with a very different background," adding on the topic of plot specifics, "I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released. But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City." Rockstar has not revealed pricing for the content, but we'll keep on top of that and any further details.[Update: Take-Two and Rockstar just confirmed the details with their very own press release, for those of you who refuse to believe anything in USA Today that isn't presented in chart form.] [Thanks, Ethan]
DS Daily: GTA too good to be true?
GTA: Chinatown Wars is sounding more and more ambitious every day. Perhaps too ambitious, what with the timeline for release and how it's going to incorporate a lot of Liberty City. Do you think Rockstar and Take-Two can pull it off? Do you think it sounds too good to be true? Thoughts?%Gallery-35102%
GTA: Chinatown Wars to feature entire Liberty City
Spanish magazine Hispana has published a new preview of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars in which it discloses that the gameplay won't be limited to, well, Chinatown. In fact, the mag states that the full areas of Duke, Bohan, Broker, and Algonquin from GTA IV will be part of the handheld title's game world, although Alderney (New Jersey in "real life") won't.The magazine also offers a few more nifty details, such as the ability to whistle (or, we're guessing, yell irately) into the DS microphone to hail cabs, and that the PDA, GPS, and radio are all touch-screen based. On the topic of selling drugs, Hispana reports that It will be a "good way to make money in the game." Oh lordy. [Via Nintendo Everything]
GTA: Chinatown Wars has large map, obligatory microphone gimmick
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will feature around three-quarters of the Liberty City map seen in Grand Theft Auto IV. That's according to a preview in Spanish magazine MarcaPlayer, which stated that Broker, Bohan, Dukes, and Algonquin (all of which are highlighted in yellow above) will be playable, with only Alderney missing. GTA IV's map might not be the biggest in the series, but this is further evidence that Rockstar is squeezing every last drop of juice from the DS.Also bound and gagged in the trunk of MarcaPlayer's preview were a few new details. While the action plays out on the top screen, the touchscreen lets you control your PDA (which contains the map and mission goals), GPS (on which you can mark destinations to find the shortest legal route), and radio.As you explore the city (with the help of a camera that can be swiveled 360 degrees), new landmarks and venues you discover are marked down on your map, and you'll see lots of nice little touches, such as trains that pass over the city. You'll also be able to whistle into the microphone to hail a cab; they just couldn't resist, could they? And now we wait!%Gallery-35102%
Take-Two Interactive considering subs and microtransactions for top titles
Subscriptions have been the bread and butter of MMOs since the days of Ultima Online, but subs may be coming to some popular standalone PC titles from Take-Two Interactive, presumably the Grand Theft Auto franchise and BioShock. Brian Crecente of Kotaku reports that "at the BMO Capital Markets conference, Take-Two head honcho Strauss Zelnick seemed very up on the idea of downloadable content, micro-transactions and even... subscriptions." This falls in line with their business model of periodically offering downloadable content to either extend the storyline of a game, or to simply offer varied gameplay experiences. Downloadable content and microtransactions could solve some of the issues game publishers have with their titles being re-sold, allowing them to have a continuous revenue stream, and perhaps dissuading many consumers from reselling that game in the first place. Regular content refreshes could ensure that these games don't go stale and end up relegated to a dusty bookshelf. Zelnick implied that this business model, should it come to be, would likely only affect Take-Two's biggest titles. This implies changes to the business models for Grand Theft Auto and BioShock, although the words "Midnight Club Online" also seem apt. But do you feel that adding the trappings of the MMO business model, namely subs and microtransactions, would enhance your experience with a standalone title, both as a gamer and as a consumer? Are more MMO-like PC games a good thing, or are you more of an MMO purist?
Take-Two CEO says to expect GTA: Chinatown Wars between Feb and Apr
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick dropped a bomb on all of us anxiously awaiting the DS installment in the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA: Chinatown Wars. Speaking at the BMO Capital Market conference today, Strauss pushed the release of the DS title back into Take-Two's second fiscal quarter, which goes from February through April. That means we're a few short months away from getting down and dirty with GTA on our DSes!So, who's ready to clean up the streets of Chinatown?%Gallery-35102%[Via Joystiq]
Chinatown Wars in Feb-April; GTA IV DLC end of Jan, tentatively
Speaking at the BMO Capital Market conference today, Take-Two fitness guru Strauss Zelnick posed some new release dates for the next entries in Rockstar's sprawling crime epic, Grand Theft Auto. All signs point to peace in the streets as we approach Chinatown War's previously marked release in late January. Strauss has pushed the downtown conflict into Take-Two's second fiscal quarter, which runs from February through April.Possibly joining the isometric pocket pusher in Q2 will be the overdue GTA IV DLC for Xbox 360. Strauss still has his heart set on January, though, as the total package is "close to completed."
GTA IV hijacks top spot in Japan sales chart
From Capcom designer Yokshiki Okamoto: "Rockstar is not unsuccessful in Japan, but their success here is on a much smaller scale than elsewhere in the world market. The low Japanese sales of the sandbox-style GTA series simply do not make any sense to me."Well, it looks like that trend has stumbled into a dark alley and been bludgeoned to death. According to Famitsu's weekly charts, Grand Theft Auto IV for PlayStation 3 has claimed the top spot in software sales in its debut week. The Xbox 360 version took the 4th spot. Valkyrie Profile: The Accused One and LittleBigPlanet (PS3) took 2nd and third place, respectively. Exact numbers haven't been released yet. Full top ten list after the break.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
