rockstar-north
Latest
Blizzard tops list of 2008's 'most successful' game devs
The game industry's annual popularity contest has begun making the rounds, and among game developers in 2008 there was none more in vogue than Activision stepchild Blizzard. According to Develop 100, a list of "the world's most successful games developers," the dev WoW-ed its peers from atop a mountain of money with more than a billion dollars in revenue each year from retail and online sales. Other notables on the list include 2007's top company, Nintendo, which was forced to settle for second, followed by GTA's Rockstar North in third. LEGO everything manufacturer Traveller's Tales ranked 12th on the list, while LittleBigPlanet's Media Molecule came in at a respectable 18th, the highest among indie UK studios. The complete list can be found on the official Develop 100 website. Check it out, and let us know if your personal favorites made the cut.
GTA franchise nabs over $700 million in 2008
Yesterday, following the release of its quarterly report, Take-Two Interactive CFO Lainie Goldstein announced the Grand Theft Auto franchise has brought in $710 million in 2008 during a conference call. According to a report by our second-cousin site GameDaily, GTA's 2008 skrilla accounts for about 60% of the company's publishing sales. In the, ever important, fourth quarter, GTA netted $40 million -- about 17% of the company's total sales.Surprise kids! GTA makes money and Take-Two is bloated like a midnight launch line. Maybe Take-Two should consider locking Rockstar down for the future. Oh, they did? You know what our mothers used to say, "Great minds think alike and fools seldom differ." Hey, we just got that. Someone isn't getting their holiday greeting card this year.[via Joystiq]
Rockstar vets cement long-term deal with Take-Two
For brothers who've become popular creating games starring characters who seek out freedom from society's corporate machine this is a strange move but not unexpected. Take-Two Interactive have announced a new long-term agreement with "key members of the creative team" behind Grand Theft Auto IV, including Sam (pictured) and Dan Houser. Terms of the agreement would see the team locked into an publishing deal with Take-Two until January 31, 2012. The arrangement also includes a new incentive compensation program for the Rockstar Games label and an agreement from Take-Two "to fund the future development of certain new intellectual property to be owned by a newly formed company controlled by key Rockstar Games team members." Our guess? Lemmings Kart Racing. Believe.
Seen @ Huntington GTA IV launch: A history of Nerf-related violence
The brave souls who soldiered through the vast queue at the Gamestop in downtown Huntington, W. Va. were put through a rigorous gauntlet of trials and tribulations before being rewarded with Rockstar's blockbuster shoot em' up -- including, but not limited to a freak, unseasonal cold front; a somewhat humorous (but unfortunately brief and unphotographed) drive-by water balloon strike; and alarming in-line discussions of bomb recipes and Sedan-mounted automatic weaponry.However, the most disturbing sight seen at the launch is pictured above -- a tragic crime scene, just a few feet away from the store's registers. These two poor fellows were just mere moments from claiming their respective copies of the much anticipated title, leaving behind a puzzling forensic tableau. Hastily driving from the event with copies of Grand Theft Auto IV in hand, we were left with these pertinent questions: What kind of altercation could have lead to this unfortunate double homicide? What modifications were made to the pictured Nerf guns that imbued them with lethal force? What sort of Crime Scene Investigation squad leaves behind the murder weapons in such a public place? Most importantly, why did Gamestop remain open following this horrible act of violence?
New Zealand receiving Australian censored version of GTA IV despite R18 classification
Australia has a long, tumultuous history when it comes to video game censorship -- largely due to the fact that their system of video game classification currently lacks a rating above MA15+, meaning any game deemed too intense for 15-year-olds is often censored (or even banned, in some extreme cases). However, just a stone's skip across the Tasman Sea, New Zealand provides a more favorable environment for mature titles, whipping out the Banhammer and the Censorstick much less often than its Southwestern Pacific counterpart.You can imagine our surprise when we read that the version of Grand Theft Auto IV that will be tailored to Australia's OFLC guidelines will also be the only version available in New Zealand. It seems that the debaucherous adventures of Niko Bellic were deemed inappropriate by the somewhat hipper Kiwi chapter of the OFLC, much to the chagrin of the thousands of Australians who pre-ordered the naughty version of the game from New Zealand's online gaming retailers. Oddly enough, the version of GTA IV that will be sold in fellow Oceania nation Papua New Guinea will not only be uncensored, but will be accompanied by an actual foul-mouthed, gun-toting hooker. In the words of New Zealand pop sensation OMC, "How Bizarre, How Bizarre!"[Thanks to everyone who sent this in!]
The Grand Theft Auto IV video dump
With today's dissolution of the embargo on all things Grand Theft Auto IV, came a veritable deluge of reviews and media related to the game. By now, we've seen all the teasers released by Rockstar, and read the write-ups which were hidden behind the floodgates just a few hours ago. However, in this maelstrom of perfect scores and cinematic trailers, there hasn't been much in the way of actual gameplay footage -- until Gametrailers cracked open their secret stash, revealing a bevy of cutscenes, car chases, and call girls just aching to be viewed by the impatient crime drama enthusiast. We've got some highlights after the jump; those purposefully trying to remain in the dark would be well advised to steer clear. You've been warned!(You probably don't need us to tell you that some videos are NSFW.)
Introducing the Joystiq Grand Theft Auto IV page
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Joystiq_s_Grand_Theft_Auto_IV_central_hub'; Need a refresher on Liberty City? Check out our game page for all things Grand Theft Auto IV. Seriously, this is everything we've written on the game. Bookmark the page, as we'll be constantly updating.
EDGE magazine's 16-page GTAIV feature scanned
In the latest issue of EDGE Magazine Sam Houser sat down and discussed all things Grand Theft Auto, from 2D to Part IV. While the article is light on new details for the upcoming April 29 release of GTAIV, Rockstar president Sam Houser discusses everything from being the industry scapegoat to the occasional trials and tribulations of working with Ray Liotta. The eager community at GTAForums couldn't wait for everyone to get their hands on an issue of EDGE and have released scans of all 16-pages online.The article proves very informative and spans the entire history of Grand Theft Auto. One obvious topic was the Hot Coffee scandal, but interestingly enough Houser describes that his real fear with the infamous situation wasn't a legal issue at all. "One of my fears when the Hot Coffee thing happened," Houser explains, "it was going to take this really beautiful piece of work and it was going to be known for something else."
GTAIV demo ain't happening
Are you sitting down? We don't know how to break this news lightly so we figure the band-aid approach will work. Rockstar has told confirmed that there is no demo in the works for Grand Theft Auto IV. When asked why we wouldn't get a taste of the epic crime title before it launched on April 29 on the Xbox 360 and PS3, Rockstar told Videogamer that creating a demo, "isn't worth the time and effort." They do have a game to finish you know! There's more to why they've decided against it but everything sums up to a simple naw son in the demo category. While I'm sure we're all upset we have to wait until the street date, can you fault Rockstar? Demos are usually reserved to build hype for a game and increase potential sales and if anything is going to sell in 2008 it'll be called Grand Theft Auto IV. Well, that's because Barbie's Horse Adventures IV: Return to the Saddle was delayed until Q1 2009. We're actually a little relieved about the lack of a demo. The last thing we need to see during our rigorous Fox News marathons is a piece about Microsoft offering free trials of a murder-simulator for children over X-Box Live (FYI - that's purposely written incorrectly as an homage to Fox's accuracy.) [via Joystiq] %Gallery-3451%
GTAIV, 9 new screens to put on your 2008 collage [Update]
Update: We've added 30 screenshots to our GTAIV gallery including the nine discussed in this article. Nine new GTAIV screens have been spotted at Xboxygen earlier today for you to whet your appetite. The images for the upcoming open-world title vary in quality from a beautiful sunset grab to another close-up of, lead character, Niko's grotesque hands. As hawt as the game looks, zooming in on the details makes of think of two major things. First, the game features such a large adventure that we can't wait to give it a spin when it hits on April 29 and second, Niko's paws are so strange looking they look like he's wearing uglier hands as gloves. Did we mention that already? [Thanks, gaetge. Via Xboxygen] %Gallery-3451%
New GTAIV details emerge
The UK Official Xbox Magazine had a chance to sit down with Rockstar North to talk shop about Grand Theft Auto IV, which is evidently 66% complete. Details on the benefit on basing Liberty City off of modern day New York City, the size of Liberty City in comparison to other cities in the GTAIII series, as well as some landmarks are given. In terms of gameplay, the camera's functionality, the targeting system, and improvements on the hand to hand combat are all touched on. Not only that, but boats will be making a "fun" return to the series. Click the "Read" link to get the full scoop, with scans to come shortly, and note that October can't come soon enough.[Via Achievement Junkie. Thanks, Jonah Falcon]
GTAIV Trailer is Live 4 realz!
While the official page has worked for some of us here at Fanboy Towers, we have another alternative for you to check into. Xbox.com just added the HD trailer to the Game Detail page. After verifying your age you can check the quick teaser for Rockstar North's masterpiece. Taking place in New York Liberty City, we see a few of the more distinct locales found in Manhattan Liberty City as well as the Statue of Liberty. The narrator (whom we can only assume is the character you play) appears to have a Russian accent and is looking for a fresh start in the city that never sleeps. Graphically speaking, the lighting and character models look light years ahead of any previous GTA title and the score was very foreboding and somber, adding the perfect mood to the teaser. Simply put, we're stoked. What say you, fanboys?
GTAIV Trailer today
In just under 7 hours, the Grand Theft Auto IV Trailer should be hitting the series of tubes. Hopefully you've properly prepared yourself for this. We're interested to see what kind of hype this will generate, with the logo having been showcased on FX for a half hour accompanied by the ticking count down. Also interesting to note is that the xbox.com Game Detail page showcases box art which could be placeholder, as it's just the "IV" logo slapped on the template for 360 Titles. That's not to say that it couldn't be official, but it greatly differs from all the box art since GTA III, which may actually be the point. In any case, we'll be closely watching Rockstar's game page this afternoon, will you?[Thanks, Chris G]
Rumor: GTA IV to be in New York City?
While we're going to categorize this as a rumor until we get a better insight upon the release of the trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV on the 29th, it definitely is worth consideration. Apparently, word on the street is that GTA IV will be taking place in New York City and have NYC stylized music. When we first got wind of this, the first thing that popped into our heads was, "Uh, wasn't the Liberty City from Grand Theft Auto I, GTA III, San Andreas, and Liberty City Stories supposed to be at the very least an homage to New York City (with a hint of New Jersey)?" If you look at the map for Liberty City from GTA I (pictured above), it's even more apparent. Or this could be a completely new direction for Rockstar, where instead of doing fictional places that are inspired by real world locations, they cut the middle man as it were, and just use the actual city. Either way, we could see a return to Liberty City, or Rockstar's rendition of the real life counter part. Which would you rather play in?
Dissecting Rockstar's formula: Joystiq previews Vice City Stories (PSP) & Bully (PS2)
The headquarters of Rockstar Games, a thin 6-story building squeezed between Best Buy and Adidas, stands just north of where Broadway cuts through Houston Street flowing downward into a mecca of trend -- or shopping for trends -- known as SoHo. A few blocks away Sony has erected one of the world's largest PSP displays (seen here), which towers over the intersection of Lafayette and Houston. But it's not just neighboring downtown-Manhattan real estate that connects Rockstar and Sony.
