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Take-Two files 'Bully Bullsworth Academy' trademark in Europe [Update]
Take-Two recently filed another trademark related to Rockstar's Bully property in Europe. Titled "Bully Bullworth Academy: Canis Canem Edit," the trademark was filed just a few days ago, on November 20. The publisher filed another Bully-related trademark in July with the USPTO. Rockstar first developed Bully for PS2 in 2006, following it up with enhanced versions for Wii, PC and Xbox 360 in 2008. The latest trademark refers to the original game's New England boarding school setting, Bullworth Academy, which offers a stronger suggestion that Take-Two is doing more than just protecting the Rockstar property. Update: As a point of clarification, since Bully launched as Canis Canem Edit in Europe, the trademark may also refer to a re-release of the original game.
Apple had no say in Rockstar's decision to sue Google
Three weeks ago, we reported that Rockstar, a consortium backed by companies like Apple and Microsoft, sued Google and a host of other companies for patent infringement. As a quick primer, the Rockstar consortium in June of 2011 jointly bid US$4.4 billion in an auction for more than 6,000 Nortel patents. Google was also a participant in the auction, but backed down once bidding hit the $4 billion mark. As for the suit itself, Rockstar is suing Google over patented technology that helps map relevant advertisements to corresponding internet search terms. Put simply, the suit is going after Google's prime money-maker. As one would expect, news that Rockstar was going after Google evoked a lot of ire from folks who assumed that the patents obtained by the consortium would only be used for defensive purposes. Indeed, many were quick to call out Rockstar for being nothing more than a money-hungry patent troll while expressing disappointment in Apple for being party to the proceedings. For instance, Matt Drance of AppleOutsider wrote: I've said this multiple times in the past, and I'll say it again: I don't like this game. Rockstar looks, smells and now acts like countless NPE's that have done more harm than good -- namely Lodsys, which has been aggressively harassing Apple's own ecosystem. It's extremely disappointing to see Apple facilitate this kind of behavior. But as it turns out, it appears that Rockstar filed the suit against Google with no input from any of its shareholders; a grouping that includes Apple, Microsoft, RIM, Ericcson and Sony. In an interview with Intellectual Asset Management, Rockstar CEO (and former Nortel IP chief) John Veschi expressed a bit of surprise that the lawsuit against Google generated as much press as it did. Veschi also emphasized that the decision to go after Google was not made at the behest of Apple or any of the other shareholders. Given the amount they paid and given the on-going issues at least some of them have with both Google and the Android platform, many reports have talked about the consortium going on the attack or have assumed that it is the shareholders that have driven things. This is categorically not the case, Veschi says. "It was entirely my call based on the facts in front of me," he states. "The shareholders got an email telling them what had happened after the suits were issued." Previously, Veschi has made a point of stating that Apple and co. are merely shareholders and the relationship between them and Rockstar is "distant." "I understand that it might be sexy to say that they are pulling the strings," Veschi explains, "but actually it is also slightly insulting to us. We are running the business. We do that job and they do their jobs and that's it." While some might not buy the story Veschi is selling, Veschi adamantly maintains that none of Rockstar's shareholders influence, in any way, who Rockstar chooses to go after. If you'd like to read more about Veschi and the Rockstar operation, there's an interesting and informative interview with him up on Rockstar's website where talks about all things licensing along with Rockstar's underlying business philosophy.
Become a Beach Bum in Grand Theft Auto Online today
Grand Theft Auto 5 receives the free Beach Bum update for GTA Online today, and like a beach bum it's already getting comfy on Xbox 360 and PS3. The update's beached on the Xbox Games Store right now, while the PS3 version is accessible through a new title update that has started rolling out on both consoles, according to Rockstar. Beach Bum brings new vehicles in the form of dune buggies, camper vans, and off-road trucks, while new jobs include beach-based Races, Parachutes, Last Team Standings, Deathmatches, Survivals, and Gang Attacks. The update also brings new weapons with it and some more character customization options, allowing avant-garde citizens to mix up neon surfer ware with tribal tattoos - just go wild, man.
Grand Theft Auto Online's free Beach Bum update launches next week
Rockstar announced that its free "Beach Bum" expansion for the GTA Online component of Grand Theft Auto 5 will hit the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 next week, adding a number of new vehicles, weapons, and missions to the multiplayer fray, along with a fresh batch of character customization options. GTA Online players will be able to kick back and soak up the rays as they mangle opponents in new beach-themed Races, Deathmatches, Parachutes, Last Team Standings, Survivals, and Gang Attacks. New vehicles include the BF Bifta dune buggy, the Canis Kalahari off-road truck, and the Bravado Paradise camper van. Also making an appearance is the Speeder speedboat, a fan-favorite watercraft that makes its return to the series after last appearing in GTA: Chinatown Wars. The Beach Bum expansion will hit the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live as a GTA5 title update on November 19.
Newegg slashes prices on nearly all Rockstar games
Need a copy of Max Payne 2 or LA Noire on the cheap? Newegg's got you covered. A visit to the online tech retailer reveals the ongoing "Rockstar Catalog Sale," a promotion that reduces the price on almost everything Rockstar Games has created by up to 76 percent. As a result of this sale, you can now purchase Manhunt for $3, Bully: Scholarship Edition for $5.10 or Grand Theft Auto 4 for $6. Before you get too excited, there are caveats to keep in mind here. First, these are all PC games (with occasional Mac compatibility), and these sale prices only apply to direct downloads. Second, there's no word on when this sale might end. Scouring Newegg's site offers nothing, and our attempts to contact the retailer went unanswered. If you want to take advantage of these prices, we'd suggest you do so soon. The biggest caveat however, is that this sale only applies to "almost everything" Rockstar has ever created. The first two Grand Theft Auto games are missing, as are the first and third Midnight Club entries. Grand Theft Auto 5 also fails to appear, but that's to be expected given that no PC version of GTA 5 yet exists.
Grand Theft Auto Online players start getting virtual payouts for their troubles
Rockstar promised that it would compensate GTA Online players for their service problems during October, and it's (somewhat belatedly) making good on its word. As expected, the developer has started paying these early adopters $500,000 each in virtual currency to keep them organizing heists and racing cars. All the handouts should wrap up within the next two days, Rockstar estimates. There should also be fewer hiccups in the future -- the company is already rolling out a fix that prevents cloud sync outages from erasing progress. GTAO members aren't entirely out of the woods, but the bonus cash may give them a good reason to stay in Los Santos.
Rockstar doles out Grand Theft Auto 5 Stimulus Package starting today
Rockstar has begun dropping $500,000 in cold, hard, digital cash into Grand Theft Auto 5 players' accounts staring today, the studio announced. The money is meant to make up for Grand Theft Auto Online's rocky launch, and it should be applied to the accounts of everyone who played (or tried to play) Online in October. The Stimulus Package was delayed in late October, with Rockstar citing persistent bugs that it wanted to iron out before dropping the money in players' pockets. Now that the Stimulus Package has started deploying, it should reach all eligible players by Friday, November 8.
Apple, Microsoft-backed 'Rockstar' uses Nortel patents to sue Google, Samsung and others
Early last year, the "Rockstar" consortium backed by Apple, Microsoft, BlackBerry, Sony and Ericsson closed its purchase of thousands of patents previously owned by Nortel for $4.5 billion (around the same time Google, after failing to purchase the patents itself, closed a $12 billion deal for Motorola). That transaction cleared the DOJ as the team agreed to license the tech on "fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory terms, as well as their commitments not to seek injunctions in disputes involving SEPs." According to Reuters, Rockstar -- along with another company, Netstar -- has picked today to file a lawsuit against Google over seven of the patents, reportedly covering the ability to match internet search terms to advertising. TechCrunch lists other lawsuits filed against cellphone manufacturers including Samsung, LG, ASUS, HTC, Pantech, ZTE and Huawei. All of these companies build Android-based devices, so it appears that despite all the other ongoing lawsuits and license agreements, it's time for another round of patent warfare to start.
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Take-Two sees net loss of $124 million in Q2 without GTA 5 sales
Take-Two reported net revenue of $148.8 million in Q2 2014, down from $273.1 million the previous year. The company saw a net loss of $124.1 million, compared with $12.4 million in Q2 2013, and it has $661.9 million cash on-hand. Q2 ended September 30 and included the launch of The Bureau: XCOM Declassified and Borderlands 2 GOTY. All of these numbers ignore the fact that Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 launched during Q2 2014. Take-Two is pushing these sales figures to Q3 2014, since that's when Grand Theft Auto Online launched. Grand Theft Auto 5 raked in $1 billion in retail sales in three days and has shipped 29 million copies. Combine Grand Theft Auto 5 with holiday sales and Take-Two predicts non-GAAP net revenue in Q3 2014 to hit a high of $700 million, with the fiscal year ending at $2.3 billion on March 31. "Take-Two is increasing its financial outlook for fiscal year 2014 to reflect its strong fiscal second quarter results and positive outlook for the remainder of the year," Take-Two says.
Grand Theft Auto 5 ships 29 million units to retail
Take-Two revealed today that it has shipped nearly 29 million copies of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 since the game's launch last month. "The title received stellar reviews, shattered entertainment industry records, and has already sold-in nearly 29 million units to date," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said. "The extraordinary success of Grand Theft Auto V illustrates the positive momentum in our business and consumers' enduring appetite for the highest-quality interactive entertainment." Take-Two notes that sell-in numbers for Grand Theft Auto 5 already exceed Grand Theft Auto 4's lifetime units shipped in its first six weeks of release. Grand Theft Auto 5 earned the company $1 billion in three days, breaking the previous time-to-$1 billion sales record set by Call of Duty: Black Ops 2.
GTA5 iFruit app brings dogsitting, car customization to Android
Rockstar Games has announced the Android release of its iFruit app, giving those not devoted to iOS a chance to groom a virtual Rottweiler on the go. As with its iOS incarnation, the Android version of iFruit is a free download. For that nonexistent price of entry, players are given access to an expanded, electronic version of the Grand Theft Auto 5 manual, direct links to the Rockstar Social Club, and two "games." The first is a simple series of menus designed for lightweight car customization. The second allows players to directly interact with their in-game dog by feeding him, playing fetch and engaging in one of three simple minigames. Once you've linked your Rockstar Social Club account to the iFruit app, any vehicle changes you make or new tricks you teach your dog will be carried over into the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 versions of Grand Theft Auto V. Downloading the iFruit app is as simple as visiting the Google Play store and tapping the "install" button.
GTA 5 getting beach vehicles and job creation tools in November
In addition to its announcement of a delay in issuing the "stimulus package" for GTA Online, Rockstar revealed that the first content update for Grand Theft Auto 5 will arrive in November. First announced in September, the Beach Bum Pack and first part of the GTA Online Content Creator will launch next month. The Beach Bum Pack offers four beach-themed vehicles, two new weapons and over 300 items. The content pack gives players more customization options like hairstyles and tattoos as well. Additionally, Rockstar plans to open the ability to create, publish and rate custom race and deathmatch jobs for use in GTA Online. Lastly, the developer noted that GTA Online Social Club weekend events will begin next month, granting players bonuses and "event crate drops" for participating.
GTA Online stimulus package delayed, persistent bugs to blame
Grand Theft Auto Online players will not be receiving a $250,000 infusion of virtual cash this week, despite Rockstar announcing such plans only a few days ago. That $250,000 deposit marks the first half of a payout designed to soothe the rage of players after the rocky launch of Grand Theft Auto Online earlier this month. Four days ago Rockstar claimed it would be issuing these piles of virtual cash to players this week. That never came to pass, and now Rockstar has offered another announcement regarding the stimulus package. "We know many of you are anxiously waiting for us to show you the GTA$ Stimulus Package money we announced a couple weeks back," reads the Rockstar Games website. "As mentioned in that post, we of course want to ensure that game progress loss issues are sufficiently sorted before distributing the GTA$ to everyone. We have a few more tweaks and fixes to make in a new title update that will hit sometime next week and then we will distribute the cash." Rockstar has offered no word on when we can expect the newly-delayed payout.
Purported Grand Theft Auto 5 PC torrents serve up malware instead
A PC version of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 5 does not currently exist, nor has it been announced. Keep this in mind if you happen to stumble across a supposed "leaked" copy of the game for Windows, as one such torrent has infected thousands of PCs with malware. The alleged PC version of Grand Theft Auto 5 offered up in a public torrent is around 18 GB in size and has been falsely verified as legitimate, making it seem like the real deal. Once the download completes and the installer is launched, however, malicious software is deployed without the user's knowledge. Torrenters are then instructed to fill out a series of online surveys in order to claim a nonexistent registration key, lining the pockets of scammers in the process. WCCFTech notes that the torrent in question has been downloaded thousands of times, likely compromising thousands of unsuspecting victims. Don't let your hype for a PC release for Grand Theft Auto 5 override your common sense, as the consequences could be dire.
GTA Online players to see $250,000 payout this week
Apparently crime does pay, as Rockstar is rewarding Grand Theft Auto Online players with the first installment of a $500,000 in-game payout later this week. This sudden infusion of $250,000 serves as a mea culpa for the rocky GTA Online launch. Reports of players going missing and cars vanishing appeared frequently following the game's debut, and while Rockstar has issued patches to amend these issues, the company has also decided to reward player patience with a fat stack of virtual bills. As far as when your character might receive his or her cash, that remains unknown. Rockstar tweeted its plans this morning, but offered no more specificity than, "sometime this week." In the meantime, make sure you qualify for the handout by reading through these eligibility guidelines.
Complex glitch gives players infinite cash in GTA Online
If you're willing to swipe a motorcycle then navigate a complex labyrinth of menu screens, you could find yourself with a few million extra bucks in Grand Theft Auto Online. WikiGamesGuide posted the above video detailing a process that takes advantage of a glitch in how GTA Online tracks which vehicles you own and which you have already sold. By exiting into and out of a garage and selling a stolen motorcycle at just the right moment, you'll be able to repeatedly sell that bike over and over again, accruing as much cash as your patience for this convoluted scheme will allow. As VentureBeat points out, both Microsoft and Rockstar Games are aware of this glitch, and one member of the GTAForums claims that two of his friends have been banned for taking advantage of this exploit. According to that same poster, Rockstar is hoping to ban GTA Online accounts found to have been abusing this cheat "as a statement against these antics." We've reached out to Rockstar for more.
Lost your Grand Theft Auto Online character? Have some money instead!
For all the problems of online games, there's a certain assumption that your character is safe no matter what technical problems might hit the server. Sure, Grand Theft Auto Online has had some growing pains, but if your character vanishes for some reason you can still -- wait, no, apparently your character is lost forever and will never return to you. That's kind of the opposite of news you were hoping for. So in the hopes that you'll be distracted, Rockstar is throwing half a million dollars at you. Before you get too distracted, you should know that this is in-game money. Two payments of $250,000 in-game will be provided to players on two distinct dates, hopefully by the end of next week. While this won't exactly replace the time and effort lost via vanishing characters, it should at least take the edge off of Grand Theft Auto Online's unexpected problems.
Rockstar gifting Grand Theft Auto Online players $500K (in online cash) for ballin'
Rockstar Games sympathizes with your GTA Online woes, folks. The company's dropping two massive deposits of cash ($250K apiece) into player accounts in the coming weeks, and the first could be coming "by the end of next week." After those pesky issues with game progress and content disappearing are solved (again, hopefully "by the end of next week"), the deposits are scheduled to begin. Not every single person who owns Grand Theft Auto V will get the cash, but anyone who logged in and played GTA Online "during the month of October 2013" is qualified. After scooping the next title update (1.04), Rockstar will tell people via its newswire website when the deposits are going in -- and just like that, magically, said deposits will appear in-game for qualifying players. After that, you may commence with the ballin'. Or maybe just buy yourself a Burger Shot franchise and settle down, get a nice condo in the outskirts of Los Santos. The choice is yours!
GTA 5 title update for vanishing online characters, other issues
Rockstar has issued a patch for the GTA Online portion of Grand Theft Auto 5, which purportedly solves issues with spontaneous character deletion, lost progress and a handful of other issues, save for one specific circumstance. The patch should be live on PSN and will hit the Xbox 360 version "tomorrow at the latest," according to Rockstar. The patch corrects "multiple issues causing character deletion or other loss of progress," except for "some specific instances where players purchase a vehicle and the save does not occur due to a cloud save failure." A fix for that issue is underway and another update will be pushed once the problem is sorted out. In the meantime, infinite loading screens, vanishing guns and ammo, issues with Los Santos Customs and the mod garage should all be a thing of the past. Click all up on this for a full list of this update's corrected errors.
GTA5 officially breaks PSN records, Guinness records less officially
The Sony Blog has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 5 is the most-downloaded game in the history of the PlayStation Network, while Guinness World Records has awarded not one, not two, but seven titles to Rockstar's sandbox full of murder and mayhem. Whether it's virtual law or real-life records, Grand Theft Auto 5 breaks more bad than ... yeah, you see where that joke was going. According to a Guinness statement, GTA5 now holds the record for: Best-selling action-adventure videogame in 24 hours Best-selling videogame in 24 hours Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion Fastest videogame to gross $1 billion Highest grossing videogame in 24 hours Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours Most viewed trailer for an action-adventure videogame There are, however, conflicting accounts of the statement's validity. According to GameSpot, a Guinness representative claimed that the records team "worked directly with Rockstar on obtaining the figures." However, GameSpot also reports that a Take-Two Interactive representative said the numbers didn't come from them. "We can't verify its accuracy and we haven't commented on GTA V's performance beyond the two releases that we issued," the representative told GameSpot.
