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Former Rockstar Games founders form 4mm Games
Eager to fill their lungs with the clean air of independent living, Rockstar Games co-founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman have headed for the hills. Along the way the pair picked up Nicholas Perret from Image Metrics, known for its amazing yet slightly creepy Emily video, and entertainment exec Paul Coyne. Next stop: 4mm Games, a new game studio that, according to CEO Perret, aims to "deliver groundbreaking content with global appeal to a consumer who lives online."4mm isn't talking specifics, though the company has netted "significant" backing from game-focused investment firm, CEA Autumn Games. According to 4mm, the companies have agreed to a multi-year partnership, which includes multiple titles and platforms. Beyond this, 4mm is keeping quiet on what it plans to spend its new-found cash on, but we'll keep our eyes on the horizon as things develop.
Midnight Club: LA DLC released early by accident
Early risers were treated to an accident on Rockstar's virtual 405. According to multiple sources, someone left Midnight Club: LA's upcoming South Central DLC in neutral earlier today and it inadvertently rolled out to the Xbox Live Marketplace a bit ahead of schedule. The content has since been removed, though UGO Gamesblog reports via NeoGAF that those who downloaded the content found nothing changed, save for a partial listing of cars queued up for the DLC's eventual release. Among those sweet rides are the '09 Mitsubishi Eclipse GT, '08 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X and '64 Chevy Impala.Microsoft Europe's Xbox community manager Graeme Boyd acknowledged the snafu, writing in a statement that those who managed to snag the content should delete it as it was still being tested and "may not work properly," possibly causing problems with game saves. For now it seems eager racers will just have to wait for the content's official release sometime in early 2009 ... just sometime later than right now.Source – Rockstar Fakeout: Midnight Club DLC Arrives, Is PulledSource – Midnight Club LA DLC warning
Midnight Club: LA races into South Central in early '09
Rockstar construction crews are hard at work laying down pavement for those already bored with Midnight Club's LA streets. The developer confirmed that it will release a "South Central Upgrade Map" for free next year, adding numerous LA landmarks and a new area equivalent to about a third of what's already on the disc. Those looking to burn a little of their leftover holiday cash can also pick up the "South Central Content Pack," which will trick out the racing game with new character competitions, races, music and that all-important element of the LA landscape: The SUV. No release date for either download has been announced, though Rockstar notes that Xbox 360 and PS3 racers can look forward to rolling down the 105 Freeway sometime in early 2009.
Grand Theft Auto IV featured on Will It Blend
Update: Apparently, this particular blending mystery was solved a while ago -- however, Tom Dickson promised us a free Blendtec blender if we brought it up again. We apologize for our unquenchable thirst for outrageously overpowered kitchen appliances.Considering that Blendtec's doomsday device has already proved its ability to obliterate bricks, fake diamonds, small buildings and many large breeds of dogs, it should come as no surprise that (spoiler alert) it can chew through a copy of Grand Theft Auto IV with ease. What is surprising is host Tom Dickson's incredibly short fuse -- apparently, when something provides him with the smallest amount of displeasure, it finds itself on the business end of the appliance's screaming blades. For the sake of Tom's children (who likely have perfect grades and manners out of fear of a liquefying punishment), we remind the charismatic host that with great blending power comes great blending responsibility.
Explore Liberty City with Google Map application
Between the comprehensive in-game map, the GPS-imbued minimap, and the TomTom-esque functionality of certain vehicles, we've yet to misplace ourselves within Liberty City's digital boroughs. Still, if you find yourself lost whilst playing Grand Theft Auto IV, we guess this Liberty City map application (mapplication?) using the Google Maps interface would come in handy. A number of user contributions have already been made to the map, showing the location of hidden items, easter eggs, pigeon locations, stunt jumps, and yes, even hookers, whom we assume were fitted with GPS locaters by trained prostitute handlers before being released back into the wild. It makes for a useful cartographical companion for those with a laptop near their console of choice -- if you don't mind ruining the fun of exploring the nooks and crannies of Rockstar's intricately crafted metropolis for yourself, that is.
Grand Theft Auto IV takes late night comedy world by storm
Comedy starved night owls are probably already aware of the attention that Rockstar's latest crime drama has received on the late night entertainment scene. We chuckled at the Daily Show's coverage of the game's midnight release, but thoroughly LOLed at Conan O'Brien's previews (embedded after the jump) of the toned-down version of Grand Theft Auto IV (if only Stephen Bishop's classic "It Might Be You" really were available on Liberty City's airwaves).However, we didn't truly board the ROFLcopter until we saw the above skit from The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson (the former unitesticled boss on "The Drew Carey Show"). Perhaps it was the visit from "Saturday Night Live" veteran Tim Meadows that made it our fave, or perhaps it was their subtle send-up of the criticism the game has endured due to it's adult content. On that note, if there's anything funnier than the actual media coverage of Rockstar's mature blockbuster, we've yet to see it.
IGN: First web GTA IV review, another perfect 10
Is it too early to say that we're beginning to see a pattern develop here? We know that a mere handful of reviews for Rockstar's latest opus have been published, but should the current trend continue, Grand Theft Auto IV could be the subject of more perfect scores than 1976 Olympic gymnast Nadia Comaneci. Yes, IGN recently dropped the suspiciously non-embargoed first online review for the title, giving it a 10 out of 10 (on both platforms) and evoking the wrath of the Nintendo Defense Force, calling GTA IV "the best game since Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time."The seven-page, five-thousand word review (and accompanying video review, after the jump) praises the game's art style, the immersive backdrop of Liberty City, the "Oscar quality" story and the "refined" gameplay. The enamored reviewer even commends some of the quirky extra features included by Rockstar, such as Niko's multipuropse cellphone, or the in-game use of alcohol: "You don't have to drive drunk," the reviewer exclaims, "but it's fun to give it a try." Great, now we can look forward to public backlash towards the game's DUI-endorsing write-ups, as well.
Rumor: GTA IV DLC may include entirely new cities
We're vehement followers of the logic that if something sounds too good to be true, it usually is -- still, in cases like these, that doesn't stop us from wishing and hoping hard enough to make our noses bleed. The latest, Microsoft-endorsed, Grand Theft Auto IV special edition issue of Computer and Video Games magazine suggests that the 360 DLC is to the perfect scoring GTA IV as "Vice City or San Andreas were [to] GTA III," and later, in simpler terms, "Rockstar is clearly hinting at new downloadable cities" for the title.While this infinitely awesome feature might be technically and fiscally possible, we must keep a firm grasp on our cynically-tinted monocles until official confirmation arises. Still, it's tough not to wonder what cities Rockstar could build knock-off replicas of to add to their latest title -- perhaps an Atlantic City clone? A geographically-appropriate rendering of New Jersey? A mock-up of the bustling metropolis of Mud Lick, KY? The possibilities are endless!
Bully's Xbox 360 patch may need another patch
EuroGamer reports that a patch released five days ago, which intended to fix the issues in the Xbox 360 version of Bully: Scholarship Edition, may have caused more problems than it resolved. Reported problems include freezes, along with audio and graphic glitches. Rockstar explained that the issue is with older consoles, but EuroGamer states its (relatively new?) office Elite locks up.We're still waiting to hear from Rockstar about what's really going on, but the company seems to have locked itself in the teacher's lounge and refuses to come out. So, what's the word on the virtual streets? Are people still having problems with their copy of Bully on the Xbox 360?
Bully patch now on Live, but does it fix anything?
A patch for Bully: Scholarship Edition has been released on Xbox Live in lieu of the "broad worldwide announcement" expected today. But what does it fix? We don't know for sure, and various readers have reported the technical problems are either not fixed at all or in some cases worse. We've contacted Rockstar for more information. If you've downloaded the patch yourself, feel free to give your impressions below.[Thanks, Mark]
Rockstar already expects controversy over GTA IV
While it doesn't take a soothsayer to guess that Grand Theft Auto IV is going to make quite a splash in the pool of a number of family watchdog organizations when it's released upon the world come April 29 -- Dan Houser, Rockstar's VP and writer for GTA IV, recently said in an interview with Yahoo! News that he expects the fumes of controversy to waft especially thick and heavy over this particular chapter in the GTA franchise.Why, you might ask? What could be worse than territorial gang violence, drug trafficking, or poorly rendered depictions of consensual sex between two adults? Houser explains -- the studio will definitely be hearing about certain gameplay elements, such as drunk driving, and the inclusion of current-gen advancements in video game strip club technology. Well, duh -- if a space marine and his azure-skinned concubine can't tastefully bump uglies without a media explosion, we doubt an in-game visit to The Booby Trap will be overlooked.
Video: Midnight Club: LA debut trailer
Rockstar just released the debut trailer for Midnight Club: Los Angeles this morning offering up a first look at what the game will visually offer. Embedded above is said trailer in all its glory featuring purdy cars, nifty effects, fast racing and is chalk full of attitude. It's full of the kind of stuff Midnight Club fans drool over, so give it a watch and hope it satisfies some of your appetite until its projected 2008 release date. Race on![Via 1UP, Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Only GTAIV on 360 is complete experience, says Rockstar
Speaking to Games Radar, Rockstar spokesperson Hosi Simon had some interesting comments regarding the Xbox 360 version of the upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV. When asked about the Xbox 360 exclusive episodes and whether or not the PS3 version would receive any similar perks, Simon replied, "not that I can think of." Simon elaborates that the games are identical, and that Rockstar does its best to make games that can be enjoyed on any console. "We're not like a pawn between these [hardware] companies," said Simon. That said, Simon admitted, "But I guess if you want the complete experience with the episodes, then yeah, you should buy the 360, I suppose."We must mention -- along with Joystiq -- that the term "exclusive" has become more and more loosely defined over the years. We have to wonder if the Playstation 3 will ever pick up the episodes as well. Whether or not this comes to pass, it will be interesting to see if the initial promise of exclusive downloadable content will make GTA fans pick one version over the other.[Via Joystiq]
Rockstar Table Tennis backhands over to Wii
The nightmare of living in a Wii Play world of ping pong is almost to an end as Rockstar has announced that their Xbox 360 darling, Table Tennis, will be making its way over to Nintendo's world of waggle. As light on information as it gets, Rockstar's release is but a simple announcement and assurance that this will take -- say it along with us now -- full advantage of the Wii remote and its unique features. Okay, Rockstar founder Sam Houser really said, "a new audience can now experience a game that is beautifully designed and impossible to put down," but we know what he meant. With a release planned for this Fall, we can only hope that we have enough time to make our way over to Japan and learn those secret paddle positions we've heard so much about.
GTAIV trailer is live. Thoughts?
Well folks, the Grand Theft Auto IV trailer is up. You can either watch the tiny, poorly streamed version at Yahoo! Games, or you can watch the higher resolution trailer at Rockstar's website. Either way, expect to do a little waiting. As we suspected, the trailer gives a marginally closer look at some of the colorful characters we'll be seeing in Liberty City. We also get a deeper look at Niko, the main character. Sprinkled throughout are bits of action, like kicking in doors, hanging from helicopters, hanging on to the back of a speeding truck, and evading the newer, smarter police. All in all, the trailer is short, but definitely sweet. Alright, talk amongst yourselves.
GTAIV trailer goes live at noon EDT
Just so you know, the second trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV will be hitting the internet equivalent of the airwaves today at noon EDT. It will be available at the official GTAIV website as well as Xbox.com, and hopefully it will hit Xbox Live Marketplace on time too. Now that we've been introduced to the world of GTAIV, we're hoping to see at least a little gameplay. We wouldn't be surprised, however, if the second trailer is used mainly to introduce us to the other characters aside from Niko (the game's protagonist). As you sit there watching the minutes go by (this time without an oh-so-trendy countdown clock), you might as well check out our GTAIV gallery, which we've updated with an entire two new images. Yeah, we know. We spoil you.%Gallery-3451%
2nd GTAIV trailer brings new theme, gamer pics
Those of you looking forward to experiencing the second Grand Theft Auto IV trailer tomorrow will be happy to hear that it will also be available on Xbox Live Marketplace and Xbox.com. In addition, Rockstar will be releasing Grand Theft Auto IV gamer pictures and a theme. The press release (featured at Gamertag Radio) makes no mention of a cost associated with the gamer pictures and theme. We're hoping Rockstar has the sense to make them free.If you simply can't figure out what to do with yourself until tomorrow, why not take a gander at our Grand Theft Auto IV galleries? We've got tons of screenshots, and some images of the special edition. Maybe that will take the edge off of the long wait.%Gallery-4323%%Gallery-3451%
GTAIV Special Edition images revealed
Fresh from Rockstar we have the first images of the Grand Theft Aufo IV Special Edition. With the special edition -- for the not-too-low price of 90 bones -- you get the game, an art book, a soundtrack CD, a duffel bag, and the particularly cool locking safety deposit box. Yes, you'll have all the makings of your own (pretend) robbery. We have to admit, as special editions go, Grand Theft Auto IV looks to be right up there with the cat helmet. Check out high resolution images of the special edition in the gallery below.%Gallery-4323%
Take Two silent on $50 million GTAIV content
We asked the question once: did Microsoft pay $50 million for GTAIV content? Readers will recall that Take Two's recent conference call made reference to two separate $25 million payments for "episodic content." Prior to this, gamesindustry.biz confirmed that the episodic content for GTAIV would be exclusive to Xbox 360. Naturally, this stumped PS3 owners who were promised their own exclusive content as well. The obvious conclusion, then, is that MS coughed up some money to keep the content exclusive.Whatever the reality is, Take Two isn't talking. Gamesindustry.biz contacted the company for comment on the $50 million quote and were greeted with no official responses whatsoever. Did MS buy exclusivity? The world may never know (but probably yes).[Via Joystiq]
Second GTA IV trailer coming soonish
The last time we waited for a Grand Theft Auto IV trailer nobody knew what the game had to offer or even what it looked like. At the time it released, the interenet stopped for a moment. And now it looks like we're going to have to go through all the madness once again. Over on the official GTA IV website, the main splash page is announcing a second trailer called "Looking For That Special Someone" that will be available June 28th. And even though there is no suspenseful countdown clock, we're still excited to see more GTA IV goodness. We advise you to prepare for the worst, because June 28th could be the day the internet calls it quits.[Via TeamXbox]