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GTA 5 pre-orders at Microsoft Store get $20 XBL credit
Pre-ordering Rockstar's latest sandbox crime game, Grand Theft Auto 5 ,on Xbox 360 through the Microsoft Store will nab you some Xbox Live Marketplace credit: 1,600 MS Points worth, or $20 in real-world money. Microsoft issued an update converting MS Points to real currency on Xbox 360 yesterday. This coupon code, despite being in the old MS Points currency, is still valid after this update. Grand Theft Auto 5 is set to launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 on September 17. Rockstar parent company Take-Two expects the game will generate $600 million in revenue – and maybe you'll spend that bonus $20 on the inevitable DLC.
Pre-order GTA 5 on PSN, receive 75 percent off another Rockstar game
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available for pre-order on PSN now. The "Day 1 Digital Version" will be available for players to download the day the game launches, September 17. By pre-ordering GTA 5 on PSN, players also receive 75 percent off any full Rockstar game, such as Red Dead Redemption or Grand Theft Auto 4. We in the business call that a "really good deal."
Grand Theft Auto 5 achievements: stock markets, spaceships, sharks, oh my
Grand Theft Auto 5's achievements have been listed on Xbox 360 Achievements, so if you're a completionist who's ready to start planning your takeover of Los Santos, take a gander. Keep in mind 17 of the 38 non-secret achievements listed are tied to GTA Online – if you're looking to earn 100 percent completion, you're going to need to get social. For those going lone wolf, the single-player list is free of story spoilers. Some noteworthy achievements include From Beyond the Stars, which will have players collect and return spaceship parts, and Out of Your Depth, which only contains the description "You're gonna need a bigger boat ...." But lest you think GTA5 is all high-flying adventure and drug-running, there's also the Trading Pure Alpha achievement, which will require that you make a profit on your investments by playing the in-game stock market. Well, at least we're not being hounded to go bowling.
WWE 2K14 alternate cover art contest wins with Daniel Bryan entries
Both winners of 2K Sports' alternate cover art contest for WWE 2K14 featured Daniel Bryan in their entries, the developer announced today. The winners, Mike Rodriguez of Corona, CA and Alexis Zankowitch of Saint-Martin-le-Vinoux, France will see their art appear as an insert on the inside of every copy of the game in their respective regions. The cover art on the front of every box features Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. 2K Sports also recently unveiled the game's 30 Years of WrestleMania mode, which has players completing over 45 matches across the event's 30-year history. WWE 2K14 is slated to launch October 29 in North America and November 1 internationally on PS3 and Xbox 360. %Gallery-196046%
Grand Theft Auto 5 online trailer logs on [update: GTA Online launches Oct. 1]
With Grand Theft Auto 5 due in just over a month's time, Rockstar chose today to unveil the game's online component, aptly dubbed "GTA Online," in a brand new trailer. Called a "persistent" world by the narrator, GTA Online features the series-standard mish-mash of structured activities and roll-your-own distractions, such as launching dirt-bikes off mountainsides with your best buddies. Players can band together and form Crews, which can then tackle group jobs such as bank heists and "classic online modes." Money earned by successfully completing jobs can be spent on customizing your character (which can be female, from the looks of things), weapons and vehicles. Players can also buy apartments and garages, the latter of which allow them to store cars, air vehicles and watercraft. A "Content Creator" level editor will also let folks design their own vehicle races and deathmatch arenas, which can then be shared with other users. The studio briefly teased an upcoming reveal back in last month's gameplay trailer, but now you can sit back and take in what to expect when you head online with GTA 5, which takes to the streets of PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 17. Update: In an interview with CVG, Rockstar North President Leslie Benzies said GTA Online will launch on October 1, a couple of week after the game hits retail shelves. Benzies said the studio considers GTA Online a separate component from GTA 5, even though it runs in the GTA 5 engine and access to it comes free with the game. "It'll be GTA Online; it's not part of GTA 5. Obviously it's set in the GTA 5 engine, but it's going to grow and evolve into its own thing," Benzies told CVG.
WWE 2K14 gets 30th anniversary WrestleMania mode
WWE 2K14 will include a single player campaign mode that spans the 30-year history of WrestleMania, 2K Sports announced. Called "30 Years of WrestleMania," the mode tasks players with completing over 45 matches separated into five different "eras" in WWE's lengthy history. 2K promises authentic arenas, gear, entrances and other presentation elements, as well as video packages and cinematic cut scenes to set the stage for each match. Much like WWE 13's Attitude Era mode, players will complete objectives to unlock items such as playable wrestlers and alternate attire in 30 Years of WrestleMania, with most goals oriented around replicating moments from the matches as they happened in real life. WWE 2K14 will hit the mat on October 29 for Xbox 360 and PS3. 2K recently announced a special Phenom Edition of the game, which features The Undertaker's "American Badass" character. %Gallery-195822%
Take-Two files complaint over GTAV.com
Grand Theft Auto V publisher Take-Two is doing the right thing and filing a complaint about gtav.com rather than just shooting up the place and taking it, Fusible reports. Take-Two's pursuit of the domain follows a streak of over two dozen similar events this year concerning URLs poised as fake beta portals for GTAV. Each previous ruling favored Take-Two, but the publisher lost a similar dispute over bioshock.com in 2010 because the site was created before Take-Two trademarked Bioshock. The owner of gtav.com registered the domain in 2008, so there's a chance that they managed to do so before Take-Two thought to trademark the inevitable sequel. Although it currently redirects traffic to GTAV's official page, gtav.com was once a blog focused on covering the upcoming game.
HungoverX is a Bureau: XCOM Declassified mini-game
When Take-Two recently registered the domain HungoverX.com, we weren't sure what to expect. The publisher pulled the curtains back on the URL today to reveal a mini-game related to The Bureau: XCOM Declassified in which players guide a hungover Bill Carter through a groggy day at the office. The browser-based game is available now at HungoverX.com. The Bureau: XCOM Declassified will launch on August 20 for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.
Take-Two stirs up the Kool-Aid, registers hungoverx.com
Take-Two, the publisher behind games including Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series and Irrational's BioShock franchise, registered the domain "hungoverx.com" on July 25. The domain is registered privately under the care of Network Solutions, but Whois shows Take-Two is pulling the strings. It's also under take2games.com domain servers, Fusible finds. There's no word on how this domain fits into Take-Two's franchises. Take-Two is gearing up for the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5 on September 17, and it recently trademarked "Bully" for gaming software, hinting at a possible revival of that 2006 PS2 title. Take-Two raised its outlook for fiscal year 2014 from $1.775 billion to $1.875 billion, earning net revenue of $142.7 million in Q1 and selling more than 4 million copies of BioShock Infinite to date.
WWE 2K14 Phenom Edition brings back the American Badass for $100
2K Sports announced a special edition for WWE 2K14 that features arguably the best wrestler in the business, The Undertaker. Coming in a collectible tin coffin, the Phenom Edition includes a copy of WWE 2K14, an art card signed by The Undertaker, a controller skin, the first disc of "The Streak" DVD set that details the Deadman's undefeated streak at WrestleMania and a special playable version of The Undertaker's "American Badass" character from the Attitude Era. Players that pick up the Phenom Edition also gain access to the Ultimate Warrior in WWE 2K14, a playable character otherwise locked to pre-orders. The Phenom Edition is available for pre-order on Amazon or the WWE Shop for $100. The game is slated to strut into stores on October 29. %Gallery-195175%
Grand Theft Auto 5 rated R18+ in Australia
The Australian Classification Board handed the R18+ rating to Grand Theft Auto 5 today, so those fearing a possible repeat of the refused classification for Saints Row 4 can relax. The classification offers no indication the Aussie version of Rockstar North's upcoming crime-fest had any of its content edited. The adult-only rating means GTA 5 can now be sold in Australia, and it's heading to retail shelves there and the world over on September 17 for Xbox 360 and PS3. The decision may underline consternation from fans over why Saints Row 4 wasn't allowed through in light of the traditional rivals' similarities but differing decisions. The ACB recently re-reviewed its decision on an unedited version of Saints Row 4, but reaffirmed the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC game's ban due to its depiction of drug use. Publisher Deep Silver is expected to submit an edited version of the exuberant sandbox game to the ACB. Elsewhere, Saints Row 4 comes to North America on August 20, and Europe on August 23
XCOM: Enemy Within listed by Korean ratings board
A listing on Korea's Game Rating Board site indicates that a game by the name of XCOM: Enemy Within exists. The classifications board listed the game for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3. Whether the as-yet-unannounced game is a stand-alone product or extension of last year's XCOM: Enemy Unknown is, well, unknown. We also wonder what said enemy is within.
'Bully' trademark pops up from Take-Two
Take-Two filed a trademark for "Bully" on July 29, covering video game software and all of the related accessories. This could mean Take-Two doesn't want anyone pushing it around and trying to claim the Bully brand as their own, or developer Rockstar could be interested in a new Bully game. Rockstar released Bully in 2006 for PS2, and then made an updated version for Xbox 360, Wii and PC in 2008. It was notorious for stirring up controversy amongst anti-bullying groups with both releases, picking up critical acclaim and awards along the way, fair and square. We reached out to Take-Two for clarification on the trademark. Until then, maybe try another game that has to do with bullying. They're basically the same, right?
Take-Two posts $143 million net revenue in Q1, raises yearly outlook
Take-Two reported $142.7 million in net revenue during Q1 2014, down from $226.1 million in Q1 2013. It drew a net operating loss of $61.9 million this quarter, compared with $110.8 million from 2013 – the company contributed part of the loss to software development costs of a canceled 2K game that totaled $29.6 million. Take-Two attributes its first quarter net revenue to sales within Borderlands 2, NBA 2K13, Grand Theft Auto 4 and BioShock Infinite. Infinite sold more than 4 million units to date, CEO Strauss Zelnick said during Take-Two's financial call. Zelnick said he expected Grand Theft Auto 5 and 2K sports games to bolster Take-Two's fiscal 2014 numbers later this year. "With Grand Theft Auto 5 launching on September 17, followed by the releases of NBA 2K14 and WWE 2K14, fiscal 2014 is poised to be one of our best years ever," he said. "Looking ahead, we are well-positioned to capitalize on the opportunities presented by the upcoming launches of the next-generation consoles." Take-Two increased its outlook for fiscal year 2014 from $1.775 billion to $1.875 billion in non-GAAP net revenue.
BioShock Infinite sales pass 4 million
Take-Two Interactive chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick has revealed that BioShock Infinite has sold more than 4 million units since its release last March. This comes hot on the heels of the first-person shooter's new DLC and the announcement of an impending return to more nostalgic, sub-aquatic pastures. "BioShock Infinite is North America's best-selling multiplatform release so far this year, according to NPD," Zelnick said during an investor conference call following the release of Take-Two's financial results for the first quarter of its fiscal 2014. "The title has crossed the 4 million units selling mark, and we expect it to become the top-selling release in the BioShock franchise."
WWE 2K14 pre-orders add snarling Ultimate Warrior
Fans of 90s rasslin' can recruit The Ultimate Warrior into their WWE 2K14 rosters with a pre-order on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3. The supporting retailers are GameStop, Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Toys R Us and the WWE shop. Though the Ultimate Warrior may be a calculated move in garnering additional sales, it's not the first one made in the game's journey to stores. Former license holder THQ owed WWE $7.6 million for marketing and royalty expenses at the time of filing bankruptcy, and between $15 and $20 million to longtime series developer Yuke's. WWE 2K14 was then acquired by Take-Two, which is pushing the game into the retail ring on October 29.
Grand Theft Auto 5 to feature weapon, vehicle customization
Grand Theft Auto 5's weapon and vehicle customization systems will allow players to perform drive-by shootings as unique as they are, thanks to mods that alter how items and rides perform, as well as how they look. Customizing weapons will play a part in successfully completing certain missions, lead mission designer Imran Sarwar told Game Informer. Extended clips/magazines, scopes, flashlights, suppressors and cosmetic alterations will let players tailor their armory to both their personal tastes, as well as the requirements of whatever gangster stuff they're about to perpetrate. Likewise, car customization returns, though with reportedly more depth than the system seen in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. "Some missions ask you to customize vehicles in certain ways, and we have taken vehicle customization in general a lot further," Sarwar said. Cars and bikes can be outfitted with stuff as traditional as new body kits and paint jobs, to more miniscule alterations like changing tire smoke color, adjusting engine tuning and swapping out the vehicle's horn.
BioShock 2 creative director Jordan Thomas leaves Take-Two
Jordan Thomas, creative director at BioShock 2 developer 2K Marin, has left the company. His departure should have no effect on the studio's current project, The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, which he moved away from in early 2012, he tells GI.biz. Thomas makes his exit from the company to go indie with an unnamed partner and work on his own projects. He came to the decision after helping Irrational Games finish work on BioShock Infinite. "It cemented for me that while BioShock spoke to me, it'll never be for me what it is for Ken. I've expanded that legacy here and there, but I could never have created it from scratch. I need to build something that is, to me, what BioShock is to Ken. No matter how long it takes, I have to start now." Thomas already has a game in mind, of course: He wants to take some of the ideals found in Thief and BioShock and apply them "with a radically different focus." If it's well-received, Thomas says "we might expand the vision and explore further dimensions of the same theme with more content producers. But we'd love to keep it as lean as possible for now, in the hopes that we're not writing checks our asses can't cash. Indie ambition is its greatest strength and its greatest weakness."
WWE 2K14 debut trailer is its own biggest cheerleader
There's some wrasslin' in there somewhere, but as often with the real thing, there's as much bark as bite in this Rock-in' first look at WWE 2K14. The game is coming to Xbox 360 and PS3, and pins retail shelves in North America on October 29.
Alternate cover art contest for WWE 2K14 announced
Sports video games such as EA's Madden and NHL series have held cover athlete votes to determine the athlete gracing the cover of the latest game. 2K Sports took that a step further by announcing a cover art contest for WWE 2K14 today. Fans that enter the contest have a chance to see their entry as an alternate piece of cover art that ships on the inside of the game's case, since The Rock has already been announced as the game's primary cover wrestler. The contest rules also note that the winner will receive a copy of WWE 2K14, and one runner-up will receive a copy of the game as well. Head over to 2K Sports' contest site to download assets for individual wrestlers, as well as those red, fiery background images seen on the covers of 2K Sports games. To enter your custom cover for the game, you'll need to tweet a link to your image with the hashtag #wwe2k14cover.
