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Grand Theft Auto IV Tests My Patience Because The Dialogue Is Too Good

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:53:00 -0800

Unlike the rest of the world (seemingly), I haven't started playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 yet. A copy is waiting for me this evening and I'm anxious to join the conversation. In the meantime, I've returned to Liberty City for one final jaunt through Rockstar's faux New York City on account of the brilliant, if brilliantly flawed, Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony. The adventure's reminded me of something that's constantly nagged me in Grand Theft Auto IV, albeit a happy annoyance.

I like the dialogue too much. Rockstar's character writers are the industry's best, perfectly capturing the rhythms of the crazed men and women they drop in their ridiculous storylines. Some of my favorite Grand Theft Auto IV moments take place outside of the cut-scenes, as characters banter back and forth on the way to a mission checkpoint. I'm no fan of Grand Theft Auto IV's vehicle handling, which constantly slams me into trees and electrical posts, but I always end up at the intended destination before the character rapport actually wraps up. There's always a few more lines to listen in on.

So, I wait. And wait. I watch the traffic roll by until the dialogue finishes and, then, tap the gas every-so-slightly, finally pushing me into the floating arrow to start the next cut-scene. Of course, I constantly jump the gun and mistake a pause in the dialogue for the end of the dialogue, causing me to audibly sigh as another slice of character interaction kicks off...as the screen races to fade to black.

It's a testament to Rockstar's talents, a reminder of how the gameplay doesn't always pay respect to that work. Hopefully, the solution for the next game isn't to cut the writing short. That'd be a shame.

Disc vs. Download: What You Should Know About GTA4 DLC

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:38:00 -0700

Earlier today, Rockstar Games released the final downloadable episode for Grand Theft Auto IV, The Ballad of Gay Tony. You might have read our launch primer, or perhaps my review yesterday, but there seems to be some confusion regarding the downloadable version, which is now available on Xbox Live Marketplace, and the disc-based Episodes from Liberty City, which also contains the previously digital-only The Lost and Damned. I popped in the disc just before bedtime last night to check it out, and wanted to clarify a few things for curious readers. I'll likely update as I learn more.

Achievements are the same across the board. Whether you buy the EfLC disc or you download the game, it's all going into the GTA4 pot. A recent title update upped GTA4's total Gamerscore points to 1500. There aren't any separate disc-based achievements that you'll get for buying the game at the store versus downloading episodes from your couch.

If you've played TLaD and you're still thinking about buying the disc, your save files will work on the disc. I unlocked a TLaD achievement last night while playing off the disc version, even though I downloaded the game back in February.

If you have enough hard drive space, you've already installed GTA4 and you decide to slap EfLC on your HDD, you'll have two GTA4 install files. You'll need to keep an eye on the date of installation, since that seemed to be the only difference between the two that caught my eye late last night before I started playing.

The radio stations have been revamped on the EfLC disc compared to the music on the GTA4 disc. Vladivostok FM's Russian pop has been replaced with upbeat British house music, The Beat 102.7 features new tracks (one of which plays into a scene in Gay Tony), and Lazlow has a slew of new and inappropriate "Man on the Street" interviews for Integrity 2.0. The big cherry on top is Vice City FM, which is exclusive to the disc. Since Gay Tony went live on Xbox Live Marketplace very late in the evening, I haven't had the chance to buy it on my home console and test whether the downloadable version features updated radio stations as well (big shout out to any readers who can confirm updated stations).

From my estimates, if you own The Lost and Damned already, and Vice City FM isn't a big deal for you, you're probably just fine with downloading The Ballad of Gay Tony. You'll save yourself the trip to your local retailer and depending on your broadband speed, you'll be playing it in an hour or two. If you haven't downloaded TLaD or you played GTA4 on PS3 but also own an Xbox 360, it wouldn't hurt to pick up the EfLC disc. Either way, you'll get the same outcome: sticky bombs, base jumps, and exploding shotgun shells are fun. Happy gaming!

Launch Primer -- Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:07:00 -0700

Ever find yourself in a situation where all of your friends are talking about the latest and greatest game, and you can't contribute to the conversation because you haven't been paying attention? Solve that problem with our Launch Primers: everything you need to know (except the spoilers) about a game that's about to be released.

Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony
Xbox 360
MSRP:
$19.99 (Xbox Live Download, 1600 Microsoft Points)
$39.99 (Episodes From Liberty City retail disc, includes The Lost And Damned)
ESRB Rating: Mature

All Ballad of Gay Tony Content

Videos | Previews | Screenshot Galleries | News Stories

What kind of game is it?

It's a standalone expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV, much like its predecessor expansion The Lost and Damned. Many view the GTA series as the epitome of open-world game design, with rich characterization and 3D action that varies between shooting and exploration. It is also possible to steal cars, and then drive them.

Who's the Developer?

The bio on Rockstar Games is worth an entire feature story by itself, but we'll be brief: the New York City-based company was founded in 1998 by a group of developerse, most notable of which are the brothers Dan and Sam Houser. Their three marquee game franchises are Grand Theft Auto, Midnight Club, and Max Payne, while other offerings include Red Dead Revolver/Redemption, The Warriors, Manhunt, and State of Emergency. Besieged by the mainstream media for the "Hot Coffee" incident, Rockstar Games is no stranger to controversy. (You may now hand me the award for "Understatement of the Year.")

What's the story?

"Gay Tony" Prince is the owner and proprietor of Liberty City's finest nightclubs, but on his way to the top of the social pecking order, he made enemies and incurred massive debt. As his bodyguard Luis Lopez, you're in charge of keeping Gay Tony safe and profitable. Explosions, mayhem and death ensue. It's Grand Theft Auto, whaddya want? Expect to see references to GTA IV and its first expansion The Lost and Damned.

What's Episodes From Liberty City?

It's a retail disc that features both The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. It doesn't require the original Grand Theft Auto IV in order to play it, but unfortunately for PS3 owners and PC gamers, it's still exclusive to the Xbox 360.

What'd we say?

Sterling McGarvey reviewed The Ballad of Gay Tony and gave it a score of 5/5:

"Ultimately, the credits genuinely encapsulate the fifty-odd hours I’ve invested in Grand Theft Auto IV over the past 18 months, and I’m confident that fans will feel the same way. Life goes on for these characters -- even if we’re not going to see new tales from the city -- and it’s a rewardingly upbeat celebration of the time you’ve invested in the world. The Ballad of Gay Tony serves as a great send-off for the Liberty City story arc, and provides good structure for Rockstar North’s next foray into the Grand Theft Auto universe."

See it in action:

Watch Larger Version of this Video

Indian Gamer Plays GTA IV for 40 Hours Straight; Sets World Record

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:23:00 -0700

Indian video game fan Chirantan Patnaik recently set the Guinness World Record for playing Grand Theft Auto IV for over 40 hours straight.

"I think staying away from coffee and eating dates during my game helped me to stay alert and fit," Patnaik said. I guess he was talking about "dates" the fruit, because a marathon video game player couldn't possibly be talking about the company of women.

Why am I telling you about a marginally difficult record in an older game during a play-session that took place in a faraway land? Because kids today are wimps, even in Mumbai.

Guinness rules stated that Patanik got a 10 minute break every hour, and he managed to go for 40 hours and change. Compare that achievement to the records set by marathon dancers of the 1920s. When the "walkathon" craze was at its peak in the 1920s and 30s, dancers remained on their feet, continuously moving, for thousands of hours... and they only got a ten minute break every hour. In 1930, Mike Ritof and Edith Boudreaux danced for 5,152 hours straight at a ballroom in Chicago. That's six months of continuous movement. At the end of it, they won $2,000. Ritof and Boudreaux would laugh at 40 hours sitting in a chair, playing a video game.

So, Chirantan Patnaik, call me back when you've played a video game for half a year straight, and then I'll be impressed. I think I could easily play a game for 40 hours. I've played games for 12 hours in a row without thinking about it. What about you? What's your longest gaming-time?

Source

GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony Nightlife Mini-Games Detailed

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 15:35:00 -0700

Rockstar Games is pulling out all the stops for Grand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony, the last installment in the Grand Theft Auto IV saga. As the latest trailer demonstrates, this action-packed episode is going to be big, bright and balls-through-the-wall nutty. The episode focuses heavily on Liberty City’s nightlife, as “Gay” Tony Prince is one of the city’s most famous (and now desperate) club owners. This means that players will be spending a lot of time at the three new clubs that will be available in the game: Bahama (how it's spelled in the game) Mamas, Maisonette 9 and Hercules.

In addition to just being cool places to hang out, there will be several mini-games and even a club management feature to keep you busy as well. You’ll be able to show off your moves on the dance floor, and as Rockstar explains, “The better your moves are, the more points you’ll score with the ladies.” Whether this will result in any horizontal dancing isn’t clear, but given the over-the-top tone of the game, I wouldn’t be surprised if it showed up in there somewhere (Luke Warm Coffee?)

You can also head over to Maisonette 9 and spray crowds with magnums of champagne before chugging the rest of the bottle, in a clearly responsible way, of course. Once you’ve had your fun, it’s time for business. One of Luis Lopez’s many hats is that of manager, which means you’ll be able to pick up shifts at Tony’s clubs and experience the thrills and spills of dealing with “club security and unruly club patrons, as well as tending to the many needs of the Liberty City party-going elite.” There aren't any details on how the management mode will playout gameplay-wise just yet, but I have a feeling that I’ll be doing drug runs and disposing of someone else’s dead hookers for a change.

GTA: The Ballad of Gay Tony is shaping up to be one hell of a wild and out of control ride. Oct. 29 needs to be here sooner.

Click through to see some new screens of Liberty City nightlife in action.

Source

Teen Lives Real-Life GTA Game

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 11:40:00 -0700

Washington teenager Colton Harris-Moore is living out a game of real-life Grand Theft Auto. Since his escape from a halfway house in 2007, the 18 year-old is suspected in about 50 burglary cases committed in a small island community outside of Seattle. His M.O. is to break into unoccupied houses, have a nap, steal some stuff and disappear into the woods. That's pretty small-time, sure, but recently, Harris-Moore has taken to stealing airplanes and boats.

The ne're-do-well boosts small planes from local airport hangars, joy-flies them for a bit, and crashes them into the woods. He has no flight training or experience. So far he's stolen three airplanes and commandeered two boats. Not bad for such a young guy! The picture to illustrate this story was reportedly taken by Colton with a stolen digital camera cops eventually found. How pimp is that?

Local police are at loose ends to deal with the guy: His crimes are apparently not serious enough to call for a massive manhunt and Harris-Moore seems very good at running and hiding, so he has thus far eluded 5-O. I'm guessing his wanted level in GTA is at about 3 stars, but heading rapidly towards 4. No one knows where he hides, but his mother believes he linked up with a group of other people who live in secret safe-houses with high-tech surveillance systems. I'm sure each safehouse features a save-point and a weapons cache.

Speaking of his mums, Pam Kohler, Harris-Moore's mother, told a reporter the following when asked about his son's plane-stealing habits: "I hope to hell he stole those airplanes — I would be so proud... But put in there that I want him to wear a parachute next time."

While glamorizing crime is pretty dumb and you should never, ever break the law, ever, it's hard not to pull for Harris -- as far as I know, he hasn't hurt anyone, and who doesn't daydream about the freedom that would come from living as a total outlaw? Local authorities are not amused, however. Island County Sheriff Mark Brown said, "He is an adult felon! I will not have him made into some kind of folk hero."

In spite of Sheriff Brown's wishes, Colton has become a folk hero. A facebook group highlights his outlaw antics, and locals even sell T-shirts emblazoned with his face and the legend "Momma Tried."

What do you think: Is Harris a hero or a jackass who got lucky?

Source

New Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City Trailer Has A Lot Going On

Wed, 7 Oct 2009 10:00:00 -0700

It's a no brainer that there's a lot going on in the streets and back alleys of Liberty City. But just how much have you yet to see in the upcoming Gay Tony expansion? Check out the latest trailer from Rockstar's package deal Grand Theft Auto: Episodes From Liberty City.

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony Achievements Revealed

Mon, 5 Oct 2009 10:25:00 -0700

Face it: you love reading achievement lists for games that aren't out yet. Don't lie. Now that we're on the same page, it's time to check out the achievement list for Grand Theft Auto IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony, which will be exclusively released as DLC for the Xbox 360 on October 29, 2009.

The content will drop with 10 new achievements for 250 total gamerscore bringing GTA IV's grand total up to 1500G.

I'm going to put them under the cut in case anyone is scared of spoilers.

TBoGT: Gone Down - 5

Complete all base jumps. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Diamonds Forever - 5

Complete the Trinity. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Four Play - 10

Hit a flag with a golf ball four times. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Bear Fight - 15

Win the L.C. Cage Fighters championship. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Catch the Bus - 15

Dance perfectly in both Tony's nightclubs. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Snow Queen - 20

Complete 25 drug wars. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Adrenaline Junkie - 25

Freefall for the longest possible time. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Maestro - 30

Finish the Ballad. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Past the Velvet Rope - 45

Score 80% or above in all missions. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

TBoGT: Gold Star - 80

Score 100% in all missions. (The Ballad of Gay Tony)

What does this list reveal? Base jumping, golfing, cage fighting, dancing, and drug wars! Are you downloading The Ballad of Gay Tony? This is a day-one download for me, for sure.

Source

Rockstar Reveals "Gay Tony" Vehicles

Fri, 2 Oct 2009 08:53:00 -0700

Watch Larger Version | Watch HD Version

Updated: Be sure to check out the new Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City trailer featuring Henrique Bardas and Amrando Torres: Life-long friends of protagonist Luis Lopez; and revisit old whiny arse Lost & Damned biker secretary Brian Jeremy.

I'm wild about Gay Tony and I'm not afraid to admit it. Rockstar's upcoming expansion to Grand Theft Auto IV comes out on October 29th, and if it's any near as expansive and great as the last piece of DLC (Lost and Damned), it'll be worth the price and then some.

Along with new characters and plot, Rockstar revealed last night that Gay Tony will feature a variety of new vehicles... including a tank and the return of the Faggio Scooter (of course).

Click the cut for the list of new rides and Rockstar's descriptions thereof:

Tanks

N.O.O.S.E: "Nothing says "I've made it in this town" a like a N.O.O.S.E armored personnel carrier, equipped with a 360-degree rotatable turret and explosive ordinance."

Air

Buzzard: "The ultimate party starter: light, maneuverable and armed with rockets and a high-caliber machine gun."
Swift: "The preferred method of transport for Liberty City high-fliers, the turbo-shaft powered Swift shuttles its precious cargo in speed and comfort."

Bikes

Faggio

Boats

Smuggler: "Initially famous for transporting high grade cocaine out of Latin America, the Smuggler's blistering speed and power are now used primarily to transport investment bankers and their trophy wives on day trips to Happiness Island."

Cars

Buffalo
Super Diamond
Serrano
APC
Bullet
F620: "A superfast luxury tourer in the European tradition, the F620 looks and feels as good on the open road as it does illegally parked outside known paparazzi haunts."
Caddy

Source

Xbox Deal of the Week: Grand Theft Auto's "The Lost And Damned"

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 10:18:00 -0700

This week's Xbox Live Deal of the Week might be the best one in the history of deals of the week: Microsoft is offering "The Lost and Damned" Grand Theft Auto IV expansion pack for only 1,200 Microsoft points (A/K/A 15 bucks.) It's available for one week, beginning today

In case you've been living under a rock since it was released in February, "The Lost And Damned" sets a new standard for DLC in games by offering a full, interesting plotline, and incredible value for your money. Seriously, this pack was well worth it at the original price of 1600 points ($20). Now that it's cheaper, you can't afford to not buy it. Many, many hours of play will be yours to behold for a very low price. (I'm going to stop now because I sound like an infomercial.)

The only issue with this deal is the fact that most people who are interested have already paid full price for this piece of content -- I think every GTA IV fan here at G4 has already finished with this one.

What do you think? Is "The Lost and Damned" the best piece of downloadable content ever, or is it over-hyped nonsense?

Source

Rockstar Announces New 'GTA IV' DLC: "The Ballad of Gay Tony"

Tue, 26 May 2009 13:20:00 -0700

Rockstar games has announced the next downloadable story for Grand Theft Auto IV. "The Ballad of Gay Tony" is for the Xbox 360 and will be released this fall for $19.99.

According to Rockstar, "The Ballad of Gay Tony" lays on the "glitz, guns and grime," as players will take on the role of Luis Lopez, hoodlum assistant to nightclub owner "Gay" Tony Prince. Plotwise, gamers will "struggle with the competing loyalties of family and friends, and with the uncertainty about who is real and who is fake in a world in which everyone has a price." Okay, that doesn't say much of anything about the plot, but I'm still sold. Rockstar secures their place in the pantheon of awesomeness with their decision to put "Gay" right in the title of DLC that is ostensibly geared toward "hardcore" gamers. Way to keep shaking things up, Rockstar!

That's not the only Rockstar news though: The company is releasing both pieces of DLC in fully independent disc form for the 360. Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City will contain "The Lost and Damned" and "The Ballad of Gay Tony" on one disc that does not require Grand Theft Auto IV to play.

"The Ballad of Gay Tony" will release on Xbox LIVE this fall for $19.99 or 1600 MS points.

Although no official details of the gameplay have been given, I'm fairly certain of one mission in the game. Look for the Luis Lopez version of the GTA IV and "Lost and Damned" mission "Museum Piece."

If you played either GTA IV or "Lost and Damned," you probably remember this mission. In it, Nico Bellic meets Johnny Klebitz, and the two are ambushed by Luis Lopez. So, through a series of machinations, coincidences and plot twists that span three games, Grand Theft Auto IV protagonist Nico Bellic, "Lost and Damned" hero Johnny Klebitz, and "Ballad of Gay Tony" main character Luis Lopez all end up in the same place at the same time, presumably allowing you to play that mission from three different points of view. That kind of complexity and attention to detail, my friends, is why Rockstar may be the greatest game company ever.

What do you think? Are you as excited for this DLC as I am?

Rockstar Games Teases Second 'Grand Theft Auto IV' DLC Via Twitter

Fri, 15 May 2009 09:56:00 -0700

Rockstar Games' Twitter page has teased information on the second set of downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV. The tweet stated:

"Details on 2nd episode of GTAIV downloadable content coming soon."

It's cool to see Rockstar using modern social-media tools to promote its goods, though it's hardly surprising, as it has always been one of the most forward-thinking companies in the business.

Are you anxious for more GTAIV DLC? What do you think of Rockstar's use of Twitter? A lot of you were coming down on the service yesterday, but don't you think it's interesting that companies are using it as a tool to connect with fans?

Source

'Grand Theft Auto IV' Habits Making 'Chinatown Wars' Really Annoying

Fri, 8 May 2009 10:18:00 -0700

I can't be alone on this one. 44 mission into Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars and I can't break old habits from dozens of hours with Grand Theft Auto IV. In GTA IV, players made Niko run by annoyingly tapping the X or A button, depending on your console. You don't have to do that in Chinatown Wars…but I do.

In Chinatown Wars, Rockstar Games wisely ditched the tapping requirement and only asks players to hold down the B button to run. If you run for more than a few seconds, however, your character runs out of breath -- but you can keep him sprinting by tapping B. Reasonable compromise, right?

Except Rockstar has already trained Grand Theft Auto players the other way around. My muscle memory keeps me tapping B like a maniac, even though my brain keeps shouting "you don't have to do that, idiot!" Hours later, my thumb's throbbing with pain and it's time for a break.

Like I said, though…44 missions in and I haven't broken the habit yet. Am I alone?

Is The 'GTA' Franchise Approaching Dark Times? Not Bloody Likely.

Tue, 5 May 2009 12:48:00 -0700

When it comes to the Grand Theft Auto franchise, success has never been an issue. The games fly off shelves and, basically, print money for Rockstar and Take Two. Just to toss a rough estimate your way for the sake of argument, 2008’s GTA IV has currently sold over 13 million copies. Given that GTA IV brought in around $500 million in its first week of sales (off around six million units sold), the fact that the game has now topped 13 million units sold, that means this single game has generated over a billion dollars in sales. However, not everyone is quite so doe eyed when it comes to the gaming juggernaut.

CNBC has an article running now that takes a look at GTA’s “slowing” success and attempts to figure out what might be causing it. The article sets its sights on the rather disappointing sales numbers of the GTA IV DLC The Lost and Damned and GTA: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS. No official numbers have been released for L&D, but CNBC claims that experts have predicted the number sits close to the million-unit mark.

CNBC rightly points out that this should be seen as a bit of a disappointment, especially given that Call of Duty 4’s Variety Map pack topped a million units sold in just over a week. Of course, with more downloadable episodes on the way for GTA IV on the Xbox 360, there’s no telling what kind of revenues the game will generate down the line.

I think the article’s major misstep is trying to use the poor sales of Chinatown Wars (and Lost and Damned to some extent) to represent a seismic shift in the overall gaming industry. We might be living in the golden age of casual gaming, but there are a lot of "hardcore" gamers who fall under the "casual" umbrella as well, meaning that the rise of one category doesn't mean a direct decline in the other.

And let's be honest. Regardless of the fact that Chinatown Wars is a fantastic game that offers tons of DS-specific ingenuity, no one should have expected it to be a financial powerhouse. If it helps you sleep at night, just think of it as a brilliant experiment on Rockstar’s part that didn’t sell well, due in large part to the fact that the majority of DS owners are children, (and politicians have repeatedly told us that Rockstar and kids do not mix).

Honestly though, Chinatown’s poor sales mean absolutely nothing in terms of the future success of the GTA brand. One of the major reasons Lost and Damned hasn’t been as financially impressive as Rockstar would have hoped is that a lot of gamers are immediately hesitant of $20 DLC. And even though the price/content ratio of L&D was impressive, a lot of gamers most likely thought about that $20 going towards some new game coming down the pipeline and held onto their money.

It’s not that gamers have been suddenly turned off by the franchise, or that the ubiquity of the Wii or casual gaming has morphed the sensibilities of GTA's loyal fanbase. These gamers have simply shown that they prefer the kind of gaming experience that only a brand new GTA game on a next-gen console can provide.

What do you think these poor sales numbers mean for GTA and Rockstar going forward?

Source

Ecstasy Tabs Found With Used 'Grand Theft Auto' Games

Wed, 8 Apr 2009 09:48:00 -0700

The father of a 12-year old boy purchased used copies of two Grand Theft Auto games for his son from a Gamestation shop. He was shocked to find ecstasy tablets in the manual. According to Telegraph UK:

"The father of a 12-year-old boy found four ecstasy tablets in the packaging of a second hand video game he bought for his son from a high street store. He bought two previously-owned Grand Theft Auto games from the shop on Sunday. After discovering the drugs he took them to a nearby police station."

Richard Thornhill, the father, was outraged:

"I have two children and my son plays Xbox all the time. He could easily have opened the box and found them. I dread to think what the consequences would have been if he had. He is only 12. He could have died."

It's certainly terrible that this happened and Gamestation should be chastised. However, a lot of people are going to miss a very obvious point. While Thornhill is justifiably angry with Gamestation, the fact remains that he purchased two Grand Theft Auto games for his 12-year old son. That's just bad parenting.

Source

'Lost and Damned' Brings In Over $18 Million

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:38:00 -0700

It seems that biker gangs still have their appeal in this day and age, because GTA IV's first piece of downloadable content, The Lost and Damned, has already raked in $18 million in online sales. Interestingly enough, retail stores are selling codes to download the episodic content. According to Jesse Divich at Electronic Entertainment Design and Research, the in-store sales for the TLatD in February are expected to be less than $3 million.

This is a 6-to-1 ratio between online purchases and retail sales which Divinich expects to increase moving forward.

Is digital distribution the delivery method of the future? Will we get entire games this way? As long as it gets me that sawed off shotgun, I'm in.

Source

'Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost And Damned' Shatters Xbox Live Records (Duh!)

Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:54:00 -0800

Microsoft is incredibly happy with itself for the Grand Theft Auto IV expansion The Lost and Damned. On its press site, the company proclaimed:

"Already owner of the biggest entertainment launch in history, the Grand Theft Auto IV franchise continues its rampage on the record books with the Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable episode, The Lost and Damned. The highest reviewed downloadable content ever fromRockstar Games eclipsed first-day revenue for all previous downloadable content on Xbox Live."

While I'm sure The Lost and Damned will continue to sell like flame-broiled Whoppers (I'm convinced that hotcakes no longer sell) and the review scores are commendable, Microsoft's celebration is a little misleading. Obviously, the expansion was going to shatter revenue records -- it's more expensive than most other content on Xbox Live (1,600 MS points). Given the popularity of GTAIV and the expensive price, it was easy to predict The Lost and Damn's financial success.

Out of curiosity, have any of you downloaded the expansion? What do you think so far?

Source

'Grand Theft Auto IV's' Motion Capture Studio Has "Done Sex"

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:46:00 -0800

Long Island Business News has posted a feature on Perspective Studios. While the name might not sound familiar to you, there's an excellent chance that you've seen Perspective's work. This is the company Rockstar Games used for motion capture in Grand Theft Auto IV. According to the LIBN, Perspective has an "exclusive contract with Rockstar Games." In addition to work on GTA IV, the company has worked on Manhunt 2, Uncharted and more.

With all the fornicating and prostitute beating that's possible in GTAIV, I'm sure many of you wonder what happens in Perspective's mo-cap sessions. To answer the burning question that's on everyone's mind, studio director Rich Nelson said:

"We’ve done sex. Simulated, of course."

I was looking for a *wink* *wink* or a *nudge* *nudge* in the article, but didn't see any. I guess what happens in a mo-cap session stays in a mo-cap session.

Source

Parent Group Gives 'GTA IV: Lost and Damned' a 4 out of 5!

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:59:00 -0800

The parent group Common Sense Media has reviewed Grand Theft Auto IV: Lost and Damned (X-Play Review: 5/5) in possibly the most well-informed review from a parent group that I've ever seen.

Also, their tagline is awesome: "Full-frontal male nudity shocks in hefty expansion with mature themes."

Apart from that, the review admits that the game is good and worth checking out if you're old enough to play mature games. Despite the reviewer's recommendation that the game "should be kept away -- far away -- from children," you can tell that he actually played the game and put some thought into his review.

I wish all of the reviews out of outlets like this were as informed and honest. Most of them tend to only focus on what they don't approve of and show extremely limited knowledge about the game. But then again, the purpose of those reviews is to shock and scare... not inform.

Looking at the author's other reviews, I can quickly see that he isn't giving bad scores to mature games just because they are mature.

Kudos to you, Common Sense Media.

Source (via Kotaku)

'GTA IV: The Lost and Damned' Features Full-Frontal Male Nudity

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 15:20:00 -0800

Joey, do you like movies about gladiators?

It appears that one of the cinematics in the new Grand Theft Auto IV expansion pack, The Lost and Damned, features a little surprise -- a penis shaped surprise.

Considering that Rockstar is infamous for their shock-and-awe style of video game development -- especially in the Grand Theft Auto franchise (Hot Coffee anyone? Delicious!) -- the gratuitous inclusion of the manhammer is not completely out of the blue.

However, you're probably wondering how they managed to slip in a little wee-wee. Apparently, the cash and prizes appears in a scene where its main character, Johnny Klebbitz goes to see Congressman Thomas Stubbs who is getting a "massage" at a private gentleman's club. When the two enter the steam room to talk privately, Stubbs gets comfortable and shows his flaccid baby poker.

My, my, my...how the tables have turned! For years, we girls have been forced to consume endless bouncy polygons, carefully and lovingly crafted by animators into the shape of female chesticles. All of a sudden, a little virtual man log is put out into the world and everyone's got their controllers in a bunch.

Well, I say, "Good show!" I can't wait for my dose of computer generated boy parts! As a salute to feminism and the new order, I really don't think Rockstar should stop here. I smell a video game revolution on the horizon. Now, I want to see dong in Table Tennis darn it!

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