grand-theft-auto posts (Subscribe to this feed)

Analyst: 2 more GTA IV episodes on the way, GTA V by fiscal 2011

by Andrew Yoon { Jul 3rd 2009 at 12:30PM }

Do you want more Grand Theft Auto? Well, that's what Todd Mitchell, analyst for Kaufman Bros. Equity Research wants. Nay, expects! Speaking to GI.biz, Mitchell stated that he's anticipating two more downloadable GTA IV episodes to launch after The Ballad of Gay Tony. "It's been indicated to me that would be the case," he said. Additionally, with Microsoft's exclusivity deal covering only two episodes, these DLC add-ons may also appear on PS3.

In addition to new GTA IV episodes, the analyst believes GTA V will debut some time in the 2011 fiscal year. The only reason it wasn't announced or teased in any way during E3, he believes, is "Rockstar's track record with delivering on time."

The most curious of statements Mitchell made was regarding the possibility of a new Grand Theft Auto hitting the PlayStation 2 system. No, you read that right. He believes a PS2 port of the PSP port of the formerly DS-exclusive Chinatown Wars may hit the aging Sony system, although he admits he's not too "confident" about that prediction. Pachter, eat your heart out.

Jack Thompson talks violence, polio with Penn and Teller

by Justin McElroy { Jun 23rd 2009 at 5:30PM }

You don't need another reason to watch Penn & Teller: Bullshit -- its regular skewering of nut jobs is more than enough to warrant your half hour -- but we've got one for you. Our buddy, Jack Thompson, will appear on the show's seventh season, as you can see in the promo after the break.

As you probably guessed, Thompson will be discussing the therapeutic powers of crystal manipulation and -- oh, sorry, wrong episode. No, he'll talk about how bad Grand Theft Auto is and we'll make fun of him for it. Because that's the way it works.

[Via Gay Gamer]

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Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars breaking out on PSP this fall

by Jem Alexander { Jun 22nd 2009 at 8:33AM }

Rockstar has announced that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, the latest portable offering in the open-ended crime series, will be making the jump from DS to PSP. The game will be available in both UMD and digital download format when it's released in the US and Europe this autumn. Featuring enhanced widescreen graphics, improved lighting and animation and additional story missions, this version of Chinatown Wars "will take full advantage of the power of the PSP system."

No new assets have been released for the PSP version -- in fact, the official website still says it's exclusive to the DS -- but we should see more of this new addition to the ever-growing 2009 PSP lineup soon. See the PSP box art, after the break.

Gallery: GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS)

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Sony introduces Rockstar's Agent as a PS3 exclusive

by Mike Schramm { Jun 2nd 2009 at 3:20PM }

Sony has landed a big Rockstar exclusive -- they have just announced that the Grand Theft Auto developer is bringing a new IP called Agent to the PS3. Details are still as shrouded in secrecy like so many spies, but we're told the game "will take the player across the globe" to participate in various spy-related activities.

Sony says they expect Agent to have the same effect on their platform as the original GTA3 exclusive did with the PS2, but we'll have to see. They didn't show gameplay or even a cinematic at the press conference, so even though the prospect of a Rockstar-developed PS3 exclusive sounds enticing, we'll probably have to wait quite a while for more.

GTA: Chinatown Wars jacks more wallets, sells 74K in April

by David Hinkle { May 18th 2009 at 11:31AM }

In its first month of release, GTA: Chinatown Wars managed to only sell 89,000 copies in the US, according to the NPD. Now that the figures for April have come in, Gamasutra reports the game has managed to sell another 74,000 copies. Mind you, we're no mathematicians (well, not all of us), but by our calculations, that means GTA: Chinatown Wars has managed to sell a total of 163,000 copies in the US so far, which is a lot lower than what most analysts predicted the game would sell in its first month.

We guess that South Park bump didn't do the game much good ...

CNBC ponders a Grand Theft Auto slowdown

by Justin McElroy { May 4th 2009 at 8:15PM }

CNBC is wondering if slow sales for The Lost and the Damned and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars are pointing to an overall slowdown for the series. The site points to analysts' estimates that only 1 million of those 13 million who bought GTA IV picked up the first DLC for the game, and to the crummy 89,000 units the DS title moved in March.

We're not sure we're on board with CNBC's theory just yet, though. The market for GTA IV's DLC was already split because of its 360 exclusivity and Chinatown Wars is a hardcore game on what's largely thought of as a casual system. What do you think?

GTA: Chinatown Wars sells 89K units in March

by Alexander Sliwinski { Apr 16th 2009 at 9:30PM }

Proving the analysts wrong, GTA: Chinatown Wars launched far below their prognostications in March with a mere 89,000 units sold, NPD has confirmed to Joystiq. The game was expected to show that a high-profile M-rated franchise like GTA could perform well on Nintendo's handheld. With a mere 0.3% of the 29.3 million DS units sold in the US rocking the crime drama, that could be interpreted as not being a good sign for more big M-rated titles on the system.

Despite incredibly solid reviews, it appears that Chinatown Wars has quite the hill to climb towards analyst projections. Perhaps only having a half-month of sales is the issue, with the crime caper releasing March 17 ... maybe next month will be kinder.

April Fools: Jack Thompson wants government to legalize gamer murder

by Justin McElroy { Apr 1st 2009 at 2:50PM }

You may think he's a stick in the mud, but Jack Thompson does have a sense of humor. Want proof? Hot on the news of a slaying that may be connected to GTA, JT wrote us to say: "This is a switch, as it is typically the chronic players of these murder simulators that kill people - lots of people. In light of this new and welcome development, Miami anti-violent video game activist today puts forth a modest proposal to curtail sales of the Grand Theft Auto video games: Anyone who shoots and kills a player of the Grand Theft Auto video games gets a) a full pardon and b) a $5000 federal income tax credit because of the killer's successful efforts to reduce pollution."

A hilarious call for mass murder in the wake of an actual tragedy and a classic literature reference? Be still our hearts.

Grand Theft Auto habit contributes to partner's murder

by Justin McElroy { Apr 1st 2009 at 9:20AM }

It's a known, scientific fact that Grand Theft Auto and other violent video games turn players into killers. But, apparently, its influence is so vile, it can even effect those that have to watch someone play. The Telegraph reports that after retired airport worker Malcom Palmer's partner repeatedly threw him out of the bedroom -- so she could play more Grand Theft Auto -- he stabbed Carol Cannom, the mother of his children, to death.

Since the mainstream media isn't great with specifics when it comes to writing about video games, we don't know which PlayStation she was using, or which GTA she was playing. But it sounds like GTA might not have been the only problem in this relationship. For example: Though the PlayStation takes The Telegraph's headline heat, the story mentions "Palmer had also become convinced that she was having an affair, and went into a violent rage when she told him she wanted him to move out in November last year, threatening that he would never get to see their children again."

... So, yeah. It's either that, or the PlayStation.

[Via GP]

Metareview -- Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

by JC Fletcher { Mar 17th 2009 at 6:00PM }

As of right now, according to aggregate Metacritic scores, Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is the best game on the Nintendo DS. There are currently four 100-percent review scores on the list. It looks like Rockstar may have done the right thing by treating this as a real game and not just simply outsourcing a cheap spinoff. After all, it's one of the most popular game series ever, on what is by far the most popular platform this generation. There is a bit of sales potential here. We'll include just one of the 100s here, from Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell.

Eurogamer (10/10): "Those hoping for another gritty, complex narrative spine bound in the flesh of an openworld action-adventure may be disappointed by the rather more frivolous and silly antics of the Chinatown Wars cast, but even cynics should be converted by the huge, densely packed action playground we've been given instead."
IGN (95/100): "Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is tried-and-true GTA design. Rockstar Leeds took nearly every aspect of the console design and jammed it into a Nintendo DS cartridge, tweaking the presentation to fit the restrictions and limitations of the Nintendo hardware."
1UP (A-): "In bringing GTA to the DS, Rockstar Leeds makes an installment that's less about exploration and more about the actual, structured game that's underneath. On the surface, it's not so different: pull up to a location, get a new mission, and do the job (be it shooting down some rival gang members, following someone to a secret spot, or just racing cars for respect). And it helps that missions in GTA games have always been generally bite-size, so it translates well to Chinatown Wars -- pick the game up, clear a few missions, then come back to it later."
GameSpy (4.5/5): "When we think of GTA, we think of blockbusters built to massive specifications. Chinatown Wars proves that much of the stuff that really draws us to these games can be realized without expending millions of dollars and man-hours."

Gallery: GTA: Chinatown Wars (DS)

No, really? Analyst believes GTA: Chinatown Wars will move 2M in US

by Randy Nelson { Mar 17th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Get this: Cowen and Company, a bunch of folks in suits who get paid a lot of money, are predicting that gaming's best-selling franchise -- Grand Theft Auto -- is going to sell really well on the industry's best-selling platform, Nintendo DS. According to GamesIndustry.biz, the aforementioned MBAs believe GTA: Chinatown Wars will sell two million copies in the US. Only two million?

Doug Creutz, an analyst at the firm, is quoted as saying, "Although the handheld platform has a younger-skewing installed base, we believe many core gamers own the DS." Hmm. We see, please continue. "The strong critical rating will likely increase the game's chances of becoming a commercial hit." So, good scores equal good sales? Not always the case.

We'd like to take a moment to go as far out on the limb as Cowen and make a few crazy predictions of our own. No. 1: In 10 years, people will still need water. No. 2: Parachute pants will never come back into style. No. 3: We'll never make as much as these analysts do for our predictions.

DS Lite gets gangsta-fied for GTA: Chinatown Wars release

by David Hinkle { Mar 17th 2009 at 3:00PM }

As part of the push to promote GTA: Chinatown Wars, the Nintendo World Store had a custom DS Lite on display for those who bothered to show up for the game's midnight release Monday night, which you can see via this flickr stream. While we'll admit that the combination of almost-black blue and fire truck red aren't the most pleasing from a visual standpoint, we definitely wouldn't mind snagging some of those awesome little GTA figurines next to it.

What do you think? Yay or nay on this DS?

Gallery: The best (and worst) handheld mods

[Via Tiny Cartridge]

Take-Two stock jumps up 10% following earnings report

by David Hinkle { Mar 13th 2009 at 4:47PM }

Take-Two recently dished out deets concerning how much of the coveted moneyz the company made and how much of that was attributed to car theft. Following that, the company's stock started to get a spring in its step, rising 10% yesterday. With the company reporting a $50 million loss, seeing such a sharp climb is surprising, to say the least.

Take-Two's next game, GTA: Chinatown Wars, is due for release on March 17.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars launch party at Nintendo World Store (plus: new trailer)

by Andrew Yoon { Mar 12th 2009 at 6:45PM }

Imagine: a world of Nintendo products -- a Nintendo World if you will. New York's Nintendo HQ is playing host to yet another launch event. Although the venue may be the same, the atmosphere will stray far from the norm. The M-rated Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars deserves its own mature-themed party.

DJ OhNo will be on hand providing music throughout the night in an event "all fans ages 17 and up" are invited to. The first 25 fans that purchase the game will be given a chance to get some exclusive, limited edition swag, such as GTA Kubrick sets. A limited edition customized Chinatown Wars DS Lite system will be on display, and "even more surprises" are being planned for the evening's festivities.

The event takes place the evening of March 16th, from 11:59PM to 2AM. Let us know if you can make it. For those of you outside of NYC, take this new trailer (after the break) as a consolation prize.

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Take-Two profits up slightly in Q109, GTA accounts for 40% of revenue

by Randy Nelson { Mar 10th 2009 at 6:00PM }

Take-Two Interactive today announced its financial results for Q1 2009, ended January 31. The company's Q1 net revenue was $256.8 million, up a modest $16.4M over Q108's $240.4M. Its net loss for the quarter was $50.4 million, $12.4M worse than Q108's $38M.

Sales of the Grand Theft Auto franchise accounted for $60 million (40%) of Take-Two's Q1 revenue, although the company declined to break this number down by title -- specifically with regards to revenue from The Lost and Damned -- during an investor call. Other titles cited as Q1 bread-winners were Wii's Carnival Games, along with Midnight Club: Los Angeles and NBA 2K9. Key titles noted for FY09 include Red Dead Redemption and the second Xbox 360 exclusive DLC episode for Grand Theft Auto IV.

In an official statement issued to investors, Take-Two chairman, Strauss Zelnick, said, "Looking to the balance of the year, the economy remains challenging and uncertain, and our industry will not be immune to this environment. Consumers will continue to be highly selective in their purchases, including interactive entertainment," adding, "We need to deliver innovative, exceptionally compelling products to compete for this more limited consumer spending, and we are confident in our ability to do so."