All Points Bulletin: GTA, the MMO

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As a game, Grand Theft Auto 4 was nothing exceptional. It was thoroughly enjoyable, but nothing about it was particularly revolutionary. Save, of course, for the city itself. Liberty City in GTA4 felt more alive and real than any locale in any video game I've ever seen. If someone could take a beautifully scripted and programmed city like that and make it into a persistent online world, they'd have something spectacular on their hands.

That's what makes upcoming game All Points Bulletin so exciting. Developer Realtime Worlds bills it as basically Grand Theft Auto: the MMORPG. Imagine taking 10,000 people, splitting them into 100 person districts, dividing them between cops and robbers, and letting them loose in a realistic city with enough firepower to run a third world insurgency. That's the allure of APB.

Posted on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 09:30:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

GTA: Online At E3?

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Everyone whose played Grand Theft Auto 3 or 4 has said the same thing to themselves, "This would make an awesome online game!" For years the dream of a GTA MMO has been a flight of idle fancy.

But now, everyone who ever wanted to ransack a persistent city online with a bunch of their friends is about to see their dreams come true. APB, billed as a massive-multiplayer cops-and-robbers game, is coming to E3 next month. I know what you're saying; APB isn't Grand Theft Auto. That's true, but both games share the same father.

Posted on Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 CDT | by Robert Evans

GTA IV: The Lost and Damned Available for Xbox 360

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Rock Star has announced that the first expansion pack for GTA IV is now available exclusively on the Xbox 360. The expansion pack sells for 1600MS point or $19.99. Players can also buy download cards for the expansion at select retailers that can be redeemed on Xbox Live.

The expansion adds new narrative to the game that goes along side the original story line and introduces a new player character names Johnny Klebitz. Klebitz is the VP of The Lost motorcycle club. The story centers on the release of the club president from rehab and a feud with a rival gang. Read more

Posted on Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

GTA IV Now Available for PC

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Rockstar Games has announced that the wildly popular Grand Theft Auto IV is now available on the PC. The game was first launched on the Xbox 360 and the PS3 gaming systems. The game can be purchased in stores and via digital download on Steam.

The PC version of the game was developed by Rockstar Toronto in conjunction with Rockstar North and offers new features not found on the console versions of the game. One of the biggest new things in the game is a 32-player multiplayer map; the largest multi-player map on the console game is 16 players. The PC version also includes a video editor tool to capture and edit in game video. Also added is a new Independence FM Radio station that lets players add their own music to the game sound track. Read more

Posted on Wed, 3 Dec 2008 09:00:00 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Rockstar Announces First Downloadable GTA IV Content

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Rockstar has announced that het first downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV will be coming exclusive to the Xbox LIVE Network on February 17, 2009. The first DLC pack will be called The Lost and Damned.

This is the first of two DLC packs that will be coming to the Xbox exclusively. The Lost and Damned features a new main character and plot that intersects with the storyline of GTA IV. New missions are available and players get a fresh way to explore the city and new multiplayer modes. Other net items include vehicles, weapons, and new music. Read more

Posted on Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:01:50 CST | by Shane McGlaun

Rockstar and Microsoft Announce GTA IV Xbox Live Weekend

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Microsoft and Rockstar Games have announced the Grand Theft Auto Live Weekend exclusively for the Xbox console. The event will start on Friday September 26th and run through Sunday 28th and is open to all XBOX Gold members.

The contest will include prizes and players can win entry into the grand prize drawing. The grand prize is an Xbox 360 Elite, 12-month Xbox Live Gold subscription and 4000 Microsoft points. Players will be able to play against other players and the GTA IV development team. Read more

Posted on Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:00:00 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

Rockstar Brings GTA: Chinatown Wars to Nintendo DS

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Love it or hate it there is no denying that Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto is one of the biggest franchises in all of gaming. Rockstar announced a new GTA title that will be coming exclusively to the Nintendo DS this winter called Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars.

Rockstar says that the game is an entirely original game in the GTA series and adds new interactivity and large environments that are open. Using the DS touchscreen players will navigate through streets and uncover the truth behind the tale of crime and corruption inside the Triad crime syndicate. Read more

Posted on Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:45:08 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

GTA4 and Wii responsible for 47% U.S. Game Sales Jump in April

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Market research firm NPD reported that U.S. sales of video game hardware and software rose 47% from a year earlier, mostly attributed to Take-Two Interactive Software Inc's Grand Theft Auto 4 and Nintendo Wii console.

The popularity of GTA IV did not boost sales of Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 consoles. Actually sales numbers fell sharply from the previous month. Read more

Posted on Fri, 16 May 2008 00:53:28 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Mario Kart Wii outsells GTA IV on Amazon

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GTA IV set world records in sales, but on Amazon's video game bestseller list, a little plumber called Mario and his kart are in the pole position.

Even the Wii Wheel accessory outsells GTA IV. The 3rd spot on the Video game bestseller list is held by GTA IV for Xbox 360 followed by GTA IV for the Sony PS3. Read more

Posted on Wed, 14 May 2008 09:24:18 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

GTA IV PS3 Fix through new PS3 Firmware

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For some Sony PS3 owners GTA IV freezes on them. Apparently only early PS3 consoles are prone to the issue.

Sony is now apparently fixing the issue with a new PS3 firmware update. Read more

Posted on Wed, 14 May 2008 06:29:08 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Weekly Top 10: HTC Touch Diamond, GTA IV burns, Live TV on iPhone

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The Microsoft Yahoo take-over topic got finally closed this week. Grand Thef Auto IV for Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 makes $500 million in sales the first week. This is more than Hollywood blockbusters are making. Steven Spielberg is already on the case and released his first video game on the Nintendo Wii.
Last but not least HTC tries to pull our eyes away from the iPhone wit the new HTC Touch Diamond. Read more

Posted on Sun, 11 May 2008 10:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

GTA IV Easter Eggs

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Grand Theft Auto IV is a vast game with tons of things to explore. The Rockstar team also has hidden many Easter Eggs that real GTA IV fans are eager to find. IGN published a video that shows a couple of these Easter eggs.

One of them is that the face of the Liberty statue has the face of a certain former first lady. Other hidden secrets give the main character different outfits. Several Easter Eggs pay tribute to former GTA releases. Read more

Posted on Sat, 10 May 2008 01:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Xbox 360 scores 60% of GTA IV Sales

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As reported Rockstar landed a major sales record with Grand Theft Auto IV with $500 million in sales the first week. From the 6 million GTA IV copies sold apparently 60% are for the Xbox 360 console.

Microsoft's GameScoreBlog published retailer statistics that also show a strong sales increase in Xbox 360 console sales. Xbox 360 sales increased by 54% in the week of the GTA IV launch compared to the previous week. Read more

Posted on Fri, 9 May 2008 01:02:38 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

GTA IV Review

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OCModShop published a review of the Grand Theft Auto IV video game.

Quote from the review: "Rockstar has attempted to pacify us with other crappy Grand Theft Auto games while waiting for this edition, but those games simply pass the time. Prepare to be engaged, disgusted, amazed, and best of all stimulated Read more

Posted on Fri, 2 May 2008 06:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

GTA IV makes fun of Apple iPhone

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They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery - Parody is also usually good news. Grand Theft Auto IV makes fun of Apple a bit and the Apple iPhone inside the game.

Screenshots of the Apple Easter egg appeared on flickr uploaded by Dylan Unutmaz. Read more

Posted on Thu, 1 May 2008 23:28:08 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

GTA IV Video Review

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The long awaited Grand Theft Auto IV will start shipping tomorrow April 29th. GameTrailers has a great indepth video review of GTA IV that paints a great picture of the new GTA installment.

The video shows all the new aspects of GTA IV. It shows the new aspects of single play, but also the very interesting new multi-player mode found the first time in a GTA game. Read more

Posted on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 23:39:46 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Game Crazy Limited Edition GTA IV Xbox 360 Faceplate

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Some reports already say that GTA IV will sell in the area of $400 million in the first week it is launched. If it can match these predictions it would outsell Halo 3 and swipe the title of biggest video game launch ever from Halo 3.

With such a huge launch expected GTA IV themed accessories are already popping up. Game Crazy has an exclusive GTA IV faceplate for Xbox 360 that it will sell at launch events in ten markets for the game. Ten Game Crazy stores across the U.S. will hold special GTA IV events to give access to the game and the chance to buy the limited edition faceplate. Read more

Posted on Mon, 21 Apr 2008 09:59:49 CDT | by Shane McGlaun

GTA Guys Get Grand Jury Subpoenas

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Late on Monday, Take-Two, the company behind the infamous Grand Theft Auto series, let the public know that they had been subpoenaed, big time. The Manhattan grand jury has launched a probe into multiple facets of the company, most notably the "Hot Coffee" mod, which some have referred to as the biggest scandal in the history of digital entertainment.

Take-Two reportedly received the subpoenas on June 19 and it calls for internal documents from the company for events dating back as far as 2001. Also under fire is their accounting and audit practices, and their honesty (or lack thereof) with shareholders. Read more

Posted on Tue, 27 Jun 2006 02:00:00 CDT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Sony PSP Homebrew: Tetris for Firmware 2.5 via GTA Hack

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Sony PSP Homebrew coder Fanjita released a Tetris game that can be loaded onto Sony PSP with Firmware 2.5 (2.6 is in the works).

The Tetris game demonstrate the Grand Theft Auto savegame exploit we reported a while ago.
So looks like the GTA exploit is poised to become a new major avenue to run homebrew code on the PSP. Read more

Posted on Tue, 10 Jan 2006 02:24:19 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

Interview with Sony PSP Homebrew GTA Hack Coder Fanjita

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There is a new Sony PSP homebrew code loader through the GTA game save function as we reported a week ago.
PSP Emulation has published an interview with Fanjita, the programmer behind this Sony PSP hack.
Surprising facts from the interview: Sony PSP homebrew coders can be married and have a day-time job.
Quote from the interview:
Q: "What are you currently working on. Anything you care to mention or hint to?"

A: "Right now it's all about fully-exploiting the GTA exploit, so that proper homebrew can be brought to the v2.01 and v2.5 users. I'm hoping to be able to release that as a little Xmas gift, but time is getting a little short now :)
I tried a downgrader, but had to give up because it doesn't seem possible with this exploit. v2.6 will also be difficult, because the security is getting tighter and tighter, and extracting the info we need to use 2.6 properly is currently very hard."
Read the full interview. Read more

Posted on Wed, 21 Dec 2005 01:37:37 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr

New Sony PSP Homebrew Hack through GTA Game

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A Sony PSP homebrew activist named Fanjita published a Hello World app that runs through the game save function of Grand Theft Auto (GTA).

This homebrew hack is independent of the Firmware installed on the Sony PSP. Earlier homebrew loaders are firmware specific. Only time will tell, if this newly found glitch in GTA is a fruitful avenue for Sony PSP homebrew code. Read more

Posted on Mon, 12 Dec 2005 08:34:49 CST | by Luigi Lugmayr