Grand Theft Auto IV controversial release expected to break records (GTA IV Roundup)

myfoxgulfcoast.com ^ | April 28, 2008 | Matt Barrentine

[Berlin_Freeper]

A controversial video game is poised to break sales records. Grand Theft Auto IV comes out tonight at midnight and many stores are staying open to sell it.

Just like a blockbuster movie, the newest release in the Grand Theft Auto series has action packed trailers. But unlike most movies, this game is projected to have opening week sales of more than $400 million.

That would give Grand Theft Auto Four the biggest opening of any game…or any movie. Vince Griffin was reserving his copy and he said, “It is amazing, but it's no surprise. You got to realize how many people actually like that type of video game."

It's the type of game that's notoriously violent. Grand Theft Auto brings together a slick storyline with missions that often lead to homicide. The popularity of this series has gone hand in hand with controversy. If you Google "grand theft auto violence" you'll get more than four hundred thousand hits. And you can bet with this latest installment there'll be more.

Jan McCormick says Grand Theft Auto Four is not the type of game she would want her kids to play. “If they do watch a lot of that it does cause violent behavior or it could lead to that."

[Berlin_Freeper]

Blood and ultra-violence, you can almost hear the stampede...

Grand Theft Auto steals show with midnight run Hundreds of Irish gamers will be queuing outside several GameStop outlets at midnight tonight with visions of car-jacking and drive-bys dancing in their heads, as the long awaited Grand Theft Auto follow-up goes on sale.

Future Shop Advises Customers that Some Quebec Locations Are Affected by Delayed Stock of PlayStation 3 Regular Edition Grand Theft Auto IV Stock is anticipated to arrive throughout the day on April 29th. All customers who come in store for the 8 AM opening will receive a $10 voucher off the purchase of PS3 Regular Edition Grand Theft Auto IV.

Prototype to be edited for Australia Apparantly Radical Entertainment has already toned down ragdoll physics on dead bodies, levels of blood and dismemberment and also has a "long list" of changes and tweaks to be implemented. This is the first we've heard about Prototype being cut. PALGN contacted local publisher Vivendi for comment, but we haven't heard back yet. We'll let you know when we do.

GTA IV Officially Released! We have all waited for what has felt like an eternity for this moment, and now it has finally come! Grand Theft Auto IV is officially out here on the East Coast, and the rest of the nation is only hours away from finally getting their hands on this most coveted title. When you are not too busy playing, be sure to check back here throughout the day for all of the Rotpod style GTA goodness that we will be churning out, and don’t forget to eat or sleep once in a while either. We know it can be hard to remember sometimes…

BUSINESS: Small retailers left out on big night While some video game players waited in long lines Monday night to get their first crack at Grand Theft Auto IV, local independent video game shops were out in a different kind of cold.

With demand for the game so high that players have been signing up for months at locations like Best Buy and GameStop to reserve a copy, smaller retailers found it hard to get their hands on the game in time for opening night. Kevin McMullen, owner of Kenmore’s Oogie Games, 2809 Delaware Ave., said he’s expecting his first shipment of GTA IV later today or Wednesday.

“With a smaller video game store, it can take a couple days to get a new release,” McMullen said. “Our wholesaler doesn’t get this kind of stuff until its release date, then it has to get to us.”

Today’s release of ‘Grand Theft Auto IV’ could be biggest ever Hold on to your Glock, another violent video game is poised to blast its way into the record books.

In fact, some analysts are predicting that today’s debut of “Grand Theft Auto IV” for Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 could be the most lucrative launch in entertainment history.

As in bigger than “Spider-Man 3.” Bigger than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Bigger, even, than the ballyhooed launch of “Halo 3” last fall.

Some believe that by year’s end, the Mature-rated “GTA IV” will gross nearly $800 million — almost twice the amount of last year’s highest grossing movie, the third “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

[miliantnutcase]

Woohoo! I wish I had a 360 now... :(

[Does so]

I've only seen a ten-second piece of GTA. (At Wal-Mart). That glimpse contained no guns nor violence, but I'm convinced that GTA is definitely not for children.

[dayglored]

> I'm convinced that GTA is definitely not for children.

Ummm, that would be, ummm, correct.

It's a violent video game about committing crimes. D'oh!

[JillValentine]

Funny GTA reference (warning, bad language & violence)

[dayglored]

Just as porn drove the technological advances of the 90's, and forced the adoption and spread of broadband (prior to YouTube), the video games have driven the technological advances of this decade.

I'm not a gamer, but I appreciate all the cool things that have come from the vidgames. Pretty awesome stuff.

OTOH, my daughter is an ace marksman with a REAL gun, and knows how to operate it safely, and knows the law. I'd rather she play with REAL guns, used safely and legally, than with video guns, used unsafely and illegally.

But to each, their own.

[Gondring]

Great GTA parody skit

[Nathan Zachary]

"but I'm convinced that GTA is definitely not for children."

That's what that "R" rating means. Of course it is full of violence. it's a shooting/driving/ break the law/ kill people game.

If it comes out for PS2, I'll buy it. It's part of the GTA collection after all. :o)

No SANE person would be tempted to go shoot people up after playing it, and if they did, there was something else wrong with the person due to their upbringing that twisted his mind.

I guess they better ban the Iron man movie too, kids are going to build metal suits and jump off buildings thinking they can fly.

[Caipirabob]

I've got it on reserve with a deposit, but I'm really not interested in waiting in line for it. Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow. The games are very cool these days, but man, what happened to my time?!? Can hardly find enough to play them.

Actually, the last one I played in full enough to be completely blown away was "Stalker:Shadow of Chernobyl".

That was somehow even more impressive than Half Life I & II. It's sci-fi based on the book "Roadside Picnic" by Russian Author Strugatsky. Then there was a movie called "Stalker" released based on the book. The game combines elements from both with "the Zone" surrounding the Chernobyl disaster.

Best game I've ever played, period. I'll buy the sequel when it comes out.

"Welcome to lovely Pripyap, Stalker- try the borscht! Please don't feed the snorks..."

"So...you want me to go...there...And no one's come back? I see..."

[NY.SS-Bar9]

My vote is for: COD4MW

[RU88]

By far the best first person shooter game to date. I'll be at the store this morning for my pre-ordered copy of GTA4. Anyone who has played games for a while knows the significance of the GTA series. It's the grand daddy of them all. The graphics on an HDTV with the next generation boxes, ie xbox 360 and ps3, are amazing. I can only imagine that it's only going to get better from here as game developers start to fully utilize the capabilities of the boxes.

[NY.SS-Bar9]

I have been unimpressed with console graphics. IMHO a PC with a decent video card and monitor provides more detail, better resolution and a more immersive experience.

Besides - a keyboard and mouse are second nature to me now - stick a console controller in my hands and I am lost.

[Obadiah]

That was somehow even more impressive than Half Life I & II.

Stalker:Shadow of Chernobyl, huh? Thanks for the tip! I loved HL 1 & 2 and I'm now finishing up Crysis. I was going to get Rainbow 6: Vegas II, but maybe I'll check out Stalker.

[Obadiah]

I have both and I totally agree with you.

[Moose4]

I don’t even own a console, but I’m an avid PC gamer. When my stimulus payment comes in this or next week, I’ll be ordering the parts to build a new gaming PC to replace my five-year-old Athlon. I’m really looking forward to finally being able to run Microsoft Flight Simulator, World of Warcraft, and some of the other stuff I’ve got in tasty 1680x1050 widescreen goodness and high framerates.

Is GTA4 even coming out for the PC?

}:-)4

[wizr]

Opie (Ron Howard) made the original movie. I wonder if he gets, or how much he gets, from this game of the same name.

[Darren McCarty]

If I ever pick up a PS3, I'll get this game. GTA:San Andreas and Vice City are two of the best games created. Good story, good action, good acting (Ray Liotta in Vice City, Samuel L Jackson and Chris Penn as villans in San Andreas) good play control, good parodies, and just fun games.

"Nothing brings down real estate prices like a good old fashioned gang war." - Burt Reynolds as a developer in Vice City
"What kind of license you got, a fishing license" - CJ to bad drivers in crashes.
"Dumb Florida Moron" - Tommy Vercetti (Ray Liotta)

"If you're listening to this station and you haven't made a donation, then you are a thief." - Public Radio Station

Tommy Vercetti - Just think of this as socialism in action. (stealing a car)

Ken Rosenberg: Hey Tommy, I got you that chalkboard you wanted. Tommy Vercetti: Ah, the benefits of a law school education: the ability to follow instructions.

Tommy Vercetti: Vance? Your name's Lance Vance?

Tommy Vercetti: Never forget the Second Amendment, a**hole!

Carl Johnson: Can you shoot? The Truth: Shoot? I'm a hippie. The only thing I've shot is acid. I heard of a dude snorted it once. Thought his nose was a kangaroo and the moon was a dog! WOOH!

CJ - Are you a professional moron or just a gifted amateur!

[Caipirabob]

Well, I did pick it up today. Only 3 people there. Some of my buddies got their copy as well, one just walked in and got one with no deposit. They had plenty of copies. Glad to not be part of a "rush" - LOL!

I still heartily recommend "Stalker: Shadow of Chernobyl" over my first 15 minutes of GTA IV. Don't take that the wrong way. I love GTA, totally different kind of game there.

I'm including a link to a pdf of the Russian book "Roadside Picnic" that starts off the "Stalker" sci-fi theme. It's translated to English, but poorly. Still a good read. Russian Sci-Fi is more centralized on the impact of technology on the character's development, not the technology itself. That's background stuff.

Still very, very cool. Enjoy...

"Roadside Picnic - Arkady and Boris Strugatsky"

[joebuck]

"Stalker:Shadow of Chernobyl, huh? Thanks for the tip! I loved HL 1 & 2 and I'm now finishing up Crysis. I was going to get Rainbow 6: Vegas II, but maybe I'll check out Stalker."

If you haven't played Bioshock check it out. I think it was the best of the shooters that have come out since last Christmas, except maybe for COD4. It had a great storyline. I was really disappointed in the latest Unreal Tourament. I had high hopes for this venerable franchise but it was a let down.. For Strategy games I thought World in Conflict was a very pleasant surprise.

[Moose4]

That’s a very...weird...little novella. Interesting.

I may have to grab that Stalker game. I love that screenshot of yours (maybe not surprisingly, “We Don’t Go to Ravenholm” was my favorite HL2 level). I loved HL2 because it was a first-person shooter with a brain...yeah, great gameplay and lots of explosions and blood and flying bodies, but also a very immersive world, cool plot and interaction, characters you could really feel involved with, and everything flowed together so seamlessly. When I put my new machine together I’m really looking forward to going back and replaying it, and maybe picking up the sequel packs.

}:-)4