"The retail community has expressed the anticipation that is building around the April 29 release of Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV.

“As with previous GTA releases, GTA IV will be the benchmark for all future releases with regards to volume of sales. The question is what will sell more: PS3 or Xbox 360?” said Jonathan Edwards, games buying manager at Tesco.

Tricia Brennan, buying director at Game, added: “There is huge consumer anticipation for GTA IV. This truly is the launch event of 2008. Customers cannot wait to be able to play the game.”

Many industry insiders have said it is disappointing that Rockstar will miss the peak Easter sales period, but the trade believes it will not affect sales.

Juliana Foley, trading manager for games at Entertainment UK, stated: “I don’t believe the timing of the release will matter to the long-term success of Rockstar’s GTA IV.

“A non-peak GTA release will certainly change the dynamic for other triple-A releases. However, GTA is both day one and an evergreen sales opportunity. It should still feature highly in the Christmas charts as well as at launch.”"

"We have just received word from Dan Hsu (editor-in-chief of US video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly) that next month's issue of the magazine will feature an exclusive preview of Grand Theft Auto IV. We are also told that it contains "another really cool, exclusive thing that can't be mentioned right now." Hmm, perhaps an exclusive interview or something? We should have more details in a couple of weeks. The issue comes out in the beginning of March, so be sure to keep an eye out for it."

"Greetings everyone,

Well we finally have completed our server move. After nearly a week of tweaking and editing code, it seems that we have caught all of the bugs and are ready to relaunch the site on our brand new dedicated server. First off, I want to thank everyone who helped us in getting things moved over. We are excited for our new home and we think it will allow us to grow and prosper for many years to come.

For those of you who are not aware, we have moved to a virtual dedicated server. What this means for you, the user, is now you will get more reliable service with faster downloads and uploads than ever before. In fact, our new server is almost 6 times faster than our old one - something you will notice immediately once you begin downloading our files. Also, downtime for our network should be decreased considerably. As many of you had noticed, our site would sometimes go down quite a bit, which should now be fixed.

As we start on our new server, there are undoubtedly somethings that may not work correctly right away. In fact, even at this moment after nearly 72 hours straight of fixing errors, we are still working to put the finishing touches on our new site. If you do come across any unusual errors or something that is not working properly, please contact us and let us know about it.

Most importantly, we would like to thank you for sticking with us. We know it has been a rocky week trying to access your account and files, but in the end we feel that it was all worth it. Your patience was greatly appreciated.

Thanks again guys, and enjoy the network!"

""No GTA has been censored since Vice City. Grand Theft Auto IV has been rated in its entirety. The rating is on the OFLC website.""

"Given the established association Rockstar has with controversy, not least through the San Andreas ‘Hot Coffee’ mod scandal and the studio’s current Manhunt 2 ratings tussle, it comes a little surprise to see the studio preparing for the worst.

Following a recent GTA IV game demonstration given to members of the North American press, Rockstar Games founder Dan Houser was asked if he was anticipating the game to receive a knee-jerk wave of criticism from certain media sources.

"I expect it because we've had so much of it in the past," replied Houser. "I wish people would treat videogames the same as other media.

Houser went on to say that the mainstream media does not appear to want to accept videogames in that way, preferring to paint the industry as "a conveniant enemy for people."

Houser’s opinion echoes similar comments put forth by EA’s Jeff Green in a recent letter to FOX News calling for an apology after the broadcaster wrongly accused BioWare’s sci-fi epic Mass Effect of containing full-frontal nudity and graphic scenes of interactive sex."

""What we've seen happen over the last couple of years is that a new standard for combat mechanics has emerged for third person videogames, regardless of genre. Whether it's an action adventure game like Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, a straight-up shooter like Gears of War or an open-world title like GTA IV, certain things are expected – smooth, accurate control for targeting, intuitive cover mechanics and non-restrictive agility. GTA IV checks off all those boxes, and while going hands-on will be the most important test, it's clear from our latest – extensive – eyes on, that Rockstar North is on the right track.""

"It's been a while since we've heard anything from the infamous anti-gaming crusader, Miami attorney Jack Thompson -- then again, being faced with the possibility of being disbarred in your home state is enough to really tie a guy up. However, with last week's announcement of a late-April release date for Grand Theft Auto IV came Thompson's mandatory adverse response to the series, and negativity towards Take Two, the game's distributor.

Contained within an email from Thompson were promises to keep this "murder simulator for violence against women, cops, and innocent bystanders" out of the hands of children by contacting "state and federal officials" to warn of the game's immediate danger. Though no immediate threats were made towards Take Two or Rockstar Games, we're sure the fireworks will really start going off by the time GTA IV drops April 29 -- which just happens to be around the same time the outcome of Thompson's Florida Bar trial will be decided."

"SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Take-Two Interactive Software Inc said on Thursday it will release the highly anticipated "Grand Theft Auto IV" video game on April 29, sending its shares up about 11 percent.

The announcement lays to rest lingering concerns over Take-Two's most valuable property, which was delayed from its original release date last fall.

The title is the latest installment of the "GTA" franchise, one of the most popular video game series of all time and one that has stirred controversy for casting players as thugs who steal cars, run drugs and murder rivals.

"GTA IV," widely expected to be the top-selling title of 2008, will be released for Microsoft Corp's Xbox 360 and Sony Corp's PlayStation 3 home gaming consoles, Take-Two said.

Take-Two shares were up $1.57, or 10.9 percent, to $16.03 in mid-morning Nasdaq trade. The stock has fallen 11.6 percent over the past year but has risen 30 percent since hitting a year low of $12.25 when it delayed "GTA IV" in August."

"In a more practical, action-oriented setting, enemies are also imbued with Euphoria's influence. When Niko is unloading a clip into his adversary, none of the reactionary movements to the hot lead are canned or scripted. The hapless bad guy recoils naturally in response to being struck by the bullet. Wound him enough and he'll fall backwards, slouch on the ground or start to try and crawl away to cover with his last ounces of strength. Shoot him on a ledge, and he'll topple backwards or lose his balance and plummet, arms waving, to his death. In the most recent trailer, you might recall a body falling onto a four-wheel drive. This was part of a mission involving Niko sniping thugs off of high points in a construction yard. The falling body and its final impact are also controlled by Euphoria. It's actually quite moving and unnerving to watch such a logical cause/effect relationship play out as naturally as it does."

"Following the earlier announcement from Rockstar Games about the release date for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, French website Jeux Expo is reporting that the PC version of the game will be launched in Europe in October 2008."

"NEW YORK — "Grand Theft Auto IV" will be the biggest entertainment experience of the year and make its players feel like immigrants newly arrived in America, according to a developer working on the game.

After showcasing a nearly complete version of "Grand Theft Auto IV" on the Xbox 360 to MTV News for an hour and a half earlier this week, Rockstar Games Vice President of Product Development Jeronimo Barrera talked about how delays have shaped "GTA IV," how the game handles sex and violence this time around, and more.

"I don't see anything being bigger in 2008 in any entertainment," Barrera said as he sat on a black couch in Rockstar's demo room, proudly sporting a white T-shirt with a large "IV" printed on the front. "We think it's that big, and we just have to get the word out."

What Barrera and the development team that handles the game in New York and in Scotland-based Rockstar North are promising is the king of open-world games. Rockstar Games popularized the go-anywhere, do-anything open-world genre with "Grand Theft Auto III" in 2001. This new game is intended to be the next leap. "We don't want anybody else to raise the bar for a genre that we created and that everybody else ripped off," Barrera said. "So we definitely want to shock not just the players, but the industry. I'm not talking about shock value. I'm talking about just how big it is and just how many crazy, bananas things you can do in the game."

"GTA IV" was initially going to make its splash in 2007, when it was scheduled for an October release. Thursday (January 24) morning, Rockstar announced a new release date of April 29. And the delay, Barrera said, makes the game stronger. "We wanted the time, and I think we made the right choice. It was very difficult to make the choice because everybody wanted it. But we thought, you know, what with that extra bit of time, it's just going to be that much better and there will be more systems out." "

"Basically, some unnamed person has tipped that Microsoft will be dropping the price of the Premium 360 another $49 on the same day that GTAIV gets released. This would be a smart move for Microsoft as we know millions upon millions of people love the GTA series. Now if you are still a PS2 or Xbox owner sitting on the fence waiting for this game to be released, then it would be a good time to invest in a next gen system."

"Another 'X' on the calendar means another day closer to the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 this spring. So far, we've been introduced to lead character Niko and his quest for the American dream in Liberty City. Today we take a closer look at Rockstar's free-roaming action game and new features designed to make the game "grittier' and "more realistic" than before.

Use Technology to Get Ahead
The benefit of having a Grand Theft Auto in the present instead of the '80s and '90s – new technology. Niko can keep in touch with his comrades by using his cell phone. Tap into the Internet and police computers to locate and identify targets and use the car's GPS system to get where you're going faster. Bonus for jacking nicer rides: they come with voice-enabled GPS systems.


Harder Police Alert System
Escaping the police gets trickier this time around. Once five-oh is on your tail, the search radius in your HUD gets wider and you have to escape. Get spotted by a cop while still inside the radius, the search area re-centers on you and you have to escape again. The good news: big shootouts during missions don't necessarily alert the police to your presence.

No More Character Customization
Rockstar removes the character customization and light leveling up (by eating, working out) that was included in San Andreas and returns the focus to the main character and his climb up the criminal ladder in Liberty City.

Scale Tall Buildings
Since the game takes place in a big skyscraper-filled city, the action will go vertical this time around. Niko will embark on missions that involve riding to the top of a tall building to snipe at enemies below. He'll also be able to commandeer helicopters and land on top of buildings at times. Also, shooting enemies standing on tall buildings or platforms might, if you're lucky, send them into a spectacular dive onto the pavement below.

Control Your Aim
You can aim freely, lock on to targets and all weapons include a zoom function (certain guns will zoom more than others). The weapon selection has been paired down from the ridiculous -- e.g. no more flamethrower, chainsaw – to the more standard rocket launcher, sniper rifles and automatic weapons like an AK-47 and M4 assault rifle.

Hail a Cab
Instead of always jacking cars to get around, you can hail a cab and choose a destination by setting a waypoint on a map, or choosing from a list of predetermined locations. You can either sit and enjoy the scenery, or for an extra fee, press a button to skip the Sunday drive and arrive immediately.

Make Friends
Never underestimate the power of schmoozing, in real-life or in Grand Theft Auto IV. In-between missions, call up your cronies to hang out and build relationships that can lead to say... someone meeting you in an alley with a secret stash of guns. Or, meet your cousin at a bar and then try to drive him home safely after you're well beyond the legal limit (while the in-game camera sways wildly). Nothing builds the family bond like drunk driving.

Yes, There's Multiplayer
Grand Theft Auto IV will have multiplayer, which may include cooperative play in certain areas of the game. No other details have been revealed yet, other than it will involve more than "your standard deathmatch" shootfest."

"A North American stock-trading website called Tradingmarkets is carrying the news that Grand Theft Auto IV is "...scheduled to reach retailers in April". When combined with an independent third-party source who has contacted SPOnG, we would actually place the release date as Friday April 25th.

This would also agree with UK industry journal, MCV's report from December last year stating the date of April 25th - which is also the also last day in Take Two's fiscal fourth quarter.

MCV's report was classified by a Rockstar spokesman as, "rumour and speculation" at the time.

Here's what the Tradingmarkets says in full: "Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (TTWO) and the video game industry seem to have survived the holiday season relatively unscathed. The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV is scheduled to reach retailers in April and will certainly give a boost to 2008. However, the company is no longer dependent solely on the success of its key franchises such as Grand Theft. In 2007, 27% of revenues came from the top ten games versus 50% in 2005."

We are also informed, "Additionally, on Jan 8, Take-Two acquired Illusion Softworks, a Czech Republic game developer of franchises such as Mafia, Hidden Dangerous and Vietcong, for undisclosed terms. The covering analysts are mixed on the 2008 outlook with four analysts bullish on the company in the last month, raising 2008 estimates by an average of 11 cents from 91 cents to $1.02 and one lowering estimates. Read the Nov 16, 2007 analysis". "

"These highly collectable cards will add value to our customer’s experience, while giving Zavvi a point of difference over similar pre-order schemes,"

"The GTA franchise has a loyal fan base and the collectable cards will be a must have for everyone that loves the game, allowing them to keep a little bit of GTA in their wallet"