Rockstar vets enlisted for GTA IV
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jun 12th 2006 at 3:25PM }
According to IMDb, Rockstar President Dan Houser and GTA/Manhunt veteran James Worrall are the principal writers for Grand Theft Auto IV. Lazlow Jones, who wrote for GTA III & Vice City and did voice work for Liberty City Stories & San Andreas, is listed as a cast member, along with Navid Khonsari who has voiced characters in almost all of Rockstar's titles, including his role as Porn Host in Max Payne 2.Grand Theft Auto IV will debut October 16, 2007 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In addition, Rockstar will create downloadable episodic content for the Xbox 360 version.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chris @ Jun 12th 2006 3:31PM
if it ain't broke
Alex K. @ Jun 12th 2006 3:33PM
I don't see how it can even be called GTA IV...
1 GTA
2 GTA London (okay, let's not count it but if we did we'd be off by 2 on all the rest of the GTA games)
2 GTA II
3 GTA III
4 GTA: VC
5 GTA IV ? ? ? ?
Tim @ Jun 12th 2006 3:36PM
$10 says the episodic content for Xbox 360 is only exclusive for a while, just like all the previous GTAs being PS2 exclusive for a while. PS3 will more than likely get the episodic content eventually.
gamer9190 @ Jun 12th 2006 3:40PM
Lazlow, actually, has provided DJ personalities in all the GTA games. He's a washed out talk show personality in III, a rock station DJ in Vice City, a not-quite-so-washed-out personality in LCS, and he takes over a talk show in San Andreas.
SydRocks @ Jun 12th 2006 3:45PM
They are calling it GTA-IV because they are building a new engine for it. It's as if Vice City and San Andreas are just add-ons to GTA-III because they all use the same engine.
the_game_master @ Jun 12th 2006 3:56PM
2) GTA VC and SA where series in themselves.
GTA IV just follows GTA III
MxPxBoy @ Jun 12th 2006 3:56PM
No. PS3 doesn't need episodic content. Microsoft would like for you to think that it is oferring something extra to it's fans. When in reality, it's a necessity. The lack of a next gen disc drive means that Rockstar can't squeeze in every bit of the game, unlike on Blu-Ray.
Jeff @ Jun 12th 2006 4:03PM
"Lazlow, actually, has provided DJ personalities in all the GTA games. He's a washed out talk show personality in III..."
You do understand why GTAIII is called "III", right?
"I don't see how it can even be called GTA IV..."
Because it's the fourth numbered game in the series. Vice City was GTAIII-2 in the same vein as FFX-2. (Take 2 refers to the GTA games by "family" - as in the "Grand Theft Auto III family"). The "named" GTA games are all part of the families of the numbered series games that came before them.
GTA:VC, GTA:SA, GTA:LCS, and GTA:VCS are all part of the GTA3 family. And while it predates this convention, GTA: London is now considered part of the GTA1 "family". GTA2 wasn't really popular enough to have any of its own offshoots (and arguably shouldn't really have been called GTA2 at all, as it feels like more of an expansion pack to the original than anything else).
boots @ Jun 12th 2006 4:10PM
Let's say the only title I ever wanted to play is GTA4. Which would Rockstar employees recommend me to buy? I know EA would tell me on most of their titles "it doesn't matter because all of our titles are the same on any system you buy".
So if they do recommend me one title, why would you even bother to make a game on two consoles yet cripple one of the two games?
dvddesign @ Jun 12th 2006 4:13PM
GTA4.
I hope it's in Asia. I HOPE IT'S IN ASIA!!!!
We need a good take on Yakuza related movies.
Or throwing an homage to the hammer scene in Oldboy
What a way to pimp out HD next gen graphics...
BklynKid @ Jun 12th 2006 4:23PM
#2
GTA
GTA2
- GTA2: London
GTA3
- GTA: Vice City
- GTA: San Andreas
GTA4
Every increase meant a new engine in the past. Also, Liberty City, Vice City and San Andreas were all cities in the original GTA. So, GTA3 GTA:VC and GTA:SA are an upgraded GTA1, therefore it's all within the same version number.
What I can't explain though is why people call Prince of Persia Warrior Within PoP3, when it's more like PoP7.
Laxcat @ Jun 12th 2006 4:27PM
Can anyone point to anywhere that it says episodic content is exclusive to the 360? As I recall the E3 Microsoft press conference only said that there will be episodic content, and carefully avoided any exclusivity claims. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Dollars to doughnuts each episode will be out at the same time (or close enough) for both.
san @ Jun 12th 2006 4:41PM
"... principle writers for Grand Theft Auto IV."
Freudian slip much?
Rhys @ Jun 12th 2006 4:50PM
As much as I am a XBox Fanboy, I imagine that both X360 and P3-online will have separate ‘exclusive’ content available for download from their respective on-line marketplaces.
McGruff, The Grammar Crime Dog @ Jun 12th 2006 4:59PM
principal : first in order of importance, main
not
principle : fundamental truth or propsition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief
modeps @ Jun 12th 2006 5:28PM
I really suggest you all dont follow IMDB as a reliable source on who's working on GTA4. Most of their information is only solid once something comes out or is close to release. Seeing that no information has been announced by the principle parties involved, take what they are saying with a grain of salt.
Lil Jimmy Robinson @ Jun 12th 2006 6:52PM
Lazlo rules. He used to have a real life radio show on FreeFM in NYC and also frequents the Opie and Anthony show. Also, he does the technofile spots on XM and radio.
http://www.lazlow.com/
Yem @ Jun 12th 2006 7:07PM
11. "Can anyone point to anywhere that it says episodic content is exclusive to the 360?"
http://ir.take2games.com/ReleaseDetail.cfm?ReleaseID=195754
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/may06/05-09GrandTheftAutoPR.mspx
lionzub @ Jun 12th 2006 8:47PM
It's not secret that one of the leading factors as to why the PS2 sold so much more than the Xbox was due to the exclusive release of the GTA3 series of games.
Perhaps it has some base when Peter Moores exclaims that the X360 will be the console to own because it will be the only system that you can play HALO3 and GTA4 on.
Pretty Obvious @ Jun 12th 2006 10:26PM
Halo 3/GTA 4 beats out the combo of Metal Gear/GTA4 any day in my book. And I didnt even factor in the $600 price point.
Blue Spotted Frog @ Jun 13th 2006 10:22AM
Downloadable episodic content sounds awesome but the XBox 360 hard drive is only 20GB as it is. How much room will you be able spare for episodic content? I can erase trailers and demos from my HDD, but episodic content will eat up space on the HDD as long as I own that game.
D dogg @ Jun 13th 2006 10:23AM
"Halo 3/GTA 4 beats out the combo of Metal Gear/GTA4 any day in my book."
Introduction to my book, "Halo is a great gaming franchise but it doesn't compare to the complexity, the wit, the story, the history, the characters, the breadth or even the pure fun that can be had in the Metal Gear universe".
Metal Gear beats out Halo (because America is only one piece of the gaming pie) but WHEN you factor in $600, that could be something there.
As an American, I really do want to have pride in my native companies but when it comes down to it, Metal Gear is just a classier franchise than Halo and most anywheres else people are going to want 2 third person view games rather than 1 first person view and 1 third person view.
My 2¢
Laxcat @ Jun 13th 2006 12:57PM
@17. I find it very interesting and important to note that those press releases very carfully step around saying there will be exclusive GTA content for the Xbox360. They specifically say:
1) GTA4 will be available on day one on the 360
2) "SEPERATELY" (emphasis added) Rockstar will have exclusive content delivered through Xbox Live
Now why would it be worded so carefully? Microsoft's annoucement at E3 concerning this always seemed like they were making a big story out of very lame and unexciting news.
THIS JUST IN: "POPULAR GAME TO BE AVAILABLE ON TWO CONSOLES, AT SAME TIME! Masses panic at news!"