Rockstar finally pins GTA IV delay on PS3, er, it was a 'contributing factor'
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Jan 24th 2008 at 12:25PM }
The finger pointing began last August when Take-Two cited "technical challenges" as the reason for the considerable delay, which was quickly interpreted to mean: Sony's big, black box. But Take-Two and Rockstar have stuck to the "it's not 'helpful or beneficial' to go into specifics" excuse, until now. Rockstar is openly chatting about the delay because the challenges are "not an issue anymore" – both versions are now "neck and neck" in their development phases. "They're both identical," Barrera concludes. So there! They'll cross the finish line together, as equals (oh, 'cept for those bonus episodes).
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Marty @ Jan 24th 2008 12:27PM
Surprise, surprise.
upz @ Jan 24th 2008 2:50PM
And who called it?
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/08/03/playstation-3-responsible-for-gta-iv-delay-surmises-pachter/
Oh that's right, Michael Pachter. The same guy everyone swears is always wrong.
ulovemikeroch @ Jan 24th 2008 10:08PM
SSBB outsell GTA? On any of the consoles? Are you retarded? GTA is gonna be huge. SSBB has a cult following, it's popular no doubt. But GTA just has a much bigger fanbase. Now while I'm not gonna deny the number units that the Wii has sold, it's a beast. But you're assuming that Brawl is on every wii owners top list, but I can assure you that not everyone who has a Wii will want Brawl. Sounds ridiculous I know, there are some people who only want games on the Wii that take advantage of Wii's big features, which is the motion sensors. Some people just don't like Brawl, such as I do. I'm a huge hardcore fighting game, but I just thing that the SSB series is stupid, and I don't really consider it a fighting game. More of a party game to me, which is also why I can't stand, "Professional Smash Players." Idiots, the game does not take ask much skill as say a GG or SF game. I'm pretty sure a lot of skill is involved to be a top Smash player, but it's a different set of skills required that are much easier to grasp/master then a traditional fighting game. Compare wave dashing in SSB to Tekken, compare using Magneto Rom Infinites in Marvel, Roll Canceling, Pop Stock Shun Goku Satsu's or PTF/Shosho in A groove in CVS2, Kara-Cancelling in SF3 which is incredibly hard. Hell just try playing SSF2T period, that game is just hard overall. Don't give me that, "I'm only into SSB and not other fighting games cause they suck" or some other bullshit like that, these games are developed around using skill, and hell even exploits for people that are up the ladder. SSB was made as a fantasy game, and just through characters together to have a fun mindless time, sure you need some skill. But that skill would never rise to the level that more traditional fighting games require.
hvnlysoldr @ Jan 24th 2008 10:31PM
tl:dr Well I actually did read and used that to insult you. Melee for GCN is the top seller for it at 6 million and GCN sold about 20 million. Wii at 2 years in its life has sold 20 million. So guess how many SSBB can sell even if only Melee players bought them.
kavendano14 @ Jan 24th 2008 12:28PM
*lights a match*
Kamalot @ Jan 24th 2008 2:10PM
@ RoboChamp
By the time GTA comes out, PS3 will have rumble in every new box, but will NOT have rumble in nearly 10 million households that already own PS2.
Lack of rumble is a *total failure*, and Sony knows this. That is why they are coming out with the dual-shock 3.
Killjebus @ Jan 24th 2008 12:30PM
More advanced and newer technology takes longer to get a grasp on. These delays will (for the most part) be a thing of the past for the PS3 by the end of 2008. Not that anyone remembers but the PS2 was difficult to program for and it had more than its share of early game delays.
Still, I am glad now that the game is done, and that it is equal on both systems. Wii only owners can only sit back and cry while us PS3er and 360ers play GTA4 baby yeah.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 12:38PM
An you can only cry while Wii owners play SSBB, wich I think, will have about the same sales as GTA.
copa @ Jan 24th 2008 12:42PM
"More advanced and newer technology takes longer to get a grasp on."
Also, needlessly complex proprietary technology that overemphasizes the use of multi-threading takes longer to get a grasp on.
xFenixKnightx @ Jan 24th 2008 12:42PM
Damnit where is my reply??
Killjebus @ Jan 24th 2008 12:43PM
Fernando, I could care less about SSBB, I never have and I never will. Fighting games in general do nothing for me....to repeatative.
Have fun with your SSBB, I know you will and I am happy for you.
I will have fun with GTA4.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 12:50PM
Oh.. by the way... have fun playing the inferior version... I will be enjoying GTA too, but with rumble, achievements and 2 exclusives DLC chapters.
Admiral_Mike @ Jan 24th 2008 12:52PM
"Wii only owners can only sit back and cry while us PS3er and 360ers play GTA4 baby yeah."
No thanks, my life doesn't revolve around video games.
Besides I have no interest in GTA. I bought vice city based on hype and found it really boring.
deaftly @ Jan 24th 2008 12:55PM
Fernando, if i was buying GTA4 on ps3 i would be enjoying rumble also, just import a DualShock 3 from play-asia. $60. All my previous games support rumble also. So kindly STFU
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 1:04PM
deaftly
Wow... I only need to pay an extra $60 and wait a week to get rumble? Much better than having rumble out of the box...
tmacairjordan87 @ Jan 24th 2008 1:04PM
"SSBB, wich I think, will have about the same sales as GTA."
LOL. Just like the other smash games sold as much as the other gta games right? lmao
SSMB wont touch GTA4 in overall sales. Hell it is highly likely and probable that gta4 will pass halo 3 rather quickly since every other gta game passed every other halo game. Plus its multiplatform now which = a done deal my friend.
xFenixKnightx @ Jan 24th 2008 1:05PM
Well said Fernando +1, the 360 version will DEFINATELY be the BEST version to buy. I cant wait to see what the achievements will be. I think Killjerkoff works for Sony, why else would he have Sonys penis in his mouth in all his posts.
Poisoned Al @ Jan 24th 2008 1:07PM
I love how having more cores is spun to be "more advanced" instead of the cost cutting exercise it really is. The reason the PS3 is a bitch to program for is becuase Sony got lazy. Devs would much rather have one or two powerful cores then a load of shitty weak ones like the PS3 has. It's noting to do with learning the system. The PS3 is just a fucking pig to program for, and Sony were arrogant enough to think they would get away with it.
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 1:10PM
Well...
SMG is about in 5.5 millions units sold, an Halo 3 in 7 million... the most probably is that Mario Galaxy will outsell Halo 3...
Now... SSBB is bigger than Mario Galaxy... maybe SSBB will not sell more than GTA in overall sales, but it will outsell GTA in PS3 sales (thats for sure) and maybe the same in 360 sales.
KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Jan 24th 2008 1:13PM
"I think Killjerkoff works for Sony"
Damnit all to Hades, my covers been blown. I will now change my avatar and name to my REAL persona....
KayRazy Ken Kutaragi.
Banzai....banzai...banzai.
KayRazy Ken Kutaragi @ Jan 24th 2008 1:29PM
waaaaah, you hurt my feelings with your witty reply fenix. waaaah, where is the kleenex?
Banzai
kbomb1upc @ Jan 24th 2008 1:35PM
@Fernando
$60?? Are talking about spending $60 for a controller? So how much does those Wii Remote & Nunchuck cost again?
Trev @ Jan 24th 2008 1:49PM
Ok, seriously Killjebus, you're really fucking annoying. You're like fernando only... No, you're just like fernando. Please sell your PS3 and destroy the only semblance of association between us.
RoboChamp @ Jan 24th 2008 1:50PM
@ Fernando
By the time GTA is out, PS3's will have rumble in the box.
Noshino @ Jan 24th 2008 1:52PM
Fernando,
With the amount of sales that hardcore games like No More Heroes and Zack & Wiki (hell, even my beloved Fire Emblem), you can't really expect SSBB, which is INDEED a hardcore game, to sell as well, if not better, than SMG
"Now... SSBB is bigger than Mario Galaxy... "
Now, I don't know what you are basing that on, Mario 64 outsold SSB by far (almost twice as much), then SMS was outsold by SSBM but by less of a million...so, what are you basing your statement on?
hey, if we go by the facts, if one was to give an educated guess of the sales of SSBB you can say that it will be within 7 to 8 million, how well do you think GTA has been selling? GTA: SA sold 15.23 million, Rockstar will cause another controversy before the release, and hell, one can only expect the game to sell more its predecessor
Hey, I don't like the Halo franchise, but it is really idiotic to not see that it sells, same goes for Mario, but for you to say that Mario, at this point in history, will sell more than Halo or GTA is quite naive...
Jimwack @ Jan 24th 2008 2:13PM
Well, since you took the time to make a random jab at another console, you must have been sodomized by one in the past.
Fighting games are repetitive.... So do you want a game that, the first second your shooting, then your driving, then your flying through space, then your swimming through the ocean, then your playing baseball, then you get ADD. Not like minigames though, no, those are crap.
God forbid you actually played one game type and stuck with it because it was fun. I don't want to be shooting mobsters forever, where are those purple eye aliens dogs that puke smaller purple eye aliens dogs who puke fire at you. I could just switch the game if it gets boring, but I want one game to have every game on it.
Long story short, people overuse the word repetitive, along with linear, and for some strange reason certain game squeals will get slammed for being the similar to the prequel, but other games like Madden will get praised every time. Reviewers and their catchy buzz word phrases.
@deaftly
That isn't very convenient, or cost efficient, why do I need to import something that should already be here, I wasn't aware hardware needed to be translated from Japanese to English. It should have also always have been there to boot, instead, I have to go buy another controller just to get rumble, lucky for me though, I didn't buy 3 extra controllers for my ps3. However, I would have liked it if the one it came with already had it.
Rocketboy @ Jan 24th 2008 2:07PM
Yes, development problems for the PS3 should fall by the wayside, and the sooner the better.
On the other hand, I've played more than enough GTA in my life. So no crying here. No playing SSBB either.
samfish @ Jan 24th 2008 2:29PM
"With the amount of sales that hardcore games like No More Heroes and Zack & Wiki (hell, even my beloved Fire Emblem), you can't really expect SSBB, which is INDEED a hardcore game, to sell as well, if not better, than SMG"
The thing is, though, is that NMH and Zack & Wiki would have (likely, in NMH's case) failed no matter WHAT system they were on.
The whole "hardcore games" thing is really a bit of a myth. It's brand name + hype/ads that sells. Not how "core" a game is or isn't.
Brawl and Galaxy are probably guaranteed to both hit the 8 million mark at this point.
I don't know about GTA4, especially on combined platforms, but I'd bet $5 bucks that Brawl and Galaxy outsell Halo 3, a "hardcore" game.
Sidepocket @ Jan 24th 2008 3:01PM
Just like the Sega Saturn right? ;D
Nailio @ Jan 24th 2008 3:26PM
@killjebus post on Smash Bros being repeatative.
Like GTA isnt? I kinda like the game, but then I relized that all everyone does is unlock the last island, and then go on rampages. Sniping someone from that safe spot ontop of a building is only so fun, then it gets repeatative.
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Jan 24th 2008 3:52PM
I'll be playing GTA on the console that doesn't sound like a helicopter taking off and isn't giving me disk read errors in the middle of Assassin's Creed.
And I'll use my Dual Shock 3 which I've already had for a couple weeks and so don't have to wait for (and was only $50!).
Have fun enjoying the inferior version.
Noshino @ Jan 24th 2008 3:53PM
samfish,
"brand name + hype/ads that sells"
I don't know about Zack & Wiki, but I saw many ads for NMH, and Capcom and Suda qualify for the "brand name" part, and there was also a lot of hype for it....yet, what happened?
Sadly, despite the fact that it is the best selling console this generation, Nintendo still depends on their own "Triforce", Mario, Zelda, and Metroid...
Look, on the other consoles, the hardcore games sell well enough, on the Nintendo consoles on the other hand, its their own games that tend to be the best sellers....
"I don't know about GTA4, especially on combined platforms"
HAHAHA, dude, if GTA:SA sold 15.23 million for PS2 ONLY, imagine how many it would sell now that is multiplatform?
"but I'd bet $5 bucks that Brawl and Galaxy outsell Halo 3, a "hardcore" game"
I will accept the bet, but only for SMG, by the sales history of the SSB franchise I'm pretty sure that it will hit 8mil, but about SMG, I'm pretty sure that SMG won't surpass Halo 3
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 4:10PM
Noshino
I bet you a $60 game, that by the end of the year, SMG will outsell Halo 3, and that SSBB will sell more than GTA on the PS3... really.
Do you accept? Really... I'm not joking.
Noshino @ Jan 24th 2008 5:04PM
Fernando,
I'll accept the bet about SMG and Halo 3.
GTA one, it is really unfair to only use the PS3 sales, but then again, it would also be unfair to use both consoles, so I rather not bet on it as it seems unfair.
Let's make the bet even better as I'm not really looking for money, if you win the bet, I ll give you 60 USD, but if I win, you ll go bald....and provide those pics to Joystiq HQ...
do you have that much faith in SMG?
Fernando Rocker @ Jan 24th 2008 5:14PM
Noshino
I have long hair since I was like 10 years... I play in a band and we all have long hair... it may be a joke for everyone, but I love my hair more than money... and I have a lot of faith in SMG, and that why Im taking that bet sir.
Based on the honor system (ala Seinfeld)... and with Joystiq readers as witness...
And if I win, I will not cry or you to pay me... If you want to pay, good, if not, it doesnt matter.
But be sure that if I lose, I will keep my word and I will cut my hair.
dsub @ Jan 24th 2008 5:24PM
PS3's will have rumble out of the box April, but that doesn't mean GTA4 will support it. Besides, that means everyone who already owns a PS3 will have go buy a new controller to use it anyways.
As of right now, I can't find a shred of evidence anywhere that it will support it. Sony released a list of already released and currently-in-development titles that will support the feature back in September, and GTA4 wasn't on it, but other big games like MGS4 were. Sure, a patch COULD fix things, but that's not a guarantee.
why not the LS2/LS7? @ Jan 24th 2008 5:52PM
What are you freakin' talking about? Of course GTA4 will support rumble out of the box. Devs have had DS3s since November, there's no reason R* wouldn't have rumble working already.
Sheesh.
You think since GoW3 wasn't on that list of rumble games it won't have it until it's patched?
sifer2400 @ Jan 24th 2008 7:29PM
NO it wont especially considering that GTA4 is on 2 consoles deff not the wii has problems getting a milion copies out of its best games Ex Mario, Metriod
Edog Lost @ Jan 24th 2008 12:31PM
Do you think the PS3 will require a massive download onto the HD?
I don't think the blu ray drive would be able to read fast enough to load sections of the city as you move quickly across it.
Rubix42 @ Jan 24th 2008 12:36PM
Does it matter if it does? I am nowhere near maxing out my 60GB's.
DCBlack @ Jan 24th 2008 12:35PM
Maybe a firmware update will accompany the game, if that's actually an issue.
xFenixKnightx @ Jan 24th 2008 12:40PM
It does matter, to alot of people. If the 360 version doesnt then why should the PS3 version?
Killjebus @ Jan 24th 2008 12:40PM
Please for the love of Lords of Kobal retract your ignorant statement. The PS3's Blu-ray drive is NOT I repeat NOT slower than the 360's drive. The PS3 2xs blu-ray drive reads at a constant 8mbps where the 360 12x DVD drive reads only up to 8mbps on a dual layer DVD on only a very small part of the disc. In actuality, the 360 read speed is SLOWER than the PS3. I will look up the article (again) if you wish.
I do hope they either use texture streaming or they cache the data onto the HD.
mccomber @ Jan 24th 2008 12:47PM
It's able to stream Burnout Paradise without breaking a sweat...
deaftly @ Jan 24th 2008 12:57PM
Burnout Paradise runs just fine on PS3 without any install to the HDD
Rubix42 @ Jan 24th 2008 1:02PM
Actually Fenix, the 360 cannot support a hard drive install to improve loading times, because it is not a standard feature of the 360. So we will never know if game loading speeds could be improved on the 360 because MS does not want games to come out that require a hard drive to be used, as a portion of their install base would not be able to fully enjoy the game.
copa @ Jan 24th 2008 1:04PM
Killjebus, since you don't have time to look up the article, I will post it for you:
http://www.gamasutra.com/features/20061130/lonn_01.shtml
Here, the developer notes that you can put all of your speed-critical data (the data that would normally cause loading time delays) into the faster part of the disc, and get a floor speed of 10Mbps on that data.
Clearly, the most critical data can be placed on the outer rings with the 12Mbps speeds.
So from the perspective of the gamer, yes the 360 drive speeds are faster than the PS3.
In the end, I don't think a PS3 install will be an issue, unless Rockstar decides to so the Devil May Cry 3-minute install thing.
copa @ Jan 24th 2008 1:05PM
Rubix42, games like Oblivion do use the hard drive to cache frequently used data and speed access to it. If you don't have a hard drive, you don't get the cache, and you get more loading times.
Edog Lost @ Jan 24th 2008 1:13PM
Sorry, I was asking a question. Not trying to piss people off.
I was hearing that the Residence game disc repeated it's texture coding through out the disc to cut down on load times. I was also told DMC4 is going to require a 5 gig download onto the PS3's large HD because the game is unable to access data fast enough to keep the game running smooth.
I have had problems in the past with GTA lacking a texture map as I moved quickly away from the cops. It just seems like a possible issue Rockstar could have had with GTA4.
OTAM @ Jan 24th 2008 1:27PM
I hope so. No loading times FTW (especially in GTA).