The artist known as Pixeloo delivers once again with his "real" rendition of Grand Theft Auto IV antihero Niko Bellic. Thankfully, Niko's character design is that of a standard human, so we don't get the abomination of Pixeloo's not-safe-for-sanity "Real Mario."

The artist says he did the piece for Official Playstation Magazine UK's latest issue. Another impressive piece by Pixeloo, and unlike Real Mario, the Real Niko won't cause us to wake up screaming for two weeks and shudder every time we even think about the portly plumber.

Although we're going to have to wait until next month's NPD report for the US info, Chart-Track revealed that GTA IV sold 926,000 copies during its first week on sale in the UK. Gi.biz reports this means GTA IV has broken the "all format" record, while the "individual format" record still belongs to GTA: San Andreas with 677,000 units sold its first week on the PS2.

We previously had Chart-Track's estimates on GTA IV's first-day sales, but the official tally was 631,000 units. During the first week, 514,000 copies were sold for Xbox 360, while 413,000 sold for PS3 -- a 55/45 split. We really wish Take-Two would just give the global figure already.

Update: Yes, we know the math doesn't work (514k + 413k ≠ 926k), so we're guessing Chart-Track rounded up somewhere and rounded down somewhere else.

Niko Bellic apparently isn't stopping with conquering with Liberty City, he's now extended his dominion as Grand Theft Auto IV took the top slot on the weekly Xbox Live activity charts, dethroning longtime king Call of Duty 4. The rest of the top five was rounded out by Halo 3, Guitar Hero III and that old stalwart, Gears of War.

To anyone who's grown accustomed to their friends list just being a solid column of "GTA IV" this shouldn't come as much of a surprise. But we'll be interested to see if the game's multiplayer can help it hang on in the charts even after fans start finishing Niko's story en masse.

Take-Two has sued the Chicago Transit Authority for violating its free speech and contractual rights after the authority pulled ads for Grand Theft Auto IV on the transit system without explanation. Reuters reports that Take-Two accuses the CTA of violating the contract for the $300,000 ad campaign that involved running GTA IV ads around the transit system for six weeks between April and June.

The suit seeks an order for the CTA to run the ads, as well as at least $300,000 in damages. Reuters states the GTA IV posters were removed following a FOX news report on the ads. Now, we're not lawyers (although we do have one writing for us), so we can't say if the CTA violated a basic contract, but Chicago residents should let us know if they see the ads back up and snap a photo.

[Thanks to all who sent this in.]

The collection of folks waiting hungrily for their copies of Grand Theft Auto IV in Huntington, W.Va.'s lovely Pullman Square was ... unique, to put it kindly. Here are a few of our favorite tidbits from the line.

"Well, you know Jack Thompson or whatever the f*** his name is, he's already on the warpath. He said that everyone who sells the game should go to jail and that it's the biggest threat to kids since polio. ... Back, you know, when polio was a problem."
-Some really loud dude in line

"Spish."
-A water balloon cast from a passing truck, which landed just inches from our feet

"It's really too cold for shorts out here, but it's OK because I have a really nice drunk going."
-Justin McElroy

"What are you guys all in line for?"
-A cute girl in a passing car
*utter silence*
-The line

But enough of our recollections! Did any of you have any midnight adventures?

With today's dissolution of the embargo on all things Grand Theft Auto IV, came a veritable deluge of reviews and media related to the game. By now, we've seen all the teasers released by Rockstar, and read the write-ups which were hidden behind the floodgates just a few hours ago. However, in this maelstrom of perfect scores and cinematic trailers, there hasn't been much in the way of actual gameplay footage -- until Gametrailers cracked open their secret stash, revealing a bevy of cutscenes, car chases, and call girls just aching to be viewed by the impatient crime drama enthusiast. We've got some highlights after the jump; those purposefully trying to remain in the dark would be well advised to steer clear. You've been warned!

(You probably don't need us to tell you that some videos are NSFW.)

Carjack a vehicle and call your favorite escort, it's time for the GTA IV reviews to start flowing in. The embargo on non "exclusive reviews" is over and media outlets are chiming in with initially glowing reviews. Here are some of the first we've seen and we'll add some more after the break.

• GameInformer (100/100): "There so much more to appreciate about this game. Its dynamic mission structuring, remarkable sound design, wealth of side content, amazing animation, the list goes on and on. Long story short, I never thought I would see this much content in a game. Grand Theft Auto IV doesn't just raise the bar for the storied franchise; it completely changes the landscape of gaming. Once you play it, you won't look at video games the same way again."
• GameDaily (100/100): "Finally, the wait for a true GTA multiplayer experience was well worth it, and the online game modes (mostly variations on deathmatches, car races, car races and self-contained co-op missions) add a lot of value to an already jam-packed game. Multiplayer is not as integral part of the game as it was to, say, Halo 3 or Call of Duty 4, but the ability to play over the entire city map is brilliant. Online matches are accessed right from the game via the call phone, and we'll have a more in-depth take on the game's multiplayer offerings once the game is released and the servers are fully populated."
• GameTrailers (98/100): "Grand Theft Auto IV is the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of video games. It's a little less brave and intimidating this time around, but it's also the most refined and polished game in the franchise's history. This kind of sheen is generally reserved for titles with a much smaller scope. It's been one of the marquis games in the industry for years and the addition of a killer multiplayer component puts it over the top. Few games manage to deliver on the hype, but this is one that does." (GT video review after break.)
  

Rockstar President Dan Houser doesn't talk to the press much, but when he does, he lets it aaaaaaall out. Variety's Cut Scene blog sat down with Houser and helped him deliver a 90-minute, 6371 word treatise on everything from the potential for a Grand Theft Auto movie to a comparison of console storage capacities.

Those with shorter attention spans would probably rather check out the condensed profile article, where Houser reveals the thinking behind his relatively low profile: "While (people) may find it interesting in the short term to read whatever crap I have to say, in the long term, the less they know about us, the more they are able to lose themselves in the world of our games." That's a good point, but as members of the gaming press, we'd appreciate it if our readers were able to get lost in whatever crap you have to say and then lose themselves in the world of your games. It would work out, like, 1,000 times better for us, is all.

Read – Summary profile
Read – Extended interview

From its beginnings as a top-down crime sim to the fully 3D Public Enemy Number One we know it as today, Grand Theft Auto's history has been marked by constant evolution. Before GTA IV is dropped on us later this month, we thought we'd take a look back at all the games in the series that have come before.

So sit back, relax and drive over a hooker as we present the prior offenses of Grand Theft Auto.

The UK is currently under assault from a Grand Theft Auto IV ad promoting the title on Xbox 360. Microsoft is doing its best to own this launch in consumer's minds, or at least get people thinking GTA doesn't equal Sony anymore. Have no fear PlayStation army, the game is still releasing on the PS3 in spite of what this nasty advertisement tells the masses.

That being said, it certainly gets bonus points in our book for showing what the game actually looks like (unlike some ads). GTA IV releases April 29 ... yeah, 'cause you didn't know that already.

[Thanks, Cyborgmatt]

Need a refresher on Liberty City? Check out our game page for all things Grand Theft Auto IV. Seriously, this is everything we've written on the game. Bookmark the page, as we'll be constantly updating.

Rockstar has launched the final Grand Theft Auto IV trailer, subtitled "Good Lord, What Are You Doing? (a.k.a. Everyone's a Rat)." Check out the video above, and while you're at it, you can peep the game's three other trailers after the break. The trailer will also be available for download on PSN and Xbox Live.

And hey, don't forget to keep track of publisher Take-Two's family tree.

Leading game retailer Two-bit computer and electronics chain Micro Center has taken Grand Theft Auto IV's target release window – between Feb. and April, 2008 – and divided it in half: "March 08," declares the store's new circular. While GameDaily recommends we leave our calendars open for Saturday, March 8th, we're pretty certain Micro Center's "08" is an abbreviation for '2008,' and further evidence that no one knows exactly when to expect GTA IV. Do yourself a favor: don't be that guy who drives all night to Mayfield Heights, Ohio, arriving during the wee hours of the 8th, only to find a few eager campers for Smash Bros.