Kotaku

Damn, I liked the way APB was heading. Now its going to end up like GTA4s MP on a larger scale.

I don't have a problem with this. APB looked impressive enough to stand on its own. But the resources of Rockstar in the way of server support, etc. could prove vital for such an ambitious game.

Also, where is Crackdown 2?

Nooooo!!!! I like GTA, but I want APB to remain as APB. It looks freaking brilliant! Don't do it, Realtime Worlds. =(

A GTA MMO, Counter-Strike, and WoW will end all nerd life as we know it. All that will exist are the three hiveminds.

I don't buy this at all. Would Rockstar really rebadge this as a GTA came considering it lacks much of trademarks that GTA is known for, and isn't developed in-house? It sounds more like wishful thinking than anything.

Perhaps they would sell it to R*, but I don't see it going by anything but APB

I just hope they don't mess with the game play too much to fit in the GTA style. Don't get me wrong, I am loving GTA IV, but I really enjoyed the super heroics offered by Crackdown and I don't want them to abandon it.

I'm sorry, but this is a really stupid interpretation of some flaky business practices.

R* needs no shortcuts - they just proved that they can make a huge financial success out of a 1000-man and $100 million production cycle.

I have no doubt they will keep doing things the right way.

F this s&** I want a god damn story in my gta niko was F&*&(* epic, rockstar shouldn't waste its time on this mmo crap.

@akashhhhh: MS didn't ask for Crackdown 2, so Realtime Worlds didn't start making one. They said they would have loved to make Crackdown 2 (and I would love to play it), but they didn't have the option.

As for this rumor, it's VERY interesting. Especially since Beardy Houser has been talking about a GTA MMO lately.

@mind in rewind:

Yeah, who needs Crackdown 2 when gems like Fusion Frenzy 3 are probably in the works.

You know? it's so crazy it just might work!

Seriously, for like the last 5 or 6 years every single Rockstar title has been developed in-house. I just don't see that pattern changing.

@wild_world_girl: It's not an interpretation at all. Eurogamer are reporting on a rumour they've heard directly, I just painted the picture to bring people who may not have followed the career history of Realtime Worlds up to speed.

If rockstar gets a hold of this, this could possibly be the most expensive MMO ever :)

Guy's, please fix the apostrophe in the headline.

Its' a pet peeve. Thank's.

"give themselves some options"

That usually translates to money, which leads to behind the scenes action. Don't make something and rehash it with a familiar name to get attention and sales. It almost sounds like a familiar fantasy game that I don't have to name, because it's most likely already known...

yeah... that just ruined my interest in it if its true. I know you fools dont study my posts lol, but shouryuuken hates gta, BUT i LOVE crackdown so yeah, i was excited about this one.

[www.realtimeworlds.com]
thats a lot of people to hire to turn around and sell your work to Rockstar. until i see an actual press release i'll remain skeptical.

Interesting plan to cash in on a well known IP.

Let's hope it's good.

@MarionBarryHussein: +1. It's also, you know, good writing.

@shouryuuken: yea, a 99 vs 83 metacritic score goes a loooong way in validating that personal bias.

All they'd be doing is changing the nametag. Guess R* would mess that up though, right? hahaha

GTAIV's free play is as much of an gta style multiplayer I'll need, until the next GTA comes out. Nuff said.

@MarionBarryHussein: Ack, previous headline had "Creator's MMO". Cheers, fixed.

@Luke Plunkett: Now if we could only fix the urge to develop MMOs instead of doing more entertaining things with the money, like filling swimming pools up with cash and making a bonfire.

won't happen. Sam houser once said that he wouldn't want a GTA mmo because it would be un interesting.

@RogueSophist: +1 means you're going to start following them.It doesn't affect an arbitrary points system. Well, it does, but I pretend connectedness doesn't exist.

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Like every Halo game was developed by Bungie until Halo Wars? Unrelated, yes, but it's the best example I could come up with on short notice.

"Rockstar has been contacted for comment."

R*: lolz, no thx

RTW: ko. lol! :.(

Could be awesome. And where the hell is Crackdown 2 already?

I bet this is just a way for Realtime Worlds to get some extra members. Going up against WoW is going to be difficult and being able to say "From Rockstar and the makers of GTA comes: APB" most definitely can't hurt.

@billnabors65: Normally, I groan very hard whenever I see a Human Being On The Internet, in a comments thread regarding a new game by a game developer, ask when a developer is releasing the sequel to their original game.

This time, I didn't!

Crackdown was something of an incomplete masterpiece; completing it would mean something fantastic.

@Snakeman: o rly? [kotaku.com]

@belo: Yeah, he said it in EGM 227.

"a credible industry source" Yeah Right!

Sounds like someone is making rather large assumptions...

@Snakeman:

And yet the other Houser, Dan, has said that the idea of a GTA MMO is one that they are currently examining and is "very compelling".

Clearly using the existing development of APB is an option for them. No one's claiming they're going to take APB, slap a rebranded GTA logo on it, and call it their own. EA would do something like that, Rockstar wouldn't. Right now there isn't a lot to APB, as it's still a good 2 years away from release. Rockstar could take the core engine and basic mechanics and work from there. They'd shave a solid 2-3 years of development time off their own schedule.

And right now, with everything that's going on with EA and Take2, if they could even claim that they're working on a GTA MMO with no release date, stockholders would go crazy and drive the price up. Analysts LOVE to hear about MMOs.

@Xiedo: You called?

Given the runaway success of GTA IV, I don't think they'd have a choice. If APB were released as is, the non-discerning media would dismiss it as a GTA ripoff, regardless of the staff.

All I know about APB so far is that it had some damn slick looking artwork made for it. Already a great deal more stylish than GTA! I wouldn't like this to change.

Its a win win situation.

For everyone asking about Crackdown 2... RTW have confirmed publicly (via their website) that they are not developing Crackdown 2.

However since the IP is owned by Microsoft, this does NOT imply that it isn't happening. Merely that RTW aren't doing it.

I do kinda doubt this, and I really hope its not true because it would no doubt result in a massive delay before release.

This makes so much sense, why bother trying to compete with GTA4 when they will loose, sell it to Rockstar for tons of money, then Realtime will have a large budget for crackdown2 and other projects.

They are both based in Scotland and I'm sure D-Jones still has a good relationship with rockstar being the original creator, it's a golden idea. APB just doesn't have the punch that GTA does.

Why would Rockstar want it? They could do it a hundred times better and know it.

I hate when people say he created GTA ...He was "ONE" of the people who created the "2D" GTA

@LittleBigPlaneteer: Agreed. R* puts way too much time and care into creating their own cities and worlds. I really doubt they would just stamp the GTA tag on something. It'll be APB, which is fine with me.

Even if it did happen, what's to say there would be any major changes apart from cosmetic?

@repoman123: It was his idea, he just had a team bring it to life.

Either way, it was the RAGE engine that impressed me most with GTA4. If they were gonna do an MMO, I would hope it'd at least use the same technology.

I honestly don't care about who takes care of this game as it's obviously has the quality to peak my interests to the max.

But if Rockstar brings a project like this into the fold....ofmg let the good times roll!

Speaking of good times, Witz and myself had a MASSIVELY goofy/fun/nerdgasmic session last nite which included (but not limited to):

- A game of Cops N' Crooks leading to someone trying to swim OFF THE MAP and finally getting run over by a cop in a speedboat (uuuugh + LAWLZ)

- A 3 lap around the Times Square area of Algonquin, in FIRE TRUCKS...and IN THE RAIN. You can use your imagination from here on out!

- A Faggio-only race around the airfield with (SOMEHOW) Witzbold leaping high into the air and landing somewhere about 30 ft into the ocean.

For 6 easy payments of $79.95, you can experience even MORE highlights and LOW lights!