Take-Two CEO Ben Feder was asked that very question during today's quarterly earnings conference call to which he responded that Chinatown Wars was an important step in its relationship with Nintendo.

"Without commenting specifically on whether GTA is coming to the Wii or not, I will say that Nintendo and Take-Two work very very well together," Feder explained. "Rockstar and Nintendo work very well together. We intend to continue to grow that relationship.”

Feder also noted that the company has invested "an enormous amount of time and effort working with Nintendo" and while he fell short of announcing a major product during an investor call, it certainly sounds like the door is open.

With over two million Carnival Games shipped on Nintendo platforms, it just makes sense.

While Rockstar has traditionally stuck with PlayStation, Xbox and PC platforms, it has brought Smugglers Run to the Gamecube and Grand Theft Auto to the Game Boy Advance. We'd say think that, given the hooker beating simulating properties of the Wii nunchuk, it's a no-brainer.

Feder wouldn't confirm that the title would hit before the holidays, despite requests from callers to clarify.

If rumors are right, Chinatown Wars will hit in the same three month window — November 1 to January 31 — as GTA IV's Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable episodes. If that GTA three-way does happen, it could make for a very happy group of shareholders. And a lot of virtual bystander corpses.

With the PC release and the localized Japanese version still to come, it's looking more and more likely that GTA IV can hit that 15 million mark in 2008, as Hudson Square Research analyst Daniel Ernst predicted.

A cheaper Xbox 360 and forthcoming episodic content sure won't hurt GTA IV's chances this holiday season.

GTA IV DLC on track for November [Eurogamer]

Yes, all the hot, hot titles all the kids are into three years ago. Curiously, Grand Theft Auto titles don't appear to be on the "banned" list. It cannot, however, be imported or distributed due to its dangerous status.

The Thai government is also spearheading a vague 90-day effort to protect impressionable youth from "dangerous games" and establish regulations for pay-to-play gaming centers that feature such titles. We wish them the best of luck in figuring out whatever the hell they think they're doing.

Thai Ministry of Culture wages war on gaming [CNET via GamePolitics]

"She just knew, from playing 'Grand Theft Auto.' She saw on there that when a car rolls over, it can blow up. She knew that could happen to us"

I know, I had to make sure the story was true as well, going so far as to call the story's writer, Craig Wieczorkiewicz, to verify the details. "It's amazing the sort of information that comes out when you ask the right questions," he offered, after I commented on the rarity of such stories.

So yes, the Grand Theft Auto series can easily become the scapegoat for any number of crimes, but it can also inspire heroism in the heart of a preteen girl with an unrealistic grasp on automobile physics. Of course this will be discounted as a freak occurrence by those that choose to believe violent games cause violent children, but for us the story can serve as an example of video games teaching us helpful, if relatively inaccurate things.

Preteen girl helps family escape crashed vehicle [MyWebTimes]

Preview of New XBox Experience [RPG-TV]

What we saw, a Rockstar controlled run through of the memorable "Three Leaf Clover" mission, looked exactly how we remember it, just much, much sharper. Higher resolution textures, crisp anti-aliasing, better streaming and higher draw distances will certainly appeal to the graphics whore in you.

If not, GTA IV for PC's higher multiplayer cap and game searching filters might. The PC port's other big bullet point, the replay recorder and editor, wasn't on display, but will definitely make for memorable machinima.

In short, it looked damn good, if more than familiar, on a 50" plasma screen at one notch below max resolution.

The division doesn’t make sense to us; good games will usually sell and be popular, bad games will struggle – of any type or genre or style. But we still believe big, high impact games will help the industry evolve and further surpass the movie industry as the next mass-market story telling medium.

...We always tried to make games that anyone could pick up and play. They may, over time, reveal a lot of structural and mechanical complexity, but the first mission of more or less any Rockstar game is very easy and engaging for a reason – because new people playing the game have to be gently led into the world of 3D action games, or open world racing games or whatever. This is the way we try to cater for a mass market ­– but we are focused on making digital worlds that are fun to explore and interlaced with rich narratives, that even the most casual player can become a part of, if they want to. The challenge is to make a game in which ‘depth’ does not result in complexity the first minutes you play. This is a challenge we’ve always tried to embrace, and I hope we are getting better at it, just as I hope we are getting better at everything.

Also, in the interview, Houser says Rockstar doesn't believe in focus testing, saying "it’s like asking an audience what album they want to hear – they don’t know until they hear it!" Yep, that sums it up perfectly. We've always wondered why there is a separation between "casual" and "core" players. Should all games support both? Otherwise, game companies are being elitist or just pandering.

Grand Theft Auteur - Part 2 [Develop]

PS3/Xbox 360用ACT『GTA IV』日本語版が10月30日発売決定 [Dengeki Online]

Proving that parents haven't gone completely crazy, the vast majority - 49% - were worried that their child would smoke a little chronic with their pals and then...I dunno, giggle for 8 hours straight, like we did back when i was a teenager. That's the real danger folks.

What They Play™ Finds Parents More Concerned About Video Games Than Alcohol and Pornography; Violence More Acceptable Than Sexual Content
Polls Reveal Parents Have Attitudes Toward Video Games and Social Issues That May Surprise

SAN FRANCISCO—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Parents are more concerned about their children’s exposure to video games than alcohol, violence and pornography, according to recent polls conducted by What They Play (www.whattheyplay.com), the parents guide to video games. Nearly 3,000 respondents in two separate What They Play polls concluded that drinking beer and watching pornography were less objectionable activities for children than playing certain video games. Further, viewing violence was more acceptable than seeing content involving sex and sexuality within games.

“These poll results demonstrate that parents are as apprehensive about their children’s media diets as they are about traditional social issues such as alcohol, drugs, violence and sex,” says John Davison, president of What They Like, Inc. “When it comes to video games, parents should know that What They Play is a resource that helps demystify one of the most popular – and challenging – forms of entertainment their kids are into.”

“Although these findings seem surprising at first, they hint at fears parents have about video games,” says Cheryl K. Olson, Sc.D., co-author of Grand Theft Childhood. “To some parents, video games are full of unknowable dangers. While researching for Grand Theft Childhood, parents we spoke with in focus groups often bemoaned the fact that they didn’t know how to use game controls - and felt unequipped to supervise or limit video game play. Of course, parents don’t want their children drinking alcohol, but that’s a more familiar risk.”

The results of the initial What They Play online poll, conducted April 4-10, 2008, found that the 1,266 participants were most offended by the following in a video game: a man and woman having sex (37%); two men kissing (27%); a graphically severed head (25%); and multiple use of the F-word (9%).

The second poll, which ran August 1-6, 2008, queried parents on what they’d be most concerned about their 17-year-old child indulging in while at a sleepover. More than 1,600 respondents revealed they’re more apprehensive about their child smoking marijuana (49%) and playing the video game Grand Theft Auto (19%), than watching pornography (16%) and drinking beer (14%).

Additional What They Play poll results and insight into parents’ attitudes toward video games and other forms of entertainment in which their children engage can be found at www.whattheyplay.com/polls/

He is absolutely the most intense guy in the world... He’s like Rasputin, you know. He’s intense... But that’s how you make great stuff. You don’t make great stuff by wearing a nice sweater and drinking a martini: you make great stuff by digging your fucking teeth in... I know Sam now... I’ve been lucky enough to get to know Sam... Since BioShock’s come out — I was a huge fan of his, and I think he really liked the game, and he felt is was something that was greatly interesting. I can’t speak for Sam, you know, but that’s my interpretation of what he said.

Hey, the martini and nice sweater racket did wonders for Frank Sinatra. That guy was no slouch.

Houser made GTA by digging his “fucking teeth in,” says Levine [VG247]

Now, Josep Maria Goñi, secretary general of the Catalan Taxi Federation, is asking the Spanish government to do the same, citing the Thai murder case.

We're going to make an ass out of ourselves and assume that Mr. Goñi knows as much as the Grand Theft Auto series as just about everyone else in his position and hope that cabbie murder hysteria blows over before it gives the series a bad rap. We can't have our games being scapegoated for society's ills, now. What a horrible precedent that would set.

Spanish Cabbies Want GTA Banned in Wake of Thai Taxi Murder [Game Politics]

The 15-year-old and two 16-year-olds face 57 felony counts of first- and second degree arson, first- and second-degree criminal damage to property and possession of explosive devices.

While the Milton (Georgia) police chief was quick to blame violent video games for the spree, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution made sure to balance to the story by interviewing someone who actually knew what they were talking about.

Lawrence Kutner, co-director of the Center for Mental Health and Media at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, disputed the police chief's claim that the firebombings were "another strong example of the serious ramifications that can come from letting impressionable teens play violent video games like this one."

"If you look at the whole population, youth violent crime has gone down dramatically since the 1990s while playing computer games has gone up exponentially," Kutner said.

"It may be that a kid attracted to criminal behavior is also attracted to violent games," he said. "You can't make the simple statement that if you expose a kid to violent games, then he'll become violent" in life.

While Kutner makes a good point, any even better one to make is that GTA never actually teaches you how to make Molotov cocktails. Use them? Perhaps. Make them? No way.

3 teens arrested in car bombings [AJC, thanks Jack] [Pic]

Meningslösa skadegörelser i blomsterlådorna [NSD Thanks, John!]

The original press release is in Thai, which I don't read, but the Cnet Asia reporter seems to be saying the release of the list and the killing are related. Now that Thailand has decided to pull one game from shelves, what's to stop them from pulling the ten on this list, which includes God of War and 300, the game, not the movie.

Here's your full list of "dangerous games."

1- GTA

2- Man Hunt

3- Scarface

4- 50 Cent - Bullet Proof

5- 300

6- The Godfather

7- Killer 7

8- Resident Evil 4

9- God of War

10- Hitman

Thai Ministry of Health's 10 most dangerous video games (yeah, you read that right) [Cnet Asia]

"We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can't wait for people to play it."

It looks like the PC version will be ported by Rockstar North, though I've pinged Rockstar to be sure. I've also asked them about pricing, DLC and system requirements for the PC version.

Rockstar Games Announces Grand Theft Auto IV for the PC

New York, NY – August 6, 2008 – Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce that Grand Theft Auto IV will be arriving on the PC on November 18th and 21st in North America and Europe, respectively.

"We are very excited to be releasing the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "The whole team is dedicated to bringing an amazing gaming experience to the PC. The game looks and plays beautifully on PC and we can't wait for people to play it."

Developed by series creator Rockstar North and set in Liberty City, the latest installment in the enormously successful Grand Theft Auto series features a painstakingly detailed and life-like city for players to explore; a rich, immersive narrative experience; an original soundtrack highlighting the cultural eclecticism of Liberty City; and newly expanded multiplayer just for the PC.

For more information please visit: http://www.rockstargames.com/IV

According to the UGO post, Chinatown Wars focuses on "an outsider navigating the criminal underworld of a major city", with the player controlling "a young gang soldier involved in the internal power struggle for control of his gang."

The survey also allegedly spills details on what that Nintendo Wi-Fi Connection support will be.

Four different game modes, one of them a race mode, are said to be included in GTA: Chinatown Wars. Cooperative wi-fi multiplayer is also listed as a feature.

The alleged survey also notes that the game will feature "20+ hours of straight gameplay" over the course of 70+ missions, as well as stylus-based, contextual mini-games "such as assembling a sniper rifle to complete an assassination mission, and smashing locks and hotwiring cars to steal them."

While the graphical plummet from Grand Theft Auto IV to whatever the Nintendo DS can spit out will certainly make it a strain on the eyes, we're still interested in the handheld exclusive release. If these details pan out to be true — we're checking in with Rockstar to see if they feel like confirming — we'll be in for something swell, I'm sure.

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Details Revealed [UGO]

You may recall that in November of last year, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York granted preliminary approval of a settlement of several class action suits against Take-Two. TTWO expected then to pay out up to $2.75 million for the settlement, pending Court approval.

Turns out that few actually filed claims. On July 31, the Court said that "the plaintiffs could no longer meet their burden of showing that the case could proceed on the proposed class basis" according to an SEC filing.

Take-Two opts not to weigh in on whether an appeal is likely in the filing, but when a million bucks is offered and folks don't bite — only $30,000 in claims were filed — we'd have a hard time believing that one is in the cards. The attorneys involved already got their paycheck actually haven't yet been paid, at least on the plaintiff side. Makes me feel that much better about never completing "The Guide To Spending Your 'Hot Coffee' Settlement."

Update: Ted Frank from Overlawyered wrote in to clear some things up for us. He writes: "The plaintiffs' attorneys have not gotten their paycheck. My objection was premised on the grounds that the court should not approve a settlement that paid the attorneys so much more than what the class received; when the court rejected the settlement, it meant there was no court approval for a payment to the plaintiffs' attorneys."

According to police, the youth wanted to find out if it was as easy to rob a real taxi as it was in Grand Theft Auto. Newspapers are reporting that the teenager didn't plan to stab the driver, but only did show when he retailiated. The teen was arrested on late Saturday when he was found trying to drive the car backwards out of a Bangkok city street. The driver was found severly wounded and in the backseat. Ladda Thangsupachai, director of the ministry's Cultural Surveillance Centre, scaremongers:

This time-bomb has already exploded and the situation could get worse. Today it is a cab driver, but tomorrow it could be a video game shop owner.

The police stated the boy showed, and we're quoting Reuters, "no sign of mental problems during questioning." Meaning that the mental problems were only visible when he was stabbing a taxi driver?

Thailand halts Grand Theft Auto sales after murder [Reuters] [Pic]

I think there's a legal compliance reason for that. I got a prize for being a finalist in a bad-movie contest run by Radar, and they made me sign an affidavit and send it back in seven days too. OK, so that was my passive aggressive way of linking to some OT bullshit. Anyway, the Rockstar notice has the image of what looks like the key all the eligible 100 Percenters will receive. So congrats to Farnic and all who got it. When it arrives, take pictures of the unboxing and send them along.

100 Percent Club Contest Notices Delivered [Rockstar Games Social Club]

Medved points to GTA IV's release on the cusp of an economic recession and its sixty dollar price tag as seemingly puzzling in light of its "stunning" success, selling 6 million copies in its first week. Apparently Medved doesn't quite get that the game is not such a bad deal, as far as entertainment dollars go — this is a 40 hour game experience for many, not including morals erasing multiplayer.

Frankly, we're not sure where he's going with this whole "GTA IV is the devil and people aren't gambling because gas prices are so high and babies are being born out of wedlock," but we like his brand of rambling crazy. The posts write themselves!

War on Middle Class Values, Not on Middle Class [Townhall]

Down at the bottom of the page there's the universal symbol for the Nintendo WiFi Connection. It's not too far a leap to think that means that the upcoming touch-action game will have some sort of WiFi support. Of course we haven't a clue if that means a free downloadable demo to share with friends or full-on multiplayer support. Here's hoping it's the latter.

China Town Wars [Thanks Christian]

I can't comment on it, but obviously we have one of the best selling third –party games on the Wii in Carnival Games from 2K Play, so we know the Wii pretty well. We're building up assets to develop for the Wii and we're excited about its growth. I can't comment on GTA specifically on the Wii...

Read into that what you will, but we read a man saying those words with a smirk on his face and his right hand patting his wallet ever so softly.

Interview: Take-Two's Ben Feder Talks GTA, Wii, MMOs and More [GameDaily]

GTA IV Rating Shown With Windows PC as Console [Game-on-Game via Blue's News

All I can tell you is that since the day I walked in the door, I’ve had a very good relationship with the folks at Take Two, continue to have a good relationship. And so in our view we want just the best content coming on our platforms... You know, a GTA on the Wii is all based on what Rockstsar and Take Two want to do. And again, from our standpoint, if they build a bottoms-up game that takes advantage of what we do well, I’d love to see it on the platform.

And hey, why the heck not?

Nintendo President Talks ‘Grand Theft Auto’ Deal [MTV Multiplayer] [Pic]

"The PC version of GTA IV has not even been announced for release and is still in development so is not about to be released on a website."

The entire conversation is very long and almost takes on the scope of a 419 baiter thread. But they do provide screenshots (granted, those can be faked too.)

Basically, these two guys concoct a detailed tech support problem with a free demo of Grand Theft Auto IV, and see if Take 2 will bite. Of course, they do, but only to a point. After getting that little nugget above — which they're convinced was copypasted from some higher-up's response to befuddled tech support — they get another tech who is less fun and a little more circumspect about their claims.

While the last message does say, "We are unsure when the PC version of the game will be released," that does not mean, "We are sure it will be coming out, just not when." I am likewise unsure of when I'll win the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes.

ComputerandVideoGames.net reported rumors back in April that a PC GTA IV was due out in October, citing European retailers. That didn't bring a denial from Rockstar UK, just "no comment." So unless and until Rockstar wants to lay the rumor smash, this remains rumor only. I wouldn't get my hopes up, but you never know.
How We Pranked Rockstar [Blog, thanks reader Matt]

Okay, who voted with McWhertor in the E3 betting pool? Nintendo has announced that Grand Theft Auto is hitting the Nintendo DS in the form of Grand Theft Auto: China Town Wars, a game built with a custom engine and set in a mondern-day Liberty City. Details were vague but the the news certainly stirred the crowd at the Nintendo E3 2008 press conference.

We've had handheld GTA before, but handheld GTA on a device that can play a game for upwards of 14 hours straight? That's dangerous.

Hit the jump for the full press release from Rockstar!

Rockstar Games Announces Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars for the Nintendo DS™

The newest entry in the Grand Theft Auto series for Nintendo's handheld system this winter

NEW YORK—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Rockstar Games, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO), is proud to announce Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars. Developed by Rockstar Leeds in conjunction with series creators Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will be available on the Nintendo DS™ in North America and Europe this winter.

"This is a game that will deliver a rich, fast-paced and intense 'Grand Theft Auto' experience that will be truly unique to Nintendo's handheld platform," said Sam Houser, Founder of Rockstar Games. "Rockstar Leeds, along with the team at Rockstar North, has built upon a decade of progressive design on Grand Theft Auto, and has created something fundamentally fresh and immersive."

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is an entirely original entry into the critically acclaimed Grand Theft Auto series, and brings a new level of interactivity to its sprawling open environments. With the use of the DS touch screen, players will navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind an epic tale of crime and corruption within the Triad crime syndicate, delivering the unprecedented amount of depth that has become a true trademark of the franchise.

For more information about Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, visit: http://www.rockstargames.com/chinatownwars

Whatever you think of the law or those who practice it, this guy's out there lawyerin' and lobbyin' for your rights to play — well, Take Two games, at least.

According to the profile, Krauss came on board when Strauss Zelnick took control in 2002. Other fun facts:

• When Krauss took over as general counsel, Take Two had only two in-house attorneys. In the six years since, they're up to 15, handling the company's never-ending concerns with intellectual property and First Amendment cases.

• Even after beating a case he still finds it has strong replay value. "Take-Two operates in 20 different jurisdictions, so every legal issue 'has to be replayed over and over again,'" the profile says. These include global jurisdictions, of course, but surely they also cover some U.S. state-level cases. Some lobbying is a part of his duties, Krauss says.

• Quoting the profile: "Take-Two has had to defend itself against those who consider this form of entertainment scary and dangerous. Krauss works with his counterparts at other game companies and other allies to meet criticism by politicians and critics "who try to politicize the video game industry."

• Krauss' dad was a Broadway producer; he considers his job "a happy and welcome return to working with creative people." He's a Duke undergrad and Washington University J.D. Krauss also worked for the Manhattan D.A., where he probed the financial institutions implicated in Enron's collapse.

Start Game [Law.com, via Gamepolitics]

What have I got left to achieve? Everything. We are only scratching at the surface of games' potential as a creative medium.

Fantastic to hear this kinda stuff from a guy like Houser.

Rockstar boss: Games industry has ‘limitless’ potential [MCVUK via VG247]

Welcome to Veg City! [Official Site via Marblehead Blog via GamePolitics]

This particular Lola looks to only have five fingers, so the fantasy may be blown for some of you. But for anyone looking for a NSFW thrill, carry on. Membership is obviously required, as we all know the internet doesn't give away its smut for free.

GTA A Tribute to Lola [Suicide Girls]

You know, I actually live in a sketchy neighborhood, Rockstar bat-givers. If I'm assaulted by a local vagrant, you'll have my blood on your hands. Just a thought.

GTA IV Baseball Bat Moves Gaming Violence From Couch to the Streets [Popular Mechanics]

Of course, any position either overtly against or in defense of gaming is likely to be controversial right now, and GamePolitics has been documenting the argument between University of Michigan professor Brad Bushman and the book's authors. Bushman published an article in the Detroit Free Press essentially disputing Kutner and Olson's findings:

Violent video games are not the only risk factor for aggression, or even the most important factor, but they are definitely not a trivial factor. Parents should carefully monitor what video games their children play this summer, instead of being lulled into a false sense of security about the effects these games can have now and well into the future.

Bushman also criticizes the authors' methods as well as their study findings, prompting Kutner and Olson to respond in comments to GamePolitics:

Dr. Bushman’s statement that video games directly reward violence is only partly accurate; anyone who actually plays video games knows that players are not always rewarded for acting violently, and in fact are often penalized immediately or later on (even in parts of Grand Theft Auto IV). The content and consequences in video games are extremely varied, which is one reason that studying their influence is so difficult.

Finally, regarding his experimental study of Dutch teenagers playing a game for 20 minutes in a lab: Those teens are fully aware that no researcher will allow them to act in a way that causes permanent physical harm to someone. Dr. Bushman may be a bit too credulous – a view that is supported by a quote from that Surgeon General’s report.

It's interesting to hear both sides of the argument, and heartening to hear that the authors are willing to publicly defend their findings even though they're controversial.

Grand Theft Childhood Authors Respond to U of Michigan Prof's Criticism [GamePolitics]
Grand theft summer vacation [Detroit Free Press, via GamePolitics]

Dìaz examines the art value of GTA IV, prompted by exultant commentary from the games press that calls the game on par with or exceeding film triumphs like Scarface and The Godfather - and, in an editorial well-supported by factual comparisons, he finds it comes up short:

What else is the new GTA not? Well, despite all the critical adulation over GTA IV's characters and purported subtlety, this isn't a game that is nuanced or subtle. Like the pulps that are part of its narrative DNA, GTA IV operates in broad strokes, crude characterization and over-the-top stereotypes — this is a game where a shotgun to the head is the height of discretion. The GTA series made its name by being "hard-core" (or, if you prefer, tasteless) but the latest game certainly ain't half as hard-core as even Steven Seagal's "Out for Justice." (Check out the final corkscrew-to-the-head death match.) Hell, GTA IV ain't even half as hard-core as some of its predecessors.

Dìaz says he is actually a longtime fan of the series, and that it was GTA III that truly broke ground with its gameplay, and he seems to suggest that other installments since then have largely been more of the same. I'm a fan of GTA IV as much as anyone else, but I find Dìaz's criticisms hard to disagree with, particularly this one:

Compared with Tommy and CJ, GTA IV's protagonist Niko Bellic is somewhat of a milquetoast. He's more of a reluctant hero in the classic tradition. I mean he ain't exactly a boy scout, having been a human trafficker in the immediate past, and his descent into hits for hire is pretty swift but overall he's a moral improvement over earlier GTA leads. Perhaps this is why the critics call him more nuanced, but in my estimation Niko isn't nuanced; he's just boring. You don't play GTA because you want to roll with a Niko. You play GTA because, for a couple of hours, you want to be a Tommy Vercetti. So before you start measuring a game to "The Brothers Karamazov" maybe you should measure it up to its earlier iterations. You might actually see something.

Maybe the attempt to add film-style nuance to GTA IV didn't especially serve the format, especially as it brought the character story into conflict with the gameplay.

'Grand,' but No 'Godfather' [WSJ via Level Up]

Knights of the Sandbox City [Develop]

"It was determined that they were emulating the character in that Grand Theft Auto game, going on a crime spree" using weapons and tactics inspired by the controversial video game, said Det. Sgt. Anthony Repalone, a Nassau police spokesman.

"We got certain admissions" from the boys, Repalone said.

Good luck on using the old GTA defense boys. It might just work, unless of course the prosecutors play the "You are all obviously f***ing morons" card.

Cops: Video game inspired crime spree [Newsday.com]

Yeah, of course, there's no rape scene in GTA IV. But Slossberg appears to be pretty convinced she'd see it, if she could only play well enough to reach that point in the game. Or so she said during a Capitol press conference, according to the Advocate.

The article says she'd like "confirmation" that there is no rape scene in the game. I suppose this is another "write your representative" situation where she could use some (polite) information?

Connecticut State Senator Alarmed Over (non-existent) Rape Scene in GTA IV [New Haven Advocate via GamePolitics]

Take-Two must cover over a million dollars in legal fees and has agreed to a hefty charitable donation as part of the settlement, but they'll pay out just $30,000 in resolving claims with consumers. The "benefits" to consumers ranged from $5 to $35 US, with some claimants getting a decaffeinated copy of San Andreas.

Unsurprisingly, another lawyer has poked his nose into the settlement, claiming that the lawsuit has no merit. That claim is partly based on the fact that so few offended parties wanted to experience the "Hot Coffee" healing power of cash.

Adding weight to the argument that the suit has no merit, is that it appears that some of those deposed were clueless about the game's content to begin with. Killing? Well known. But stealing? In Grand Theft Auto? Who knew?!

Anyone out there file a claim? We'd like to know!

Hidden Sex Scenes Draw Ho-Hum, Except From Lawyers [New York Times - thanks, Michael!]

Expect to see games made for lower budgets, targeted at wider audiences (ones that aren’t fixated on high-end 3D graphics) and delivered over broadband with a micropayment program in place. Don’t expect a follow-up to the 360 or PS3 anytime soon, either. In other words, the days when so-called “next-gen” gaming reigned supreme are coming to end — instead, the industry’s future will be shaped by games like Rock Band.

Au cites VGChartz data, which can be problematic for several reasons recently highlighted in an excellent Simon Carless column at GameSetWatch, but aside from that minor note, I think the future Au foresees is definitely a likely one - to an extent.

GTA IV, of course, netted $500 million in its first week. Hardware manufacturers may need to become more agile, but I highly doubt that the giants of game development will be so easily shifted to lower-budget, microtransactions-driven titles when there's money like that to be made from a hit.

Web entrepreneurs have also been forecasting, with strange virulence, the death of the "core" game industry as we know it for some years now, and they predict its recession in favor of viral, social, casual browser-based stuff. This sector is currently the darling of the venture capitalists, and many of their products have garnered the attention of millions of mainstream users, but such products have yet to prove they can hang in beyond the bubble, and remain primarily of major interest to those who invest in and cover the space. Meanwhile, the console-cycle industry model has persisted for decades.

Most likely, the crystal ball will feature a blend of both business models - a continuation of the traditional one, plus some more risk-resistant, smaller-scale products.

What do you think? Will we see a day when the console megatitle is a thing of the past?

Why GTA IV Was the Beginning of the End [GigaOM via GameSetWatch]