Grand Theft Auto 4 On Track For Spring Release, X360 Receiving More DLC, No GTA Wii

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Rockstar North's highly-anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV (PS3, X360) is still planned for a simultaneous launch on both systems between February and April of 2008, publisher Take-Two confirmed in a conference call today.

After repeated questioning regarding a specific release date for the game, a Take-Two executive responded, "We'll announce the date when we're ready to announce the date."

Though Grand Theft Auto IV will arrive at the same time on both platforms, the company noted it will be providing the Xbox 360 version of the game with additional downloadable content beyond the 2008 fiscal year. This includes the Xbox 360-only DLC previously announced.

The executives also noted that the game has received an M16+ rating in Australia, based on a rating package that included documentation and gameplay footage--"everything you'd expect," the representative commented.

As far as the Wii goes, a question about the possibility of Grand Theft Auto on the Wii led to an apparent denial. "No disrespect," the company responded, "[but] I think there are other titles better suited for the [Wii] than Grand Theft Auto 4."

Meanwhile, Take-Two's family-friendly Wii mini-game festival Carnival Games ranked as one of the company's top-selling titles for the past quarter, shipping over 500,000 copies despite some slight manufacturing issues.

Viewed by Take-Two as an "evergreen product," the company expects further sales as supply of both the game and the Wii hardware increase. A Nintendo DS version of Carnival Games is planned for a 2008 release.

"We've always been committed to the Wii and a DS," noted a Take-Two rep, who said that the success of the game certainly changes its view on the potential of family-oriented games.

After an investor prompted the company to release yearly editions of its popular franchises, the company was quick to point out that it's not looking to blatantly cash in on any of its successful intellectual properties--a list that includes Midnight Club, Grand Theft Auto, and BioShock--and is instead working to instill each brand with value.

"There isn't a piece of us that wants to harvest us these franchises," stated one of the Take-Two execs. "That's not what we're about."

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

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From The Chatty
  • reply
    December 18, 2007 3:27 PM

    Different target markets sure but why not help establish a larger adult market. Less economics more free-thought imo!

    • reply
      December 18, 2007 3:28 PM

      (response to Wii comment)

    • reply
      December 18, 2007 3:32 PM

      the amount of work required for a port would be phenomenal. Scaling down the engine to work on the Wii might be completely impossible if the gameplay relies on certain draw distances, unit counts, physics objects, or other effects that would have to be cut. Even if it were possible, all that work would garner how many extra sales? Probably not many given that anyone who wants GTA4 (or enjoyed previous GTAs) is happy to buy a 360 or PS3 for it.

      • reply
        December 19, 2007 4:48 AM

        I enjoyed them and I'm not happy to buy a 360 or a PS3 for it.

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