Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer breakdown

In our first "Trailer Breakdown," the Shacknews staff points out some of the things we spotted in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto V, the next game in the best-selling Rockstar series.

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After soaking in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto V from developer Rockstar North, the staff at Shacknews decided to point out some of the locations in the game seemingly inspired by our home state of California. After the break enjoy a quick video tour of the trailer through the eyes of a Los Angeles native and a few screen grabs of humorous signs. As an added bonus, you can read our wildly speculative theory on Grand Theft Auto V's story and playable character(s). Based on the footage we've seen, it appears that San Andreas is falling on tough times. As a developer known to create worlds that comment on current political and social climates, it makes sense that a recession would hit the world of Grand Theft Auto. If Grand Theft Auto IV was about fighting toward the 'American Dream,' Grand Theft Auto V might be about 'Surviving' the land of the free. It's unclear if the narrator is the playable character, but there are three possibilities of who he may be in the trailer. Three people continue to appear throughout the video, including one man that some are speculating to be Vice City's Tommy Vercetti. We don't think it is, based on the man's age. There is a moment where the narrator talks about playing with his children, but things don't really work out the way you want. In this sequence, a man resembling the Vercetti lookalike enters a jewlery store with two others. Could this be a sign of a family-based crime syndicate? The other two men appear in the trailer multiple times. One character appears in a red convertible with a retractile roof, while the other appears in vehicles at a few points during the trailer as well as running from police. Is it possible Grand Theft Auto V will feature three playable characters? With expansions to Grand Theft Auto IV, Rockstar has shown they are willing to tell deeper stories. Maybe this will mark the first time we get three playable characters in one game. But... we're just speculating.

One of the many signs of a recession, buildings stand unfinished. Note the STD Contractors signage.

Postal Service 'Aims not to Lose' your mail. One of the many quick gags in the trailer.

Putting the 'FU' in Fumigate is another great wordplay gag.

Speculation this could be the narrator. Could he be one of the playable characters?

Speedophile 2000 is much faster than the 1500 model.

Another character, seen here driving, that appears multiple times in the trailer.

Times are tough is the constant imagery in this trailer, leading us to think GTAV will mimic today's economic turmoil.

A shot of three characters we think could be related and even make up the cast of playable characters.

With a logo that spoofs California's staple 'In-N-Out Burger,' this is another example of nods to the location that inspires GTA V.

This character, seen multiple times, may make up one of the playable characters in the game. Our wild speculation is that there are multiple playable characters in the game.

One of the many examples of businesses and homes being shut down and boarded up, a sign of a bad economy.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    November 3, 2011 10:41 AM

    Xav de Matos and Jeff Mattas posted a new article, Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer breakdown.

    In our first "Trailer Breakdown," the Shacknews staff points out some of the things we spotted in the first trailer for Grand Theft Auto V, the next game in the best-selling Rockstar series.

    • reply
      November 3, 2011 12:10 PM

      Check out our breakdown of the GTA trailer! (Chatty error, so I'm bumping this)

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        November 3, 2011 12:28 PM

        I like this, new Shacknews items and ideas. Keep up the good work ^^

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      November 3, 2011 12:14 PM

      Up-n-Atom's such an obvious one for LA

      also the endless number of liquor stores in tough areas

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        November 3, 2011 1:15 PM

        Well, isn't that just an American thing?

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          November 4, 2011 4:27 PM

          And the muscle sands is an obvious reference to muscle beach.

    • Ziz legacy 10 years legacy 20 years
      reply
      November 3, 2011 12:45 PM

      "We aim not to lose it" Lose it and go postal.

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      November 3, 2011 2:04 PM

      Very similar breakdown as the Xbox360achievements guys posted yesterday, still good to hear another opinion. http://www.xbox360achievements.org/news/news-10007-Feature--The-GTA-V-Debut-Trailer-Under-The-Microscope.html

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      November 3, 2011 2:06 PM

      Tommy Vercetti was voiced by Ray Liotta so I don't think this new guy is supposed to be him. Also if it was, why would he move to Los Santos for the weather (he was in Miami). Someone posted here yesterday that it might be CLAUDE from GTA3, which would be much more believable IMO (even though he was the standard mute silent protagonist in the earlier GTAs).

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        November 3, 2011 2:07 PM

        and by Miami I mean Vice City

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        November 3, 2011 2:28 PM

        That's assuming the person speaking is that particular character. It's possible we don't even see the person narrating the trailer.

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          November 3, 2011 3:42 PM

          I think its someone completely new.

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        November 3, 2011 2:40 PM

        Looks too old to be Claude though, no? GTA 3 was set in 2001. Also they never wanted to work with Ray Liotta again, or vice versa IIRC, so if they wanted to bring Vercetti back there would be a new voice actor either way.

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      November 3, 2011 2:10 PM

      Did you not spot Niko Bellic as a beggar?

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        November 3, 2011 2:10 PM

        Oh that video never loaded 1st time, ignore this.

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        November 3, 2011 2:11 PM

        It's noted in the trailer commentary video.

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        November 6, 2011 7:57 AM

        That doesn't look like Niko at all.

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      November 3, 2011 2:30 PM

      Another thing that I saw pointed out at another site... There is a bike leaned against the house in that postal van picture.

      I loved bikes in GTA SA, so I'm glad they're back.

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      November 3, 2011 3:38 PM

      [deleted]

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      November 3, 2011 3:42 PM

      Someone noted this on Youtube (Yeah, a comment on Youtube that isn't swearing or completely void of intelligence? Go figure).

      Pause the video at 0:54. The "Postal car" has the number "2405" written on it. After he leaves, "2405" can be seen at the curb.

      The music used in the trailer, "Nut Ogdens 'Gone Flake", was released at 24-05-1968 (24 of may of 1968)

      The producer of GTA V, Rockstar North, is based in Scotland; We read the dates like DD/MM/YYYY.

      Conclusion: GTA V will be released at May, 24. 2012.

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      November 3, 2011 3:43 PM

      There were actually quite a few more things we noticed, not all of which I had time to mention in the quick and dirty trailer breakdown. Here's a more complete (chronological) list, for those who are interested:

      - Dog in the opening shot (canines new to the GTA series)
      - Joggers on the boardwalk - notice the Pleasure Pier (Santa Monica Pier) sign and the "Pump and Run Gymnasium" t-shirt
      - Jet ski is called a SpeedoPhile 2000
      - Trio of campers look like they're somewhere in Yosemite national park
      - Car with a working convertible top (driven by a character seen chased by cops in later clip) - Location-wise, this is in Venice (south of Santa Monica)
      - The area with the wind turbines is clearly representative of Altamont Pass, a few hours outside of San Francisco
      - Big beach cliff-side houses in Malibu (north of Santa Monica)
      - Downtown freeway interchange showing a sign from I-5, here called the Los Puerta Fwy. A sign for Little Seoul (likely Koreatown) can also be seen
      - Another beach shot, this time of the famous Muscle Beach location in Venice. Here, it's called Muscle Sands on Vespucci Beach
      - STD Contractors building skyscrapers downtown
      - Shot of the character some folks think might be and old Tommy Vercetti (from Vice City), but could also be Donald Love (GTA III) or someone entirely different - also could be a playable character, as he appears in later driving and robbery scenes
      - Crop dusting -- likely off of Interstate 5 on the way to San Fiero (San Francisco)
      - Bugstars van "Putting the FU in fumigate"
      - Robbery seems to take place at a jewelry store in Beverly Hills (or on Melrose Blvd.) - also, each of the robbers appear elsewhere in the trailer
      - Quick glimpse of Pizza Hut parody "Pizza This!", and you can see the famous Capitol Records building in a freeze-frame as the blue convertible drives by
      - 24/7 supermarket chain makes an appearance
      - Up-n-Atom Burger "Once it Pings, Eat Like Kings!" is an In-n-Out Burger parody
      - Downtown street under the overpass - guys riding in the back of a jeep
      - Postal Service "We aim not to lose it" truck
      - Home foreclosure and other for sale, rental signs elsewhere in the trailer seem to indicate tough economic times. A bicycle can be seen leaning up against the house, and curtains flap in an open window
      - Ladies practicing the world's oldest profession outside of Ace Liquor
      - Sign-holding bum that looks a lot like a burned out Niko from GTA IV - "Need money for beer, ___, ___. At least I'm not bullshitting you."
      - Behind the bum, a sign for the I-2 (Del Perro) freeway is shown briefly
      - A homeless encampment underneath the LA freeway interchanges downtown (sadly accurate)
      - A fast moving jet armed with six missiles (no word if players can fly this)
      - A Ducati-looking motorcycle outside of a bar called Tequi-La-La
      - A "Brute" oil derrick southwest of downtown (and a very authentic smoggy sunset) - tiny worker gives good sense of scale
      - Character from the earlier working red convertible scene being chased by cops
      - An African-American guy running down a back alley in what looks like South Central Los Angeles. Another possible player character, given that he's being chased by several cops and a helicopter--way more heat than typically pursues NPCs
      - Private jet flying over the Vinewood (Hollywood) sign
      - Closing shot of the plane flying over the city - AUTHENTIC SMOG!

      Think we missed anything important?

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        November 4, 2011 3:46 AM

        Wouldn't wind farms in Palm Springs be a lot closer than all the way up by San Francisco? I don't know from California.

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          November 4, 2011 10:03 AM

          Probably not those wind farms. The ones by Palm Springs are in the desert, and those have a landscape more like central California.

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      November 3, 2011 3:43 PM

      Ok. I have now seen the trailer maybe 10 times. I am an official GTA groupie now.

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      November 3, 2011 7:54 PM

      Jets and Golf! omg.

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