GTA 5 Confusion With Next-Gen Employment

You have to hand it to Rockstar Games, as they give us a little information regarding Grand Theft Auto V and gamers try to find every morsel of news they can – and who can blame them? Even though the developer has been a little bit quiet of late, this has not stopped a number of rumors from surfacing, but are they now bordering on the ridiculous.

Take the idea of MotionScan, there has not been any proof Rockstar would implement this in GTA 5, but for some reason a few people hang on to the hope it will happen – even if it looks as though it will not. This now leads us to another piece of news, which was made official by Rockstar themselves.

On their website they are looking for environment artists to help design games for next-gen consoles. As you can imagine, this has now started a huge debate, as there seems to be some confusion thinking this next-gen employment has something to do with GTA 5 – but can you really blame them?

One article has reported the simple facts, but then asks if this job listing could have anything to do with the next Grand Theft Auto game, or even Red Dead Redemption 2? However, we were intrigued with what we read here, as they suggest GTA V could be coming to the Wii U. There are two things to argue this; the first is many gamers believe the Wii U not to be next-gen and the second; development of the game has to be far along now – unless it is launched on Nintendo’s upcoming console a little down the line?

Nowgamer has a feeling that GTA V will be released on the next Xbox, as it looks as though Microsoft are a lot further in development than Sony is with the PS4. There’s still the possibility of an E3 announcement for the former, as Sony has said they will not mention the next PlayStation at all during the gaming event in the summer.

We have to remember not to get ahead of ourselves here, as Rockstar has not stated Grand Theft Auto at all in the job listing; as well as their one they advertised last week to test an upcoming game.

GTA 5: Characters that could crossover

There has been some talk on the characters that will appear in GTA 5, as it has been said the game will be set in a different universe to previous versions. However, from what we are now being told, there could be a few characters that could crossover from GTA IV.

The idea of any other characters from earlier versions of Grand Theft Auto, such as 2 or 3 would not work in the upcoming version, as they are considered to be from a different universe; well that’s what’s being suggested in an article here. Each series seems to occupy a different universe, so the idea of crossovers from anything older that GTA 4 is something that would be a little hard to achieve. So for those of you who assumed they saw CJ in the GTA V trailer could wrong.

However, there is a possibility of Liberty City characters also making a showing in GTA V. This will surely be when the fun starts, as those anxiously waiting for the release of Rockstar’s anticipated game will now play a guessing game as to which character will make the cut from the two earlier versions of the franchise.

The main reason characters from Liberty City might make a showing in GTA V is because they were very much part of Grand Theft Auto 4. However, there will not be many from LC, as most of them are now dead.

Obviously Niko Bellic is a main contender to reprise his role, as well as the possibility of Jonathan “Johnny” Klebitz coming back; okay he was involved in a deal that saw him go off with Bellic’s money, but he managed to stay under the radar.

Knowing that GTA V is high def like GTA IV does narrow down the list of returning characters, this could mean Jerry Kapowitz is also in with a chance to return. It’s funny how many arguments concerning the characters of Grand Theft Auto V has caused, and for many gamers it all seems a bit pointless. Most of those who might return will have different roles to play; it’s knowing if they will be big or small. However, there’s no harm in guessing and you may have another year to keep asking who those characters will be.

GTA 5: HD Universe 'Not The Same As San Andreas' - Rockstar

Rockstar confirms how it defines the different versions of the GTA world.

GTA 5 will likely be set in a completely different 'universe' to previous GTA games - except for GTA 4, Rockstar has suggested.

The info comes from a Q&A last month when the developer confirmed how it cassifies the different 'universes' the GTA series occupies.

Answering a question about the referencing of characters across GTA 3 and GTA 4 the developer replied: "El Burro is referenced as he was also referenced in GTA 1, so it felt appropriate that he should cross “universes” – the “universes” are the worlds interpreted at different definitions, 2d, 3d and high definition, so we felt brands and radio / back ground characters would exist in both, but 3 dimensional characters would not.

"This is the logic (as far as it could be considered logical) behind it – so no, we don’t believe any GTA3 characters could exist in the GTA4 universe."

By Rockstar's logic the only key characters that could crossover into GTA 5 would be those from GTA 4, as well as The Episodes from Liberty City.

It sounds as if Rockstar does make fun exceptions, but those that think they spotted San Andreas character CJ in the GTA 5 announcement trailer may be out of luck.

GTA 5 MotionScan gives mixed reactions

The idea of having MotionScan in GTA 5 is a subject matter that doesn’t want to go away. The topic has had mixed reactions from some gamers, so why all the fuss? The moment Rockstar released the first official trailer for Grand Theft Auto V all the rumors of what to expect from the upcoming version were coming left, right and center, and top of the list was MotionScan. The reason for this was because of the face details when you see close-ups in the trailer, but that’s not proof it was or will be used.

The use of this technology in GTA V is a nice idea, one that has gained traction over the past month or so. However, we need to get real for a moment. For Rockstar to implement MotionScan in their upcoming game would take too long, as they would have to sit down with all the actors involved and go through the process of capturing them.

Knowing the scope of this game would mean thousands of actors would have to go through this process, unless the use of the technology is only used for important characters within the game? It’s no secret that this happened with LA Noire, but the big difference is GTA is a much larger game.

Another downside is memory; as using MotionScan would take a lot of it and we know how developers would much rather use the memory for other aspects of a game. There is one other important factor we need to consider, some readers have suggested that Rockstar has already confirmed they have no intention to use the technology – although we have no account that they ever said such a thing. However, it would make sense considering how long it would take – unless they have been working on the game for much longer than we thought?

Don’t get us wrong, we would love to see MotionScan used in GTA V; due to the fact that it gave L.A Noire added realism. An article here believes that the use of MotionScan would distract gamers from what makes Grand Theft Auto games so great, and that is the drama, and satirical humor, but would you agree with that?

There has been speculation that GTA V will not be released until 2013, but a recent job listing on Rockstar North for game testers would prove otherwise. The biggest debate regarding this game is its release date, and going on a 2012 release it could give the next Call of Duty game a run for its money, but would you agree?

What rumors have you heard for Grand Theft Auto 5, which are almost impossible to happen, in your opinion?

GTA 5 in May means 2013 Release Date

Two impressive launches on the way from Rockstar Games include GTA 5 and Max Payne 3, and while a release date has been confirmed for the new Max Payne game, the same cannot be said for Grand Theft Auto V.

The big month of May – It’s the view of some blogs that GTA 5 may see a knock-on effect from the launch of Max Payne 3 in May, and this month is likely one some publishers are known to avoid considering the big titles Rockstar plan during May.

This article takes a look at some of the sales in May for previous titles, like L.A. Noire and Red Dead Redemption, and also studies the time left for GTA 5 to release in 2012. They look at the potential for the next Grand Theft Auto game to come in early 2013, which we’ve heard before with certain release dates on pre-orders. Analysts are split on a release window with some expecting the title next year, and others (Michael Pachter) believing GTA 5 would be targeted at Christmas 2012.

Take-Two likes big game releases in May, so does this mean May 2013? We know Max Payne 3 is the big game for May this year, and history shows us this is the best month for Take-Two when it comes to their biggest games, which they don’t come much bigger than Grand Theft Auto 5. You can see 2010 NPD results for Red Dead Redemption on PS3 and Xbox 360 here, which shows the level of success partly thanks to a May release. This year saw L.A. Noire take the top spot in the same month, and we’re sure GTA 5 would achieve much more than these two games with a May release.

When would you like to see GTA V released, and also when do you think Take-Two would like it? Most analysts are pretty sure the game would come before the end of Take-Two’s next financial year, which would be before April next year but we find it hard for Take-Two to want anything other than a May release considering past success. You can see a couple of videos below, the first is a new video from Max Payne 3’s Design and Technology Series and the second shows the GTA 5 trailer once again.

You can read some more GTA 5 release analysis in this article, which looks at the months of September and October this year. Those of you wanting to play the PS3 demo of Mass Effect 3 should read this article that points to Valentine’s Day. If you’re thinking of getting the Wii U then you might be interested in rumors pointing to GTA 5 launching on Wii U as well.

In Summary: If GTA 5 is going to launch in Take-Two’s favorite month of May, then it looks like you’ll have to wait until May 2013.

Grand Theft Auto 5: Can Previous Titles Tell Us Anything?

Rockstar is going back to its roots – at least in terms of remembering. This is what Rockstar had to say on the GTA 3: The crew was making a lot of procedures up as they go along and they decided that event the NPCs should have dialogue.


This has never been done before at least not in the scale that Rockstar is doing it. “So we decided that the game’s protagonist would not talk, partly to aid people identifying with him, but mostly because we had so many other problems to solve and this did not seem like a major issue. We started to discuss introducing a talking lead character when working on Vice City, but it was a lot of work. While the structure of GTA3 may seem obvious or natural now, and the use of cut scenes made in the game’s engine that look and feel like the game may seem simple and easy, it really was not the case back in 2001 when we had to figure out all of these things for the first time. Oh and in San Andreas, CJ calls Claude a mute because he does not talk and CJ finds this unnerving.”

Rockstar is talking GTA 3 because the tenth anniversary edition of the title has come out for the iOS and Android. The studio is not just focusing its energies on its new game, GTA V, but also pursuing the re-introduction of some of its game to newer platforms. This is a good thing. It was also good to know why Claude was a mute. It makes you think about new protagonists coming up. Who would be the protagonist of GTA 5 and why?

‎GTA 5 Wallpaper #2

New GTA 5 Wallpaper #2

Rumor: GTA 5 Information Leaks out of UK Magazine

Supposed details regarding Grand Theft Auto V have “leaked” from someone claiming to work for a PlayStation-focused magazine based in the UK. The rumored information was posted on GTAForums, and if any of this information is true, which it’s hard to know for sure at this point, expect a few spoilers out of it. Therefore, if you wish to remain clean of mind, body, and spirit, proceed with caution below the break.



According to the forum poster, via NowGamer, the information came to him from co-workers at the magazine which were given a 30-minute look at GTA 5 at Rockstar North a week before the first trailer aired.

“The mag I work for will be running a GTA 5 special in it’s January issue,” claimed the magazine employee. “They saw this footage on Monday of this week before the trailer aired and are currently under a strict embargo but talk flowed out of the office and hence why I am posting here.”

While admitting never to have seen the footage firsthand, the employee said the following information - pulled “as is” from the post – was gleaned from those who were given a look at the game :

The game world is absolutely massive and will push both Xbox and PS3 to the very limit in terms of what it has accomplished. Yes, the main city is simply Los Santos however is it AT LEAST 4 times bigger than Liberty City in GTA 4 and that is just Los Santos. The surrounding country side, beaches, etc are massive. For instance, we saw the main character (an African/American, early 30′s) travel by car from the center of Los Santos into the wildnerness and it took over 15 minutes. The views were incredible from farmhouses with cattle, huge wind farms, an oil refinery which appeared to be living and breathing with nearly 100 NPCs working on machinery, operating vehicles, lifting and loaded, etc, unlike the gas works in GTA 4 which seemed to only house a few NPC at a time. The forests are more beautiful than those in RDR and featured people camping, young NPC drinking and dancing around campfires, people riding dirt bikes and jumping over logs, streams, etc. The water effects, forna, plants, trees all looked beautiful.
The shooting mechanics have been greatly improved with animations for diving, climbing, rolling and crawling all added for better realism. The re-loading animations for new ammo also look cooler, less static.
There is much more climbable elements in the world such as ladders, overhand climbing, etc.
There are animals in the game from dogs to cattle but at this time it is not confirmed if you will be able to harm the animals. Rockstar were able to get away with it in RDR as it was a true depiction of the world in which the game was set. Allowing dogs/cattle to die in a game sent in current times may cause headaches with PETA. Its unclear if Rockstar were joking here.
There are planes to pilot and they can be crashed into buildings if you choose to do so….
Rockstar have included many, many more interior locations such as a shopping mall, college campus, police station, a huge hospital and there is also a vast underground sewer network which one mission later in the game involves a jet ski chase that culminates in a Fugitive-esque waterfall jump ( there are nods to the ridiculous but awesome Ballad Of Gay Tony missions)
The city is full of NPCs jogging, weight-lifting, hitting on women, being chased on foot by cops, shopping, washing cars, fixing fences, moving home, filling up their cars, etc.

The following is a list of what the employee called the “real juicy info”:

Cars can be upgraded/repaired and it has been considered to have a car have fuel forcing the player to fill her up.
The dating aspect of the game is gone. You still have a cell-phone but only people you will meet in the game will call you to ask you to do a mission or to ask you to do something else before the mission.
Weapons include the usual arsenal you’d aspect but the flamethrowers, remote mines, laxer trip mines and claymores are included. It is possible now to pick up random objects in a street/buidling to use as a weapon. There is also a museam where it is possible to steal old age swords, axes, etc.
It is possible to rupture a fuel line and if you shot at the trail of gasoline it will lead straight back to the car blowing it up.
Mini games such as bowling, darts, etc have all gone. You can play basketball, weight train, arm wrestle, gamble and cage fight, enter triatholons, water races, cannoing, ab-saling, rock climbing, base jumping, ski diving. More to be confirmed.
Character customisation is back but only in terms of clothing, body weight, etc. The player you start off which, much like CJ, can’t be altered by race, age, height, etc.
Rockstar said burglary missions may return but only as part of missions and not on neigbourhood houses.
No children NPC at all. Ever.
There is now an ability to grab people and use as sheilds or in “hostage” situations.
The cops are much, much, much more realistic. If you kill somebody when you know there are no cops around you will not run the risk of a one star as often as you would in GTA4. The cops will use smoke and tear gas, dogs, riot gear and rams to knock down the doors of buildings you are hiding in.
You can enter some buildings and lock doors, push objects in the way to barricade.
You become better at things as the game progresses. If you only ride motorbikes then you will increase your skills, same as individual weapons.
Certain weapons can be customisable and some even home-made.
One mission involves breaking out a very familiar GTA icon from a previous game…
Torrential rain fall and sunshine and even tremors will appear in the game.

Both Future and Imagine Publishing have said the information did not come from employees who work at each respective outlet’s PlayStation Magazines.

Also, yesterday we noticed, like a quite a few others, that someone claiming to be a former Rockstar employee posted a shot of GTA V’s map via Twitter. We took screen grabs just in case they were taken down, and you can look at those below.

It is unknown whether the shot of the map is legitimate, but the Twitter account used – which we also took a grab of yesterday afternoon – was not doctored by any Internet fellas.

GTA 5 was formally announced earlier this week. Platforms and a release date have yet to be confirmed.

The Road to GTA 5: Saying Goodbye to Liberty City

The amazing charm of GTA IV's Liberty City, and how GTA 5's Los Santos is sure to rewrite the rulebook.

It's been well over a year since I stepped foot in Liberty City. For a while there I never wanted to leave; it was a playground unlike any other I'd ever been in. GTA IV's rich, dense world was really something else.

Sure, I played GTA: San Andreas for longer than I care to ponder. Once every bit of provided gameplay had been milked I set about losing days to other tasks. Weeks, perhaps. Who else experimented with how many tow trucks they could hook together, or the smallest gap they could thread the AT-400 through? And the cheats. No game has ever had better ones.

Still, GTA IV was different to its PS2 forebear – and yet I played it for even longer. The generation jump brought with it the ability to craft vivid, more believable worlds. The grittier, more grounded game we ultimately got in GTA IV was married perfectly to its far more realistic and more authentic environment, and I became hopelessly addicted to it.

Gaming moves fast, however, and after a huge amount of time sunk into messing about in Liberty City I eventually needed to move on. Like always, there are other games to play.

The past two months has been heaving with titles worth investing in but after the recent debut trailer for GTA 5 I took some time to revisit GTA IV and the city I spent a significant part of this generation a temporary resident of.

The most amazing thing about Liberty City is that, after all these years, it remains a fascinating place to be. The credibility and character of GTA IV's Liberty City still impresses; it has this remarkable ability to make one feel like a tourist. Emerging back onto an Algonquin sidewalk after all this time it feels like I'm returning to a favourite holiday location. I don't want to run; I want to walk. I want to absorb what's going on around me. I want to read the storefronts. I want to observe the hustle and bustle and admire the simulation of a living, breathing digital metropolis.

I stroll down into the grimy Hematite subway station, on Union Drive West between Hematite and Iron, admiring the painstakingly crafted filth. I take the first train down to Easton and emerge to take in The Triangle, before strolling back north to see Star Junction.

A man crossing the road ahead of me is clipped by a cab; he drags the cabbie out and a fight breaks out. There aren't any cops nearby but, while I could call some on my cell phone, the scuffle is over quickly. The taxi driver loses and limps off. I move the cab to the kerb and the traffic starts moving again.

I hail the next empty taxi I see and take it to Funland out at Firefly Island. The cab ride is long but I'm seeing this city at a pace I've never taken the time to do so before. The workmanship on every block is just something else. After all that time I spent here years ago I'm still seeing stuff I never noticed before. A piece of unique graffiti here. A quirky sign there.

It's a deliberately imperfect world; built from the ground-up and then aged, weathered and even vandalised to look like it's evolved over more than a century. The taxi crawls across the patchy bitumen, wallowing over hasty road repairs, past just enough hints of debris and decay to give the whole place a genuine lived-in feel.

If this trip back to Liberty did anything it encouraged me to be even more enthusiastic about seeing the full breadth of the new Los Santos Rockstar North is shaping now for GTA V.

The GTA 5 trailer may have only been just over a minute long but the signs are exceedingly good. The precise traits that made the GTA IV rendition of Liberty City feel so real and not only back, they're clearly amplified. The GTA V trailer hints at a city even more thick with detail and nuance than ever before.

What is GTA V's reimagined Los Santos likely to do to what we expect from virtual urban worlds? Like Liberty City, Los Santos 2.0 will be a character unto itself – but it's likely to rewrite the rulebook entirely.

GTA 5 Trailer Recreated in GTA IV (Video)

Remember when the GTA 5 trailer was remade in San Andreas? Now it's been done with Grand Theft Auto 4 as well. Courtesy of Youtube userbeanmike206, check out what the Grand Theft Auto V announcement trailer looks like when reproduced using the GTA IV game engine.

As expected, draw distances, animation, lighting and textures all look significantly better in the GTA V trailer; it's a valiant and entertaining effort, don't you think?

GTA V trailer in GTA IV:

GTA 5: Rockstar Responds To Speculation, 'Internet Lunacy'

GTA 5 has already enjoyed more than its fair share of speculation and rumour-mongering, with the launch of the debut trailer only confirming the bare minimum details - money, Los Santos, present day, massive.

Given Rockstar's reluctance to share details until it's ready, numerous claims have been made about the next Grand Theft Auto V - none more so than an alleged Journalistic leak.

In reponse to those rumours, Rockstar issued a statement to NowGamer which reads:

“We do not comment on rumors, speculation and general internet lunacy. We do appreciate seeing the passion gaming fans have shown toward Grand Theft Auto V and we look forward to sharing more information with everyone soon.”

Nothing much there then, but good to know that Rockstar keeps up to date with all the gossip and feedback generated by the game. Has a single trailer ever caused this much fuss?

The identity of GTA 5's lead actor is the latest rumour surrounding the game.

source NowGamer

GTA 5: Main Character Rumors Continue To Swirl

Grand Theft Auto 5 continues to baffle and excite fans because of the little confirmed information put out there by Rockstar Games. Some speculations at least have been debunked but many questions are still left unanswered.

One of the main questions is, ‘who is the main character?’ There are a lot of names from previous titles that have been mentioned but still continue to float around indecisively. Some of the names are pretty familiar. They are Niko Bellic, Vercetti, Claude, CJ or Catalina. It seems also that none of them will turn out to GTA 5’s main character. According to Addict Game, PSM3 has already said that none of the mentioned names is the new game’s main character. Visit Addict Game to check out some of the character pictures. They are pretty interesting. There is a fat homeless guy who could not be Niko Bellic given the build, but why is the guy wearing Bellic’s clothes? PSM3 said that the fat man actually looks like Packy McReary, a character from GTA 4. The guy who is donning some tattoos and has been running away from the police is apparently CJ from GTA SA. There are also speculations that the main character will be Albert the Silva. Others, however, prefer it to be Vercetti or Claude.

There is nothing definite out there yet but you could visit Addict Game if you want to know just as much as they know there. For now, I wouldn’t say anyone aside from those within Rockstar Games really know anything. But in a way, it is exciting.

GTA 5: Why Rockstar Loves Los Angeles

Thanks to the Grand Theft Auto series, Los Santos becomes a world that has become almost too real. It has become a virtually enhanced version of real-life Los Angeles. Rockstar Game itself has its headquarters cradled in Manhattan. New York has already become the inspiration for other Rockstar games, such as the Max Payne series and GTA 4’s Liberty City. The studio, however, has managed to form a strong relationship with Los Angeles.

Grand Theft Auto 5 is actually the fifth time within two generations that Rockstar has used Los Angeles, this time in the guise of Los Santos, as a game backdrop. Remember the recent L.A. Noire. Then, there was Midnight Club – Los Angeles. Staying within the GTA franchise, you can remember GTA – San Andreas. In 2003’s Midnight Club 2, Rockstar revisited Los Angeles giving enough landmarks and atmosphere to make it clear to players where they were. Somehow though, it was Rockstar’s version of Los Angeles – Los Santos – that made players really focus on the city’s atmosphere.

Los Santos is a stunning and vast world. It has proven how technology has come so far now. Now, the games are filling in the gaps that used to be our turn to fill with our own imaginations. The result is quite admirable.

Even Rockstar North’s first try at giving Los Santos life was already impressive. It showcases not just a place with landmarks but it showed the socio-economic spectrum. You get to see the Richman’s mansions and Ganton’s infamous Grove Street where the dilapidated houses are. The place is not just there. It managed to come alive. Because of this, Los Angeles has also become Rockstar Games’ home away from New York.

GTA 5 Exclusivity Rumor and VGA Reveal

Since the GTA V trailer we’ve seen numerous rumors and apparent news leak, and some of the ideas suggested have been pretty amazing, which include potential features in Grand Theft Auto 5 like being able to build a business empire with hitmen, thugs and more or simpler ideas like houses that you can enter.

Most of the GTA V rumors are pretty weak and not confirmed by any source or Dev team, although some rumors are more believable than others. In the last couple of days we’ve seen two new rumors appear on a number of websites, which include the possibility of a reveal at Spike TV’s Video Game Awards tonight and talk of the PS3 getting an exclusive with GTA 5.

While it would be pretty cool to see some sort of new trailer at the 2011 Spike TV VGA, one of the sources claiming this rumor can be found here, and they created this viewpoint from a tweet by Geoff Keighley, which only said gamers wouldn’t believe the “PS3 Exclusive“. Following this tweet, he said “Amazing top-secret rehearsals tonight at VGAs,” continuing “Some very special things in the works.”

We have no doubt that the VGAs will be special tonight, and you can expect some reveals, although for that to be GTA 5 and even the chance of a PS3 exclusive seems very far-fetched. What do our readers think?

Those of you excited about what the next GTA 5 game could bring, you might want to look at the history of GTA weapons here, things that could make the game suck here, and a debate on the Grand Theft Auto V story and getting the balance right here।

GTA 5 Story Balancing: Serious and Fun

There has been a lot of talk regarding the main character, setting and how big GTA 5 will be, but another important aspect is to balance the story correctly. It’s all very well having a game that is both serious and fun, but Rockstar knows it will be a fine balancing act to get things right – just hope they do not go over the top either way.

The story of Niko Bellic was incredible, we had the serous side of things mixed in with some humor, but for some there needed to be some more of those fun moments. How good is it to be very serious in certain campaigns, but then have a laugh a little later? You can see in games like Saints Row where the fun side is over the top, so Rockstar needs to look at this as a fine example of overdoing it.

However, according to GameBandits the developer has been asked to look at some aspects of Saints Row, as there is no shortage of laugh out loud moments. It’s now time to bring the franchise up to date, we have seen them step up to the plate with games like Red Dead Redemption, so we know they can do it. The most recent Grand Theft Auto games have been getting a little too serious, and this could have a negative effect, as the market has now changed.

There were a huge number of campaigns in the previous game, and the percentage of those finished were low, as players would much rather explore. It now starts to make sense to be able to do more side missions, or even visit a fair and play some mini games. There are other possibilities as well, but they need to be fun.

What should Rockstar do to make GTA 5 fun?

GTA 5 Development Time and Fine Details

Over the last few weeks we’ve heard some interesting takes on what GTA 5 should be, which included our readers debating the story and how fun or serious it should be. The idea of Sony’s PS3 getting an exclusive for just a few months got a welcome from some gamers, and complete anger from others.

One factor that seems to reappear is finding balance in GTA 5, it seems that most of us agree the PS3 and Xbox 360 are more than capable of achieving more than we need in the next Grand Theft Auto game, although there is one thing stopping all the features we want being added, and this is time.

Development for GTA IV is said to have started in 2004, although the game didn’t release until 2008. While we don’t know the extent of work carried out over those 4 years, you can count on that time helping the game be much more than an annual release, seen in many franchises these days.

So what can we expect with GTA 5 and the development time? It has been confirmed that development is well under way, and we’ve all seen the trailer that showed us a few things and opened many questions like the chance of mini games.

We expect the development time to be much shorter for this game, although how much should Rockstar balance the time spent on development for fine details, which includes getting the large map inline with real world alleys and streets it portrays, and the wanted finer features like more houses to enter and smaller items you can interact with in-game?

While we hate going back to Skyrim, you’ve got to admire the little things found in that game. Whether you find food ingredients pointless in Skyrim or not, you got to love it for just being there allowing you to cook, and lessons can be learned here for Grand Theft Auto V.

We love the little things, although what fine details do you think need to be added to the next GTA V game? Would you wait longer to get more features and little things that make the game more lifelike? This could be the ability to enhance autos by adding rims, audio and upgrading the engine to making the GTA 5 world more open to interaction.

It’s not what is possible but more about development time available, and the fine details that should be included and those that cannot thanks to the lack of time.

GTA 5: A PS3 Exclusive?!

From the very moment the Grand Theft Auto V trailer was released, there were lots of rumors that accompany the game. For awhile then, we thought that the instalment was just a product of a combination of a good imagination and loads of wishful thinking. Well, GTA 5 was proven but lots of things are still unclear.

So now we check on the game after Spike TV’s Video Game Awards has already been aired. Before the VGAs, there were lots of rumors that involved every aspect of the game. Some of the rumors were pretty weak and ended up getting debunked so fast before other gamers could even have heard of them. There were those that lingered because they were more logical. Lately, there were some new rumors that had appeared on video gaming blog sites. One of such rumors is that GTA 5 will be released as a PS3 exclusive.

Not a whole lot of people believe that GTA 5 will be released as a PS3 exclusive. VGAs host Geoff Keighley did not help through his tweets that do not really reveal anything: “Amazing top-secret rehearsals tonight at VGAs” and “some very special things in the works”. The tweets are pretty general. The question that was really playing back then was if the VGAs will be extra special in the case of GTA 5.

GTA 5 Most Searched Game of 2012

Christmas evening: the presents have been shared and you're left wondering how on earth you're going to fit in all of these AAA games without either losing your job or missing sleep for the next six months. There's always that rogue thought though, 2011 is almost over and soon 2012 will come around and with it all those new games that we've been watching for years. These games are going to be fun but THOSE games are going to be more than fun, they're going to be more exciting, better looking and...more expensive. Forget that last one...

Botchweed have been taking a sneak peak as to what people have been searching for on Google, a list of games that people are either looking forward to or are hoping are released next year (guess which one I added that qualifier for).

In first place, Grand Theft Auto V; this isn't exactly surprising. Not only will GTA 5 have an absolutely huge launch, but there simply isn't enough information at this point to keep everybody happy. The trailer released a few weeks ago may well be the very definition of teaser. Rockstar will continue to be happy, in second place is Max Payne 3, the long awaited continuation to the series and a game presumed dead until relatively recently.

Halo 4 is in third place, a game that had to appear somewhere. This is in the face of worries about the slow sales on Halo Anniversary, a game that some people expected to be as big a system seller as Halo 3. In fact, that doesn't seem to have happened and, for whatever reason, the sales seem to have actually been rather underwhelming for a title like Halo.

Fourth place is taken by Half Life 3, perhaps thanks to those t-shirts recently seen being worn by a Valve employee at a developer's conference. Finally, the majority of people had given up on seeing another Half-Life sequel in their lifetime and they go ahead and pull something like this out of the hat.

Fifth place goes to Mass Effect 3 and who can be surprised considering the amount of advertising Commander Shepherd does?

Of course, this isn't a fantastic indicator of which games are going to be bought the most or even which games people are looking forward to (although they're all big hitters). Instead, see this as the top five games people want more information on - I can definitely see why.

GTA 5: City Size, Seasons, Gangs, Locations In Latest Rumours

GTA 5 details haven't been elaborated on since Rockstar brought the internet to a halt with the game's reveal trailer - but the latest wave of rumours make some hugely specific claims about GTA 5's content.

We've listed many of the claims, which were originally posted on - then deleted from - the GTAforums. Treat them purely as RUMOUR for now.

Hit the link to see more recent GTA 5 rumours, or browse the current crop below:

- GTA 5's environment will be landlocked on some sides, with climbable mountain ranges and bordered by the pacific ocean to the south and west.

- Los Santos is the only 'major' city in the game, and is bigger than the whole of GTA IV's Liberty City. The game also includes smaller cities/towns.

- The surronding environment will range from snow-topped peaks to forests, beaches and deserts.

- GTA 5's progression is structured in a way that's entirely new for the franchise.

- The narrative focusses on a war between rival Mexican drug cartels.

- Gangs will make a return with African-American, Korean, Japanese and Russian mobs all featured - but not the Italian mafia.

- All planes in the trailer, bar passenger jets, can be piloted.

- Mini-games will include bowling, going to the shooting range

- The seasons will change, with the campaign taking place across a year.

- Weapons, player appearance, vehicles, and the type of vehcile that spawns at your safehouse can be customised.

- The protagonist is called Ray, is 53-year-old divorcee and has two young children who appear in cutscenes in the game.

- Hidden packages will be '100 crazy Sasquatches' place around the environment.

- Players will be penned in the playing environment by a 'never-ending mountain-range' when trying to circumnavigate it by sea, or an infinitely-long desert.

- The southeast part of the map is the Mexican-US border - skip the border and you'll get the top 'wanted' rating and be on your way to the desert.

- There will be dogs in the game.

GTA 5 Trailer: Industry Verdict & Reaction

Some of the industry's top games journalists have given their reaction to the GTA 5 trailer and the overiding verdict is that it's great.

Ryan King, Editor of Play magazine was impressed with the colourfulness of the game, "I'm glad GTA V looks more vibrant, colourful and fun than the slightly dour and grittier GTA IV did."

While games™'s Ashley Day remarked, "It certainly looks like Rockstar's satirical edge remains sharp." He questioned the amount of player choice that the game would allow, "It's about time GTA properly integrated player choice, and consequence, into its stories."

Meanwhile, Dan Howdle of 360 magazine said it, "looks terrific," and that, "Rockstar is pushing current gen tech, pushing the scope of the GTA franchise, and pushing all of my buttons."

See below for the full reactions.



I'm thrilled to see GTA return to Los Santos. I loved how Rockstar North re-envisioned New York in GTA IV's Liberty City, so can't wait to see how they approach their fictionalised version of LA.
Chris McMahon, Games Editor, X360 magazine

A really impressive trailer that shows that Rockstar is pushing its story and setting in directions few games have even attempted. Recession-based L.A.? Yes, please. Technically, to me at least, it doesn't look too different from GTA IV, but it's what Rockstar can do with the characters and themes that's piquing my interest.
David Lynch, Senior Staff Writer, 360 magazine

I think this looks simply terrific. Rockstar is pushing current gen tech, pushing the scope of the GTA franchise, and pushing all of my buttons. Oorah.
Dan Howdle, Deputy Editor, 360 magazine

Initially I was disappointed to see it was returning to Los Santos, if only because I loved Vice City and was left slightly cold by San Andreas. Thematically, it just didn't hit the spot for me like the Eighties garishness of Vice City did. Even so, I'm glad GTA V looks more vibrant, colourful and fun than the slightly dour and grittier GTA IV did. That was my main concern before the trailer and the emphasis looks like it'll shift back to the humour and ridiculousness that arguably made the series to begin with.
Ryan King, Editor, Play magazine

I was surprised at just how good it looks, it's one of those 'squint and it could be real almost' moments. Nearly. Mostly though, I'm impressed by the direction and apparent themes – the recession, money, the homeless and the rich living side by side. L.A. (or Los Santos in this case) is the perfect setting for the subject matter.
Nick Jones, Editor in Chief, NowGamer

It certainly looks like Rockstar's satirical edge remains sharp but I'm intrigued to see if the gameplay has evolved at all. It's about time GTA properly integrated player choice, and consequence, into its stories.
Ashley Day, Deputy Editor, games™

It is now time for the professionals to try and out-jaded each other. Also: I thought it looked nice. No idea 'til I've played it though.
Ian Dransfield, Senior Staff Writer, Play magazine

I'm more intrigued by the GTA 5 trailer than the previous one, and I think that has a lot to do with the colourful tone. The images of recession and collapse suggest that this is going to stick with the mature angle of GTA 4, but the colour and vibrancy on show looks stunning. The music is classy and fits the tone of the trailer and the franchise perfectly, so yeah, I'm very keen to see what Rockstar has to show us next. Just please, please don't let it be mobile phones!
Dave Cook, Games Editor, NowGamer

I don't know what is my favourite bit is! It's such a well presented trailer - with so many hidden bits of info - it's quite hard to really focus on one aspect of it. Visually it looks outstanding, such as the way the biplane travels over the crops with its dust blowing behind it. Or the lighting effects from the sunrise or the cracks in the overpass.

I like the idea of tackling the financial crisis - and the binary opposites between rich and poor are constant throughout the trailer - but my favourite bit was probably the pest control heist. That looks like such a spectacular mission, and I'm already looking forward to it. GTA 5 can't be released soon enough...
Adam Barnes, Staff Writer, NowGamer

Such is the deep recession of quality and innovation in the modern games market, if Rockstar released 2004's San Andreas today it would rightly be considered progressive.

It could well be that GTA 5 is nothing more than an HD remake of the PS2 classic with a few boom-and-bust-coloured bells and whistles duct-taped to a new character roster, but – depressingly, admittedly – that's all it would take to cast a shadow over the rest of the generation's me-too junk.

The big question for me, though, isn't whether or not Rockstar can beat the rest – that's a done deal – but whether or not it can resist its growing addiction to restrictive narratives and overbearing mechanics. If it stays clean, I expect this to be the best game on the current formats.
Aaron Asadi, Editor in Chief, Play magazine

I look forward to reviewing this in 10 years time.
Darran Jones, Editor, Retro Gamer