Although Rockstar hasn't actually said that Grand Theft Auto 5 is coming out on the current crop of consoles it's pretty safe to assume it's bound for the PS3, 360 and PC.
In fact, Rockstar hasn't really given us any information on its latest open-world crime epic, almost everything we know has been painstakingly gleaned from the gameplay video shown in the initial reveal, spread through hearsay or is the predictions of those magic ball carrying analysts.
Even the release date is still a mystery. Take-Two's second quarter financial earnings report included an update on future product launch dates and provided a 'fiscal year 2013' window for many of the publisher's latest games. However, GTA5 carried a"TBA" release date and still hasn't been confirmed.
A National Alliance Capital Markets analyst has said: "We believe Rockstar Games is modelling a four to six month marketing window for their upcoming GTA V release, suggesting a summer '12 launch period."
It's difficult to admit but there were a fair few people in this office that were a little disappointed by GTA5 reveal; in part because of the not-so-surprising setting, but also because it was really hard to ignore the fact that it looked a little dated.
Perhaps 'dated' is the wrong word, but nothing about it stuck out as particularly interesting. Most of our excitement about the game was around it's very existence. A lot of that was due to our expectations, which admittedly were difficult to manage considering how absolutely jaw-dropping the GTA4 reveal was, but also because it's coming out on consoles that we've had for years now.
We're sure it's going to be great, and if San Andreas taught us anything it's that even at the tail end of a console cycle Rockstar can still put out fantastic games. But we can't help but feel like it just won't make the impact GTA4 did.
With that in mind we're throwing out one of oversized idea beach balls for you fine readers to bounce around. Here's what we're thinking: What if Rockstar holds off on GTA5 and instead releases it for the next generation of consoles?
Will it happen? Almost certainly not, Rockstar isn't stupid enough to ignore the massive install based the PS3, 360 and PC.
But maybe it could pull a Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess and come out for both generations, we're betting both Sony and Microsoft have shown Rockstar what they've got planned so they could put something together, right? Maybe we're just being crazy, let us know what you think in the comments below...
Comments
38 comments so far...
IplayVideogames on 5 Feb '12 said:
YOU'RE BEING CRAZY!
justforkicks101 on 5 Feb '12 said:
yes. but, they wont.
Balladeer on 5 Feb '12 said:
Where can I buy Legend of Zelda: Twilight Sword? If it combines Midna with SS' swordplay I'm sold!
a3HeadedMonkey on 5 Feb '12 said:
no
KK-Headcharge78 on 5 Feb '12 said:
No and well they shouldn't, games like GTA benefit more IMO from established hardware knowledge, the high level of knowledge and skills from this gen will help deliver a more solid game than a rushed next gen game (unless they wait 2+ years and I don't want that)
JBoo on 5 Feb '12 said:
Maybe it looks 'dated' because its a Multi-format game? My PS3 only games don't look dated to me yet
alan666 on 5 Feb '12 said:
maybe Wii U !
jm3811 on 5 Feb '12 said:
There were three main GTA games on the PS2 and if there is only one for the PS3: that would be a big fail for the gamers. Plus GTA IV was one of the very rare games to exist in 1080p.
a3HeadedMonkey on 5 Feb '12 said:
Sentinator on 5 Feb '12 said:
But there are 3 GTA games on PS3. GTA IV, GTA III and Vice City.
djreplay on 5 Feb '12 said:
GTA 4 at 1080p? Ha Ha Ha Ha good one.
I don't see gta 3 or vice city on ps3.
eddiehitler on 5 Feb '12 said:
I don't know what the writer of this article was expecting from GTA V when it was obvious it would use 4's tech like Vice City did with 3's.
I personally think it looks excellent for an open world game, especially when you compare it to similar games like Saints Row the Third which I love but looks pretty basic when playing it after watching the GTA V trailer.
From that trailer it looks as finished as Skyrim did when its first in game teaser was released a year before its release which makes me think it will be out in the period before christmas (hopefully taking on CoD).
liveswired on 5 Feb '12 said:
DEFINITELY NOT.
Any fool can see that judging by the current economic climate it will probably take a while before 'next gen' consoles will take off - which would spell disaster for any GTA release considering the cost and R+D that goes into a game of its scale.
As it stands, Rockstar could easily make the game available in the current gen and then release an 'enhanced' version when the next gen consoles arrive.
obscured021 on 5 Feb '12 said:
Do a pc version, then release it on the next gen when the show up
k-mysta on 5 Feb '12 said:
What'chu talkin' about Willis? Noo
kmcroc on 6 Feb '12 said:
Why don't the folks at Rockstar just list the Pro's & Con's of this gen vs next gen, then decide .
snake2011 on 6 Feb '12 said:
this gen PLEASE rockstar.
snake2011 on 6 Feb '12 said:
this year please rockstar to say it looked dated is very harsh when you lick cods but every year it looked great to me.
YouStoleMyKill on 6 Feb '12 said:
This winter please R* and can you make the multiplayer at least playable on the ps3, GTA IV is fun online with endless potential however the servers suck
Old Skool Gamer on 6 Feb '12 said:
60 millon on each user base means it will come to the current gen, maximum profit however they could also release a version on the new consoles as well like they have with previous GTA's.
syz81 on 6 Feb '12 said:
well lets see i think we are going to be as suprissed with gta 5 i mean look at the leap in grapical detail from like lets say gta4 to l.a noire or even red dead redemption massive contrast what with gta4's blurry visuals compared to l.a noires vibrant colurs and much clearer visuals. ok gta5 its not going to be a massive leap but enough to make you sit back and say wow all over again you can gurantee that..
Black Mantis on 6 Feb '12 said:
Absolutely not. Considering all that goes on in GTA games, the graphics looked great. For me, the most important thing is evolving the gameplay and enhancing what was available in GTA IV. Whilst I loved GTA IV and its expansions, I haven't had quite enough of it this gen to wait until the PS3/360 successors are out to get another fix.
runadumb on 6 Feb '12 said:
They could pull a Twilight Princess by simply building it for high-end PC's then porting it to the consoles. I want the option for hundreds of people and vehicles on the screen at once and not a dozen or so.
The difference between the PS3 version of gta4 and the PC version is pretty big. I want that gap to grow much much further for GTA5.
Cake and eat it
Lurf on 6 Feb '12 said:
I'm sure Rockstar has a incredibly crappy PC port planned for about a year after GTA V's console release. One things for sure, I'm not buying it.
cmr333 on 6 Feb '12 said:
Grand Theft Auto IV is 1080p on PS3, read the back of the cover, to activate 1080 all you do is disable 720p on ps3 settings.
also gta 3 and vice city are on PS3 through the PSN store.
Demigod001 on 6 Feb '12 said:
This gen can do great graphics. ok textures are messy but it can still look great. So no they shouldn't wait. THQ cant afford them to wait either, with stock price so low they need a hit game this year. I expect a media blitz at E3 for this game and for it to land in November for consoles with perhaps a "surprise" announcement for wii U. well just have to see if my crystal ball is working but it makes sense.
Francisnf on 6 Feb '12 said:
I think you will find its actually put out at 640p on the PS3 mate.
flyfletch on 6 Feb '12 said:
THQ? Whats GTA got to do with them?
Barca Azul on 6 Feb '12 said:
No, its probably too far into production.
Makes no sense to them. Installed base, cost of changing/enhancing. It would be stupid.
Plus we don't know when next gen is!
RDR, yes next gen!
Dapz on 6 Feb '12 said:
NO!
1) We've been waiting nearly three years for the next GTA game, nearly four if you don't count Chinatown Wars. Isn't that long enough?...
2) I mean, obviously we want GTA on next gen consoles, but seeing as we don't have a clue when the 720 and the PS4 are coming (apart from that it's not gonna be any time soon) it would be stupid to put this one off until then instead of just releasing this one for the current gen then making another one for the next gen...
3) ...Especially when we've only had one full GTA game and two DLCs, which weren't too shabby but considering their length and that they barely change any of the game mechanics, they're hardly a substitute for a full game. On the PS2/XBOX we had 3 big GTA games, plus the two PS2 ports of the PSP games which I personally think were vastly underrated for how much content and entertainment they provided!
Currychips on 6 Feb '12 said:
It won't happen, purely because the install base will make them much much more money than jumping to new systems.
Grand Theft Auto has never been about the graphics for me anyway, it's about the scale and the scope for wonder. Climbing to the top of a skyscrapper and watching the city below continue to move and interact, cars, planes pass by and choppers... just as you pull out your sniper rifle and pop a few fools in the head. The draw distance has to be huge.
Great graphics are obviously nice, but the looks in GTAIV still stand up, so if the extra time with current systems and their euphoria engine mean they can refine and improve what they did before, but on a larger scale, then I'm happy. More cars, more people more interiors and more options in the same fidelity as before, well that suits me down to the ground.
There's just too much emphasis on how it looks over how it plays these days. And GTA games, although pretty, have never been about cutting edge looks, more cutting edge satire.
ensabahnur on 6 Feb '12 said:
What special PSN are you a part of cause it sure as hell ain't the regular 1?
And yes you can set the PS3 to 1080p but the game itself is not running anything higher than 640.
kmcroc on 6 Feb '12 said:
He must have meant Take Two Interactive.
a3HeadedMonkey on 6 Feb '12 said:
AHAHAHAHAHA!! What a complete f**king noob! lol
Also, using your logic... ZOMG You can get San Andreas for Xbox 360! It's downloadable from the Marketplace! Also, my TV says it's displaying in 1080p, so San Andreas runs in 1080p on Xbox 360!!!111
lol, kids.
humanhand on 6 Feb '12 said:
zzzzzzzz
LordVonPS3 on 6 Feb '12 said:
Why should Rockstar wait?
1.) Yet again the PC will be the best version.
2.) 80M+ PS3 / X360 user base to sell to as well as potentially the Wii U.
3.) PS3 / X360 technology already known, wealth of code already compatible and available.
4.) Release schedule for the (PS3 / X360) next gen won't be as soon as 2012.
5.) Why make money later when you can make it now?
Rockstar's only reason to wait is they should be able to deliver a technically more impressive game, it doesn't mean GTA5 won't be an impressive game.
TheCrimsonFenix on 6 Feb '12 said:
No.
They've probably been working on 5 for a number of years. As a business they're unlikely to put all their GTA eggs into one basket and hope to goodness that enough people are willing to jump onto the next gen band wagon. Years of development would be wasted on today's tech, something they've plenty of experience in, all for the sake of pushing the next gen, which will consist of a bundle of tech they've yet to get to grips with. This would result in something that looks nice but will have all the function and purpose of something built with current tech in mind.. which pretty much ends up looking like a fancy looking next gen test and something that feels "last gen" (just look at the first wave of games which came out for PS3 and 360, big name series such as Smackdown and other sports titles which looked like ports)
Again, no thanks.
martinawatson on 7 Feb '12 said:
yes/no