"So does media imitate society, or does society imitate media? Since both are extensions of human nature, the answer can only be both. But as a video game, GTA is just a simulation - a make-believe world where you have no consequences for shooting peoples' heads off or cutting up cops with chainsaws while stoned off your ass.

These troubled teens have learned the hard way that reality doesn't translate well from video games and that they can't get away with everything.

Interestingly, ..."

"Mr. Houser denies using those words, but says he has often felt the sentiment they imply. "That's an area I've grown up in, definitely," he says."

"It's all related to realism or their attempt at it. All the fun of the old GTAs has been severely reduced because you cant do stuff any more. The driving; you used to be able to fling the cars around at almost max speed - it was really fun. Now they are forcing you to drive slow at corners or you skid off. When you roll out of a car, you take tons of damage - it used to be much less. The driving isn't even realistic, ask anyone who drives. Someone on a forum joked that their Vauxhall Corsa ca..."

"We all feared that if EA took over Take 2 they would destroy GTA forever just like they have done with takeovers in the past. I think that EA would have completely destroyed GTA by trying to make it ’their’ game and just lose that GTA touch altogether. It wouldn’t be GTA at all. No one can do it as good as Rockstar.

We no longer need to worry because it hasn’t happened and Take 2 has rejected all of EA’s offers.

What’s your view on this? Do you think EA had the potential to destroy the ..."

"When did a videogame release become such a big deal?

Well, the U.S. videogame industry is worth a whopping $18.8 billion a year--that's less than McDonald's makes selling burgers and fries but 2.5 times as much as all the music CDs sold last year. It's also enough money to turn even the most conservative of entertainment executives' heads. Scott Steinberg, vice president of product marketing at Sony Computer Entertainment America, predicts we're about to see the "GTA Effect"--box office sa..."

"10) Body Bags

El Castillo del Diablo, Bone County, San Andreas

San Andreas may be a harsh and grizzly place, but it’s a bit of a shock to find you’re not the only reason. Somebody is up to very bad things, and using a cave tucked away in the desert to dump the remains - in a pile of horribly stiff body bags. Oddly, the serial killer’s truck is still there too, parked right where the bodies were presumably slung from its bed. You can find this worrying little scene directly south of the ..."

"Well, OK, yes. As a series, Grand Theft Auto has always been heaped with accolades from critics and fans - and for the most part, it's deserved them. But take a step back from the open-world approach and rampant criminality for a second, and ask yourself: deep down, is the series really as smart as it's given credit for? Or has the freedom to get into firefights with Florida retirees blinded us to its shortcomings?

With Grand Theft Auto IV set to redefine the series' tone and sense of smar..."

"But we all know that won’t prevent everyone under 17 from getting their hands on the game.
I recently talked to three teenagers who have owned and played “GTA” since well before the age of 17 — with and without their parents’ permission — about their past experiences with “GTA” games.
One 15 year-old told me his parents don’t allow him to play M-rated games without their approval, and “GTA” is strictly off-limits. However, he acquired “San Andreas” though a game-trading website, and they do..."

"It seems like the idea of turning established franchises into MMOs is what everyone is thinking about these days, with the idea being contemplated for Call of Duty by Activision’s CEO and now by Rockstar’s founder. However, I think Grand Theft Auto is much more suited to a massively multiplayer world, and it could make for an insane, awesome game. It may just be an idea right now, but I hope Rockstar decides to pursue it."

"In the latest Playstation: The Official Magazine, the rumor section notes that we should be seeing the first two Grand Theft Auto games along with Street Fighter Alpha (Alpha was given a rating by the ESRB a little over a month ago) hitting the Playstation Network. Just as Konami is releasing Metal Gear Solid: The Essential Collection (PS2) near the time of MGS4, releasing the original GTA titles as cheap downloads would be a smart move. If true, pricing will be a curious matter, as you can d..."

"How close was this deal to happening? Reporters at Variety (and, I have since learned, other publications) were preparing their stories based on conversations with the studio in question. Internally at Take 2, people were talking about it as a done deal. Then at the last minute, it all fell apart. I'm told Take 2 couldn't finalize terms with the studio, though I'm not sure if it was a purely financial issue or if, in the end, the publisher got cold feet about giving away rights to its baby.
..."

"As digital distribution's popularity continues to grow, so too does the number of publishers offering their games through download services. Today, Rockstar Games announced it would be offering its entire back catalog of PC games through Valve's popular digital distribution service, Steam.

Rockstar's support for Steam includes 10 games. Among that number are the complete Grand Theft Auto series, ranging from the original GTA through Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, as well as Midnight Club ..."

"'Rockstar Games has one of the most celebrated collections of AAA titles available to gamers today and we’re proud to add the Grand Theft Auto series and the entire Rockstar catalog to our world-class library of content. By providing our customers with the ability to easily download these popular titles immediately, Direct2Drive continues to solidify its spot as the gaming industry’s premiere digital retail store.'"

"Pay special attention to the text in the bold… look familiar? It should: It’s the same damn text, taken from a PlayStation blog post that was made on July 27th by Michael Shorrock, talking about how Sony locked up the rights to a NEW franchise from Rockstar. Outside of mentioning that Rockstar MADE the actual game, there is no mention of the GTA franchise anywhere in that post."