Grand Theft Auto V

[Knightfall]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arQdjfHYGR0&feature=player_embedded

Dissecting The Trailer

How much information about Rockstar's new game can we extract from the first teaser trailer? You'd be surprised.

The trailer may not have shed light on new gameplay mechanics or who the game's protagonist will be, but the brief glimpse we got of the game gave us more than enough content with which to speculate. Here's what caught our eye.

Back To San Andreas

In Grand Theft Auto games, the cities are as much of the stars as the characters. Much like GTA IV's Liberty City captured the essence of New York City, judging by this trailer it looks like Rockstar is bringing the same impressive level of detail to making a city that looks and feels just like Los Angeles. The majority of the trailer takes place in Los Santos, the first city players encountered in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Though some city districts return from the last game (including the affluent Hollywood doppleganger Vinewood), it looks like Rockstar is exploring new areas as well. The trailer introduced us to the Pleasure Pier on Vespucci beach, which looks to be a play off Venice Beach. We also saw a highway sign for Little Seoul, the GTA equivalent of Koreatown.

And The Countryside

At this juncture we have no idea if GTA V expands its setting to Los Venturas and San Fiero like San Andreas did, but we do know that there looks to be ample room to roam the countryside. The trailer showed off an impressive mountain range, a vineyard staffed by immigrant workers, and a large expanse of rolling hills littered with wind turbines and dirt roads. If the script leaks are correct, this may be where the pot evangelist grows his cannibus crops.

Flight Is Back

Many fans cried foul when Rockstar failed to include controllable planes in Grand Theft Auto IV. Judging by this trailer, they return in a big way for GTA V. Rockstar featured three aircraft in the footage – a crop duster, a charter plane, and a fighter jet that looks very similar to the Hydra VTOL in San Andreas.

Fun Vehicles

In the trailer alone, we saw a sexy convertible sports car, a jet ski, and a blimp hovering over Los Santos. Blimp killing spree? Where do I sign up?!

Rockstar's Trademark Sense of Humor

No one in video games is better at lampooning American culture than Rockstar. The signs visible in the trailer indicate that the company's sense of humor is still alive and well. A real estate development of downtown condos is called the Mile High Club, the pest control van the characters use as cover for an assault features the slogan "Putting the FU in fumigate," the postal van slogan says, "We aim not to lose it," and the police car has "Obey and survive" on the side. Rockstar even sends up the legendary In-n-Out Burger with an Up-n-Atom Burger truck.

New Side Activities?

In Grand Theft Auto IV, players could kill time by going bowling, hitting up the strip club, playing pool, throwing darts, attending a comedy show, or even by sitting in your dingy apartment watching television. Three possibilities for new side activities the GTA V trailer introduces are yoga, hiking, and golf. Golf, you say? The Ballad of Tony featured a mission where Luis hit golf balls at a union official at a Liberty City driving range, so they have already explored the mechanics. Given how seriously the company takes these side missions (the poker in Red Dead Redemption was better than most games dedicated to the card game) I wouldn't put it past them. The inclusion of yoga could also mark the return of body maintenance that so many people loved in San Andreas. We also noticed a dog on the beach boardwalk – a first for the series. Could Rockstar be introducing pets?

Amazing Scenery

Rockstar wowed us with their amazing skies in Red Dead Redemption, and it looks like the team is carrying over this technology to GTA V.

The Struggling Economy

Los Santos isn't all about glam and glitz. Well removed from the luxurious life of Vinewood residents are areas ravaged by homelessness and the struggling American economy. In multiple shots, the GTA V trailer featured homeless people lining the walls of an underpass, tent towns, and a character putting up a foreclosure sign.

The World's Oldest Profession

It wouldn't be a GTA game without a healthy presence of the ladies of the night, and they make their obligatory appearance outside a liquor store in a rougher side of town.

Multiple Characters?

Both Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto IV told stories of a character who tried to escape their past, only to get pulled back into their violent trades. Judging from the voice over on the GTA V trailer, this looks to be the case for this game as well. But we also noticed several characters making recurring appearances in the trailer. Could this mean Rockstar is introducing a branching narrative with multiple playable characters?

We look forward to finding out more about Grand Theft Auto V in the coming months.

Source: GameInformer

[WytchDokta]

LOL @ the banner with the letters 'FIVE' over the V symbol in the logo. As if we didn't already know that V was the Roman numeral for 5. And an even bigger LOL at the brand name on the side of the speedboat.

Edited November 2, 2011 by WytchDokta

[Knightfall]

Grand Theft Auto IV smashed gaming sales records when it launched in 2008. According to U.S. retail tracking firm NPD, GTA IV sold nearly 3 million copies in its debut month in just five days, making it the fastest-selling game in history during that period. All told, Take-Two says it has shipped over 22 million copies of GTA IV since launch and the entire franchise has moved 114 million units since its 1997 debut.

So what will happen with Grand Theft Auto V? Take-Two unveiled the trailer for its next installment this morning, showing the series returning to its familiar San Andreas setting. Game Informer spoke to several games industry analysts today to get their take on Rockstar's upcoming blockbuster.

Michael Pachter - Wedbush Securities

I think the story set up was very interesting. I had a vibe similar to the movie Heat. I thought the realism was good and is very clearly set in Los Angeles. I would say they’re within six months of release. If they’re ready in June 2012, they’ll do it.

If GTA V gets mid-90 reviews, it’ll likely do 20-25 million in the first year. You have an install base two times [what it was] when GTA IV came out, and GTA 4 did 12 million in the first six months.

Jesse Divnich - EEDAR

Currently, I project that if the game can maintain the exceptional level of quality of the past Grand Theft Autos and taking into consideration the increase in the install bases of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto V should sell well over 24 million units worldwide in its first year. Given the anticipation for the release, Grand Theft Auto V has the potential to shatter first day and first week sales records that are currently held by Call of Duty: Black Ops.

As an analyst it is my profession to analyze every imaginable data point to come to an objective conclusion on the potential success of video games. But when it comes to Rockstar, I found it is better to just sit back and enjoy the ride. This is Rockstar and this isn't their first rodeo.

Colin Sebastian - Baird Equity Research

We expect lifetime sales of GTA V to surpass $1.5 billion at retail, assuming a multi-platform launch. We also believe the game could end up becoming one of the top 5 entertainment brands of all time.

Mike Hickey - National Alliance Capital Markets

Grand Theft Auto is methodically cultivated mega game franchise that continues to be as amazingly vibrant and culturally relevant today as it was over a decade ago with the release of GTA III. Unlike many of the annualized game franchises dominating the market today, GTA V appears to be a significant step forward in graphics/animation over the prior iteration.

We expect GTA V from Rockstar Games will sell-in +16.25 million units, for an estimated $746 million in sales for the Company’s fiscal ’13 operating period. Specifically, we suspect GTA V will ship in May, 2012.

Billy Pidgeon - M2 Research

With larger active installed bases for both Xbox 360 and Sony PS3, I expect GTA V to at easily exceed GTA IV 22M units sales. Assuming Take-Two can ship sufficient quantities (and no reason to doubt they will) GTA V's first day/first week revenue is likely to top GTA IV's.

Whether sales will set a new record depends on what records are broken between now and GTA V's release, as there are a number of huge titles due out in the interim.

Source: GameInformer

[=warcloud=]

I like natural motion's euphoria animation system, i presume Rockstar studio will use euphoria in the new gta game?.