The April NPD numbers are here, and once again the gaming industry performs as if recession meant every American had $600 burning a hole in their pocket and only games to spend it on. With multiple Guinness World Records in its honor, even with only five days worth of sales there was no question whatsoever as to which game would land on top of the April heap. We’re not even going to speak its hallowed name, lest we inflate Rockstar’s ego some more. Instead, let’s see how everything else held up in the juggernaut’s wake.
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Even if Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto IV reflected every cubic inch of the real New York City, you’d still be hard-pressed to find any other game studios whose names you’d recognize. According to a recent study conducted by the Center for an Urban Future, even though the local games industry has grown rapidly to approximately 85 companies employing 1,200 people, the sector “lags well behind Seattle, Los Angeles, Montreal, Austin and Boston.” Continue Reading

It should come as no surprise to you that Grand Theft Auto IV is breaking a record or two when it comes to sales. You probably still have GTA IV running in the background even as you read this. It turns out that GTA has virtually wiped away all those pesky records in the U.K. and scribbled in its own name. Originally projected to sell 609k units in the first 24 hours by ChartTrack, GTA actually managed to move 631k copies and 926k across both platforms during the first week.

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California State Senator Leland Yee has granted GameCyte readers and fellow journalists an open interview. Continue Reading

With reports of Grand Theft Auto IV’s freezes continuing to flow in, GameSpot checked out the latest solution from the Take-Two support site. Take-Two is suggesting that PS3 players take twelve steps, all of which boil down to jiggling the cord, blowing in the cartridge, rebooting, and other general “well, see if this works” tips. Continue Reading

Personally, I’m loving every minute of GameCyte’s ongoing Grand Theft Auto IV controversy coverage, but for those of you who would rather actually play the game, IGN has come up with the ultimate cheat device — a full Google Maps mashup of Liberty City. Continue Reading

Your forecast for U.S. sales of Grand Theft Auto IV is sunny with a chance of massive ownage, if initial UK results are any indication — MCV is reporting that in the United Kingdom, the game sold 609,000 copies on day one, breaking sales records along the way. Continue Reading

While IGN’s infamous review seemed to suggest Grand Theft Auto IV would be best played on PS3 (due to faster loadtimes, sharper graphics, and greater draw distances) the internet community is reporting that the PS3 version may have some serious flaws. Continue Reading

Best Buy has just released the list of store locations where they will be having midnight launches for Grand Theft Auto IV. Although there is no explanation of the exact nature of these midnight experiences (will they be parties, will there be prizes, will anyone be shot?), Best Buy seems appropriately enthusiastic about the whole endeavor:

Don’t miss a minute of one of the most anticipated games of the year! Find out if there’s a Best Buy midnight store opening for GTA IV in your area.

One of gaming’s most storied franchises — the felonious fun of Grand Theft Auto — is finally making its way to next-gen systems, and we know you can’t wait to pull the trigger on this sure-to-be hit.

So, Best Buy is opening dozens of stores at midnight on April 29 so you can buy this must-have title as soon as it releases. And get there early, because we’ll have Grand Theft Auto-related giveaways, but quantities will be limited.

Just so there’s no confusion, you’ll want to show up on Monday night, April 28, and wait for the clock to strike 12 midnight — Tuesday, April 29.

Because we’re your friends here at GameCyte, we’ve put together a Google map mashup of GTA IV midnight locations in New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Chicago over on the right hand side of the site. Please feel free to edit the map with the location of any stores you know of that are also holding midnight launches for GTA IV.

Really, Jack? Really? Lovable windmill-tilter Jack Thompson is at it again, which I suppose we all knew he would be, with everyone eagerly awaiting next week’s murder simulator, Grand Theft Auto IV. Jack’s latest masterwork of logic has taken the form of an open letter to the mother of Strauss Zelnick, Chairman of Take-Two Interactive, the shameful reprobates behind a game so filthy, you can’t even see it on the side of a Chicago bus. Continue Reading