Grand Theft Auto IV

14 Stories

Boy, 8, Shoots, Kills Elderly Woman—Intentionally

Cops say he shot his caregiver in back of head after playing 'Grand Theft Auto'

(Newser) - An 8-year-old boy fatally shot his elderly "caregiver"— WBRZ identifies the victim as his grandmother—in Slaughter, Louisiana, last week, authorities say. The victim was Marie Smothers, 87. The boy has not been identified because of his age. He originally told police the shooting was unintentional, but authorities...

Mom Calls Cops on Grand Theft Auto-Addled Teen

Boston police talk boy into shutting off PlayStation

(Newser) - A Boston teen's excessive video game playing caused his mom to call 911 this weekend. Angela Mejia awoke at 2:30am to find her son still playing Grand Theft Auto IV, so she unplugged his PlayStation. "I want to help my son, but I can’t find a way,...

GTA IV Rides Again in Lost and the Damned
 GTA IV Rides Again in 
 Lost and the Damned 
NEW RELEASE
Feb 18, 2009 10:22 AM CST

GTA IV Rides Again in Lost and the Damned

Download-only add-on episode revs new life into franchise's fourth outing

(Newser) - Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and the Damned brings gamers back to a Liberty City as gritty and darkly funny as ever, Seth Schiesel writes in the New York Times. The add-on episode, only available as a download through the Xbox Live service, swiftly ditches GTA IV's protagonist...

In Defense of American Blood Lust
 In Defense of
 American Blood Lust
ANALYSIS
Aug 7, 2008 12:41 PM CDT

In Defense of American Blood Lust

'Inheritance' of nation 'born in blood'

(Newser) - With Cormac McCarthy's ascension "from cult writer to Great American Novelist" and the "primordial joy" of Grand Theft Auto IV as backdrop, Stephen Marche reflects on the central role violence plays in the American mythos in Esquire. "Purification through violence has been created and nurtured by figures...

Game Over for Teens 'Acting Out' Grand Theft Auto

Six bored pals launched crime spree: cops

(Newser) - Six bored Long Island teenagers have been busted for acting out the violent themes of the controversial video game Grand Theft Auto IV with a real life spree of break-ins, a mugging, a beating and a carjacking, police charge. "These teens have difficulty separating fact from fiction, fantasy from...

Grand Theft Auto IV Marks the End for Next-Gen Gaming

Look for cheaper games with broader appeal in future, predicts writer

(Newser) - Low sales of Grand Theft Auto IV herald the end of next-gen gaming’s heyday, writes Wagner James Au on GigaOm. The game is selling poorly compared to the previous version, and it hasn’t improved sales of the next-gen Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. “The days when...

Crime Pays for Grand Theft Auto Maker

Game blows away sales records, jacks up profit forecasts

(Newser) - Profit forecasts have shot through the roof at Take-Two Interactive Software, thanks to the runaway success of Grand Theft Auto IV, reports MarketWatch. The company is boasting a $100 million second-quarter profit, up from a $50 million loss for the same period last year—even though the blockbuster game was...

Online Gaming Boom Outpaces Real-Life Critiques
Online Gaming Boom Outpaces Real-Life Critiques
OPINION
May 31, 2008 1:14 PM CDT

Online Gaming Boom Outpaces Real-Life Critiques

Cultural attitude toward virtual world reflects antiquated view

(Newser) - The dizzying growth of the video game industry continues to alarm cultural Luddites, writes Tom Chatfield for the Prospect, but the critics are trapped in video gaming’s past. They haven't adjusted to the development of social, team-based gaming worlds, treating games “as an odd mix of the slightly...

For Actor, Grand Theft Auto Doesn't Pay

Gaming companies refuse to dole out royalties

(Newser) - He has gained fame and exposure as the voice of sly Balkan criminal Niko Bellic in Grand Theft Auto IV. But actor Michael Hollick would rather see a royalty check from Rockstar Games, reports the New York Times. Though the game has raked in roughly $600 million so far, Hollick...

Grand Theft Auto Burns Up Sales Record

Tops Halo 3's first week take

(Newser) - Grand Theft Auto IV made off with a clean $500 million in its first week on sale, the biggest bow ever for a video game, MTV reports. The take left in the dust Halo 3’s $300 million debut, the previous record holder. It also surpasses any movie or music...

Grand Theft a Joy for Gamers
 Grand Theft a Joy for Gamers 
video game review
Apr 29, 2008 6:24 PM CDT

Grand Theft a Joy for Gamers

Today's launch is well worth the wait

(Newser) - The latest installment in the widely acclaimed and controversial Grand Theft Auto is more than worth the wait, writes Justin Calvert in GameStop. Preserving the basic play mechanics but adding a breathtaking level of complexity and a fantastically detailed and humorous mock-up of New York City, "Grand Theft Auto ...

New Grand Theft May Shatter Sales Records Today

Controversial game could change math in EA takeover bid

(Newser) - Everyone’s favorite controversy magnet is coming back to consoles—and it’s going to make a lot of money. Grand Theft Auto IV went on sale today, and it’s expected to shatter sales records, the Wall Street Journal reports. One analyst predicts $400 million in its first week....

EA Gets Hostile in 'Grand Theft' Takeover Bid

Video game maker plans to bypass Take-Two management

(Newser) - Electronic Arts is renewing its $2 billion bid to take over rival Take-Two Interactive—but this time the offer will go directly to the video game maker's shareholders, in a sign the potential deal may be turning hostile, reports the Wall Street Journal. EA’s initial offer was rejected by...

Take-Two Promises Solid 2008
Take-Two Promises Solid 2008
Mar 12, 2008 8:25 AM CDT

Take-Two Promises Solid 2008

Game maker upbeat despite losses; rebuffs EA takeover talks

(Newser) - Videogame maker Take-Two Interactive—owner of gamer favorites Grand Theft Auto and Bioshock—said first quarter losses jumped nearly 77% to $38 million while revenue fell some 13% to $240.4 million, reports the New York Times. But the company projected an upbeat 2008 with revenues growing 40% to $1....

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