Thefting Autos on a Grand Scale

June 6, 2008 on 7:34 am | In News | No Comments

In case you haven’t noticed from my conspicuous absence, I have indeed received my copy of Grand Theft Auto IV. I have spent the past few weeks in a frenetic burst of energy, navigating hero Niko of anonymous eastern European descent through mission after bullet-ridden mission. Overall, it’s hard not to think it is one of the best games ever, but the lack of mid-mission savepoints seems so last-gen. So, comrade, onward through the news!

Item #1: Not Home yet

Though the oft-delayed online service Home may be even ofter-delayed, Next-Gen Biz brings word this week that Sony is bringing some new content to the Playstation Network in the form of the suspiciously named “Qore” (A poor attempt at a Nintendo-esque approach? I can only guess.) For a (small) price, Sony promises to bring exclusive content (of interviews, trailers and footage) in what is being dubbed as an interactive magazine, which will be released once a month and available over the Playstation Network. For $3, you can grab the first episode this Thursday or pay $25 for a whole year’s worth. Beware, despite the price, it’s still ad-supported, so expect have your video feed interrupted every once in a while for a special word from the sponsors.

Item #2 40,000 Leagues

Boston-based developers 2K Games have been busy. Besides setting up their best-selling underwater shooting excursion “Bioshock” for a movie deal, they’ve also stated the nautical epic will sail into Sony’s port with a Playstation 3 version of the game due out this fall. According to a press release, the Playstation port will be “genetically enhanced” with new content and features, though details at this point remain murky. While this is good news for PS3 owners, it’s even better news for 2K Games, who it seems have learned that all the good money is in cross-platform(ing).

Item #3: A hefty haul

Actually, I think the lucrative lure of multi-platform synergy is best described in “Spaceballs,” when Han Solo parody Lonestar lists his rationale for Princess-rescuing: “It’s not just a lot of money…it’s a whole s***-load of money.” Just ask Infinity Ward (wholly owned by the newly merged titan Activision-Blizzard), who announced this week that it has shipped 10 million copies of its battlefield brawl, “Call of Duty IV.” The remarkable number is thanks in part to the fusion of its tri-platform appearance on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC. Giving the endless fun of the game’s online offering, such a figure comes as no surprise.