Any talk of an on-line version of GTA? (1 Viewer)

[Dave Poehlman]

A friend and I were discussing this yesterday. It would be cool to have a multi-player version of Grand Theft Auto. Sort of like "the Sims" except with assault rifles.

 

[Morgan Jolley]

I think that there are 3 GTAs in development now:

GTA4 (direct sequel to GTA3)
GTA: Sin City (GTA in a 70s Las Vegas)
GTA Online (online GTA)

The reason I guess this is because I remember reading about GTA4 being in development for a while, rumors about GTA Online that surfaced after 3 but before VC came out, and I also read rumors about GTA: Sin City somewhere. I dunno if anything is true, though.

 

[Keith Frederick]

Grand Theft Auto: VC wasn't apparently a true sequel, based on comments from the developer. I read somewhere that they were creating another rehash called Sin City(based on a previous GTA). Which leaves GTA4, the true sequel, still in development for the PS2.

Grand Theft Auto Online is an XBOX exclusive that is coming out on November 15th, 2005. Rockstar just can't talk about it until their agreement with Sony has expired. Though if Capcom can get around their exclusivity with Nintendo (REnline), I am sure Rockstar can come up with something.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Keith, have any shred of evidence about GTA Online? Who even knows if the XBox will have been eclipsed by the next MS console by then. As much as the idea of a GTA online sounds awesome, I'm skeptical about it until I see some hard proof(especially being an xbox exclusive).

 

[Jean-Michel]

AFAIK everything regarding future GTA games is rumor at this point. I have seen much talk online about "Sin City" but nothing from Rockstar or DMA/Rockstar North themselves. However, the domain names www.gtasanandreas.com and www.grandtheftautosanandreas.com have both been registered by one Richard Kruger, who appears to be an employee of Rockstar (he's listed in the credits of State of Emergency and possibly some other Rockstar games). Given that San Andreas is the last city from the first GTA not yet remade in 3D it would make sense that the next game in the series would be set there, but this could just be a case of Rockstar covering all possible bases. (The equivalent domain names for "Sin City" have been registered by two different hosting outfits in the UK -- one called "No1host.com" and another called "Hostingsupreme.co.uk." I doubt these are connected to Rockstar.)

Regarding GTA Online, I heard some rumors awhile back about a spinoff entitled "Crime Online" but again, nothing solid. I echo Dave's skepticism regarding the story Keith posted; the idea Rockstar would release such a major title for a system that will almost certainly be on its last legs by late 2005 is fairly ludicrous. X-Box 2, maybe.......but the information given by Keith is so specific I'm inclined to regard it as little more than wishful thinking.

 

[Iain Lambert]

The big problem I see with any GTA online is the sheer quantity of data you're talking about throwing around. I'd imagine its for a very good reason that the multiplayer aspects of similiar games (certainly Midtown Madness and its sequel) turn off or massively down the amount of NPC traffic to reduce bandwidth. You get a gang of several people in the area, a bunch of traffic, lots of guns firing and pedestrians to worry about as well and you're going to soak that connection horribly. Even when playing single-player it promptly forgets about the person who walked past a few seconds ago when you turn around.

And thats before we get to the balancing issues.

Personally, I'd much rather have a new offline one with a multiplayer (preferably split screen, but iLink would do) option to run around stealing cars in a no-holds-barred race to the other side of town via whichever route feels fastest.

Basically, all this talk of "GTA Online" shows more than anything how the GTA games are different games to different people. Some want to play at being gang members, shooting each other. Some just want to drive like maniacs. Others still like wandering around, exploring the city.

 

[BertFalasco]

I heard the next installment will simply be GTA4: Crime Online. I find it hard for RSN to work on 3 GTAs as they dedicate much time to one game.

 

[BrianB]

I heard the next installment will simply be GTA4: Crime Online.

You heard wrong. Rockstar have yet to announce anything concrete (and won't - VC sales are through the roof). I think those domain names are a good indication of what's likely.

As for the whole online thing... I don't Rockstar/Take Two have said anything positive about a "GTA Crime World" since the DMA buyout from Infogrames oh so many years ago.

 

[Keith Frederick]

You are absolutely right. Everything in this thread is speculation since Rockstar has not officially announced any future Grand Theft Auto game. Anything can happen. Grand Theft Auto 4 could be cancelled for the PS2 to become a PS3 launch title.

Nothing is set in stone. So no, I don't have a shred of proof for any of this and it is all wishful thinking. I bet that Sin City will be the next setting for series. But who knows.

 

[JoshF]

My guess is that they'll milk what they can out of the current engine on the PS2 with small improvements here and there.

They'll stick with Sony for now due to their whopping user base and exclusvie agreement.

No online games for at least a couple years. We'll MAYBE see an online GTA toward the end of the PS2's lifespan.