"Xbox, Meet GTA. GTA, this is Xox." (1 Viewer)

[david kennedy]

I read in a mag about month ago there being some kind of contract loophole with Sony that would allow the game to come out on xbox. I guess it's true.

 

[BrianB]

No loophole - notice it's got GTA on the cover - they just re-negotiated the exclusivity deal with Sony, as mentioned a while back in Take Two's financial reports.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Well, I guess that wild speculation is in order here (since there seems to be an absence of facts other than a possible date), so I'm going to guess that there's a couple of reasonably significant features that rockstar has been quiet about up until now. If it was just an Xbox release, I could understand the game being just a straight port, but the Ps2 release has me puzzled. There are probably about ten people who don't own GTA3/Vice yet on Ps2 that are interested, so releasing it there makes no sense unless there's something new and compelling. I think that custom soundtracks on the Xbox are a given (the Mp3 support was in the PC version, and it should be wasy enough to add), but I think there'll be some sort of new content. Whether this is new missions, a new game mode, new vehicles, or something else I don't know, but I'd gamble on there being someting new.

 

[BrianB]

There are probably about ten people who don't own GTA3/Vice yet on Ps2 that are interested, so releasing it there makes no sense unless there's something new and compelling.

Believe it or not, but both are /still/ selling well (especially VC). At $39.99, that's a saving of $10 over buying them seperately. I don't presume Rockstar are expecting to sell millions of this bundle on the PS2, but it'll help boost sales a little & keep the name in the public eye.

Look how many times they re-released the original GTA.

 

[Joe Szott]

Chris -

I would definitely buy this duo pack for xbox and I played both GTA3 ad Vice on PS2 already. The advantages would be the much better 5.1 sound, improved graphics (always nice), no loading screen in the middle of the city (hard drive takes care of that for you), and maybe some new features. GTA is just fun to mess around with, anything that makes that experience higher quality is a good thing.

 

[Josh Lowe]

You people who bash on consoles sound like you're 12. Keep that garbage on the IGN and Penny Arcade forums where it belongs.

GTA coming to the Xbox is nothing but a good thing. It strengthens the platform and strengthens Take Two/Rockstar North and further ensures they'll be around in the future. End of story. I have GTA3 for my PS2 as well as my PC. Chances are I'll pick up the XBox combo of GTA3 and Vice City simply because I hardly play PC games anymore (my hardware is lacking) and my PS2 is currently disconnected due to all my component inputs being in use. But to bash on the PS2 is stupid. It has an enormous library of quality games and is the dominant force in the industry, hands down.

 

[Larry Talbot]

"The advantages would be the much better 5.1 sound, improved graphics (always nice)"

They're always nice, but we don't always get them. Anyone remember how great the last Need for Speed was on the PS2, and how poor the Xbox version was? The Xbox CAN produce better sound and graphics, but that doesn't mean the developers will always take advantage of this...

 

[Max Leung]

It's pretty much a given that GTA/VC on the XBox will support 5.1 - but only because I expect it to because the PC version supports it, and it works perfectly on a PC with an NVIDIA nForce chipset with the 5.1 Soundstorm audio (same as the XBox, dangit!).

So it had better, or there would be hell to pay!

 

[Dave F]

We don't always get those improvements, but 99% of the time, we do. Unless there is some reason to believe otherwise, they can usually be taken as a given.

-Dave

 

[Larry Talbot]

Well, I read elsewhere that the Xbox version is to feature several improvements, including higher resolutions and 5.1 etc...I'll definitely be picking this up as I always wanted to see what all the fuss over GTA3 was about (loved the original 2D version.)

 

[chris rick]

Quote:

As I mentioned to another member, it is one thing to not like a console but another thing to suggest that those who do are in the wrong. Keep such opinions to yourselves rather than flame in a thread

I won't bash people...but you know what? The Xbox, IMO, has surpassed the PS2 in terms of games over the past year. And I OWN all three consoles. GTA, if done right will look and sound far better on the XBOX. We all know here that the PS2 is simply not capable of what the XBOX can do, and that of course the XBOX is not capable of doing what a PC can do.
Bottom line is that of course you should choose the system that appeals to you most and go with it. Like an idiot, I have all three systems. Gotta say though, if I could keep only one, then it would be the XBOX. As I've stated already, their games recently are eclipsing what's coming out on PS2 and especially the CUBE overall, and couple that with the fact that Online play on the PS2 is simply a joke and non-existent on the CUBE--and I love my XBOX all the more. Bring on GTA on the XBOX--done right it will blow the PS2 versions away!!!

 

[Fredster]

My kids and I have spent hours online with Midnight Club II PS2. It is not a joke at all. It's a blast!

 

[Kami]

I take it the Xbox version is supporting 16:9 720p? All the screenshots on IGN are 1280x720 resolution.

Sweet!

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

Is this a hardware or software discussion?

 

[Larry Talbot]

Fair question Jay, but considering the fact that we are discussing the upcoming Xbox version of a game that has long been exclusive to the PS2, questions as to the technical differences between the two systems are likely to arrise, with Xbox owners (like myself) hoping that the new version will take advantage of the system's superior technical capabilities.
Here's my take on the Xbox vs PS2 debate. I believe these are two indisputable points.

One: The Xbox DOES poessess superior technical capabilities over the PS2. Like it or not, which ever side of the equation you fall on, that is simply a fact. Yes, those capabilities are only important if developers take advantage of them, but assuming they DO, then the Xbox clearly has a technical advantage over the PS2. Period.

Two: Though as an Xbox owner it pains me to say this, I think there are far MORE great games for the PS2 than for the Xbox, simply because there are more games for the PS2 than the Xbox, period. So this currently gives the PS2 a real world advantage over the Xbox, in terms of available software. While I like the Xbox over the PS2, I would never claim that there are no reasons to own a PS2. Quite the contrary.

I believe these facts to be self-evident, and no cause for argument. Arguing over consoles is stupid anyway. Do you like the console you own? Great! Why should you care about what someone else thinks of THEIR console?

To take any of this personally is beyond stupid. You didn't MAKE the console, you just bought it, remember?

 

[chris rick]

A bit off topic but it is simply ludicrous to consider the PS2's online game selection to be anywhere near the XBOX's.

 

[Larry Talbot]

Online, yes. Offline, no.

 

[Jean-Michel]

According to the new EGM the Xbox version has 720p/16x9 support, 5.1 sound, and custom soundtrack support as extras. Pretty much what everyone was expecting.

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

You didn't MAKE the console, you just bought it, remember?

That's a great message to keep in mind.

 

[Dave Bennett]

Jean-Michael,
Awesome news. That's enough of a reason for me to upgrade my PS2 copies.