IGN's Australian department have, using their hands-on preview, published a wonderfully detailed article on 10 things you have to do in Liberty City when you pick up the game in 57 days time. Now there are a number of quotes I'd like to post from the article, but that would defeat the object of this post linking to it, so I'll just post a couple.

Squeezing off a shotgun round at the driver caused blood to splatter across the inside of the windscreen (which was now riddled with tiny bullet holes) as the driver's body was knocked violently back in his seat before slumping forward with his head resting on the steering wheel, causing the car's horn to constantly blare away. The intensity and detail we witnessed in this split-second of gameplay left us utterly gob-smacked, and even a little guilty about whacking the poor guy - at least we put his car to good use. He would have wanted that.

Cap someone in the leg, for example, and you'll see their limb flung back as their body loses balance and topples over. Shoot them in the face and their head will snap back with great force, before their body crumples lifelessly to the ground. Euphoria makes all of the typical GTA sandbox-style antics you're used to seem fresh again.

It's also confirmed in the article that you can actually blindfire rocket launchers, a feature I presumed would just be for normal guns.

Read the whole thing over at IGN - if it doesn't make you more excited about this game I don't know what will. Also, feel free to comment on this post and add your own ideas to the list of 'things to do when you get GTA4'.

LiveJournal user 3rdrate has found something a little more interesting than the faux wanted posters you may have seen around New York, he's stumbled across a large artwork of Niko painted on a door in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the corner of North 5th St. & Bedford Ave to be precise.

In addition to the artwork. 3rdrate seems to believe that the wanted posters for different characters are in different areas of NYC, i.e. Niko's are up in Brooklyn, Elizabeta's would be in the Bronx, etc. If this is the case, let us know if you find any others.

Thanks PlanetGTA

EGM subscribers have recently received their April issue of the magazine, and in it is a nice lengthy preview of Grand Theft Auto IV, along with three new screenshots. New details are below:

• Niko Bellic was apparently inspired by a favourite driver from Rockstar Games' car service
  
• The total number of radio stations is actually 14 (not 18 as we've previously reported)
  
• Car engines may stall after taking a lot of damage, requiring you to escape on foot
  
• Lazlow is finally confirmed to be returning on the radio (something we long expected)
  
• Emergency units respond in real time, this is useful for procuring an emergency vehicle - call them to report something, then head over to the station while they're all attending the scene
  
• Niko is an old soldier who spent time in third-world prisons
  
• On the subject of multiplayer, Sam Houser said "I just like running up to a bunch of players with the grenade cooking in my hands and taking them all out with me." - nothing more was mentioned other than we can expect some 'standard' multiplayer modes, as well as some new ones.
  
• You can resist arrest when getting busted by tapping A/X. You'll attain an additional wanted star, though.
  
• The PS3 version of GTA4 will use the Sixaxis controller's motion-sensing abilities "in a way that makes sense," is all Houser will say.
  

Thanks to CosmosTheMouse for magazine scans.

Thanks to IGN and GamePro, we now have 3 new screenshots and a digital artwork.

Sources: GamePro and IGN

See more artwork and screenshots.

The new previews and screenshots which you've probably read a lot about in the past couple of weeks are now finally here. Below is a quick summary of most of the new information. You can read on for links to the 10 new screenshots and the previews themselves.

• Broker is the only island open at the start, however you can begin accessing the other islands sooner than you have in previous games
  
• If you die during a mission you're given a chance to retry it by way of a text, after respawning at the hospital
  
• Headlights can be set to full beam or dipped, but they can't be turned off
  
• We mentioned a while ago that you may find items of use to you in vehicles, it has now been confirmed that you can't actually use vehicles as a place to store items
  
• Cars are not customisable as they were in San Andreas
  
• Items on the ground now have a yellow halo around them. Rather than the cylindrical glow we've become accustomed to in the series' previous offerings, GTA IV's mission markers are now large arrows pointing at the ground.
  
• There are eighteen radio stations in total. Genres include funk, reggae, jazz, dance, Jamaican, pop, hardcore, hip hop and an Eastern European station. One of the stations is called The Vibe, which plays RnB and soul music.
  
• You can pause the game to view a full size map of the city. Selecting a destination will map out a route to it on your radar.
  
• On the subject of GPS, some of the more expensive cars have voice navigation.
  
• As mentioned previously it is now possible to lob grenades and molotov cocktails out vehicle windows. Firing a gun is said to be (realistically) less accurate than in previous games.
  
• Niko is a master at Krav Maga, a fighting style the Israeli Special Forces use.
  
• Niko was able to punch someone hard enough that they crashed through a window behind them.
  
• Once minor technical difference between the PS3 and 360 versions has been spotted - The 360 version is brighter and has slightly more vibrant colour, while the PS3 build has less aliasing issues.
  

Once again we recommend you read Kikizo's preview as in the past they've done an excellent job of covering more information than any of the other websites. The following websites also have new previews up:

• Kikizo
  
• IGN
  
• Team Xbox
  
• GameSpot
  
• 1UP
  
• CVG
  
• GameSpy
  
• Videogamer
  
• GamesRadar
  
• GameTap
  

After weeks of speculation, Electronic Arts have placed a formal unsolicited billion dollar bid for Take Two Interactive, parent company of Rockstar Games, publishers of the GTA series. The gaming giant seems to really be interested in merging the companies, offering a share after several private offers were rejected by Take Two's board.

GTA IV is widely expected to be the top-selling game of 2008, and more than 60 million copies of GTA games so far have been sold. If GTA IV sold the expected 10 million copies before the end of the year, that would make Take Two more expensive, which explains why EA has placed an aggressive bid now - plus it allows them to reap the profits of Take Two's imminent success.

Take Two has a reputation of producing one-hit wonders and a massive winning streak with GTA, whereas the more steady EA is known more for its countless sequels than its innovation and creativity. EA's CEO John Riccitiello said they intend to merge Take Two with EA before Christmas, and that he was already had a relationship with Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser.

Take Two have previously stated that the company is not for sale, and have rejected a number of offers from Take Two. Chairman Strauss Zelnick said "EA's proposal provides insufficient value to our shareholders and comes at absolutely the wrong time given the crucial initiatives under way at the company.” This bluntly says that they are expecting massive success with GTA IV, and do not want EA to be piggybacking on its success.

However EA will not be as interested in buying Take Two after GTA IV has been released, as they won't see the direct profits from the game. Take Two offered to negotiate a deal beginning on the day after GTA IV's release, but EA have turned that down, suggesting EA wants a big pre-GTA discount.

EA has acquired many high-profile game studios, including Westwood (Command & Conquer), Bullfrog Productions (Populous) and Origin Systems (Ultima), which all disappeared into EA. Take Two takes the opposite approach by providing each studio their own identity and individuality, which shows in the games they product. Take Two will be keen to keep this in place after any merger, and EA has a long way to go to prove that.

However there is a possibility that individual studios, including Rockstar Games and 2K Boston (Bioshock) would separate from Take Two rather than be merged into EA.

Do you think EA would do good things with the GTA series, using their countless industry contacts and professionals to enhance the games? Or are they likely to ruin it with endless sub-par sequels and erase the passion that has built up over the GTA community? Discuss this in our forums.

Update: Take Two has officially rejected this offer from EA. Read IGN's article here.

Thanks Red Devil for the update.

Earlier this month, a Swedish gaming magazine called Level obtained a hands-on preview of GTA IV.

Several new details about the game were revealed:

• Brucie is located in the Broker docks in an abandoned warehouse. He pays Niko to kill a specific person. Niko goes to the targets house, but somehow the target manages to escape through a back door. After a long car chase, Niko does a drive-by on the target who tried to escape on foot. When Brucie calls after the assassination, he screams: "You're the man!"
  
• Keeping friends is very important. If Niko shows up on time for meetings, run errands and help his friends, he will get taxi service (what this means is not explained), a free helicopter and guns delivered to his home. If you can't make it to a meeting, you should call whomever you where supposed to meet, and tell that person you won't be able to meet him or her just now.
  
• Enemy health is indicated by a circle above the head.
  
• The massive weight of a car is something you really feel. Cars behave much more realistic than in previous games.
  
• There is a car named Contender.
  
• There is a place where you can rent helicopters. When Niko gets there, a man in a yellow jacket approaches him, and asks if he wants to view the city from above. Instead of replying nicely, Niko blows the guys brains out, and steals a helicopter. The Rockstar Games representatives told the previewer the following: "Congratulations! You're the first of all journalists to fly a helicopter in GTA IV! We actually never thought that any of you would come up with the idea to do that!"
  
• According to the previewer, you can fly the helicopter very high above Liberty City.
  
• The last thing the previewer did was to land the helicopter on top of the GetaLife building, stand on the 'G' in GetaLife, and snipe people on the ground.
  

Thanks, GTA Don

Source: Planet GTA

Rockstar have updated the GTAIV official site today with new screenshots and wallpapers, as well as some new additions to the site. The updates page provides the details on what exactly has been updated.

• Videos of Alderney businessman Phil Bell and the Dilettante hybrid car.
  
• Downloadable posters of Liberty City's most wanted criminals, straight from the LCPD.
  
• The Weazel News sidebar-friendly news widget.
  
• New batch of exclusive screenshots.
  
• Debut of the Character Series of official wallpapers and more.
  

There are 8 new screenshots in total, 5 from the screenshots page and 3 from the new pages:

We've received our third 'hidden package' from Rockstar, and this one contained a disc with two new screenshots on it, as well as some other goodies. The first screen shows Niko with some trashmen, the second shows Niko cruising around in a boat.

Thank you R*!

Microsoft and C&VG have confirmed that the first episode of the Xbox 360's exclusive content will arrive this August.

In its GDC keynote extravaganza, Microsoft confirmed that the first downloadable "episode" for GTA IV will be coming this August, exclusively to Xbox 360.

Grand Theft Auto IV: Episode One, as it's being called, is presumably the first in the previously announced two downloadable episodes for Rockstar's sequel. They've been rumoured to have cost Microsoft a fair few pennies too.

Source: C&VG.com

Mark866 from our own forums has found that PSM3 has released tons of new info on GTA IV. Some of it we already knew, but most of it is worth posting.

• According to the journalists, the first hands-on minutes were enough to solidify their feelings of how the game is going to kick ass.
  
• Liberty City has more streets than any other game in the genre.
  
• You cannot enter every building. However, you can interact with most of them. Rooftops, stairways, fire escapes, partial interiors, etc.
  
• Niko will not be able to manage property, gangs or trade.
  
• Bowling, dart games, drinking games, strip clubs and night clubs will be available.
  
• The core of GTA IV is all about the human relationship.
  
• Sometimes, your contacts may call you during a hard mission to ask you a service. In this instance, you can choose between the mission or whatever your contact is asking. If you ditch your mission to do things with your phone contact, you may see consequences. Whether or not you will be able to replay the mission that you went away from remains to be seen.
  
• The new impression of seeing a next generation living, breathing city is absolutely stunning.
  
• The pedestrian population density changes between the place/borough you are in.
  
• If you walk around the street with a gun in your hand, pedestrians who have a phone can call the police.
  
• In one instance when Niko tried to carjack someone, the scared innocent driver sped away so fast that he hit two cars.
  
• During the first mission that the journalists played, they tried to carjack someone without a gun. The driver beat up Niko. Niko got beat up so bad that he ended up at the hospital.
  
• Pedestrians react in a very realistic way. The journalists said that it is as if each person in the game leads his/her own life.
  
• It took 15 minutes to go through 2/3 of Manhattan with a boat. It took 10 minutes by car to go through Brooklyn and Central Park.
  
• The cars can be destroyed very realistically. Every part of the car can bend and fold.
  
• GTA IV has a wider variety of mission types. The missions are more difficult than in previous games.
  
• The game is done. Most clipping bugs are gone. The game is super smooth in terms of frame rate. (Note: The game is not 100% done. It is not "gold" yet.)
  
• If you press the jump button, Niko can climb everywhere. In other words, wall climbing from San Andreas has returned. You can strafe on walls, too.
  
• There is a swimming club.
  
• If you have five stars, it's very difficult to escape from the cops. They are everywhere and they don't joke with you. They are smarter than in previous incarnations of the series.
  
• While in a boat, the sound effects are awesome. You can hear the sound of the waves that beat the front of the boat.
  
• With powerful weapons, you can shoot through the walls.
  
• The weather that was seen during the four hours of gameplay included fog, rain, sun and clouds. A variety of colors can be seen depending on the time of day.
  
• When you die, you pay 0 but you get to keep your weapons.
  
• When you go to jail after getting busted, you pay more than 0 and you lose your weapons.
  
• While you are drunk, it's very difficult to control Niko. The drunk sensation is perfectly done.
  
• When stealing a car from a pedestrian, Niko didn't get into the car before the pedestrian sped up. Niko held onto the car as the pedestrian glided along the road. (Note: It may have been the pedestrian holding on to a car Niko was in. The translation is sketchy.)
  
• Choppers with search lights are in the game.
  
• Women will striptease in strip clubs when you pay.
  
• Depending on the borough you are in, pedestrians may speak different languages. Italian, Chinese and those in the Bronx are different when it comes to language.
  
• Health kits are available only in buildings.
  
• Grenade and molotov cocktail sound effects are stunning.
  

Source: mark866, GTA-Like

GoldenJoel at GTAForums has found that GameSpy have a new GTA IV screenshot in an article on their website. If you're thinking it looks familiar, you're probably thinking of a scene in the third trailer, where this screenshot is presumably taken from. Again, this screenshot is fairly small, so we'll update you if we obtain a full size version.

A new piece of artwork has found its way on the Internet featuring Little Jacob firing what looks to be either an AK-47 or an SMG-type weapon. The artwork is said to be from GamesMaster’s preview of GTA IV. Click here for a larger version of the below thumbnail.

Thanks Jayt001 and mark866!

The Official PlayStation Magazine claims that Rockstar Games is set to release the first two top-down Grand Theft Auto titles, GTA and GTA II, on the PlayStation Network. The magazine seemed to be hinting at the release being in the near future as well:

Can't wait for GTA IV? Well, GTA and GTA II, the top-down PS1 classics that started it all, are set to appear as PSN downloads...

A scan of the very short article can be found here. It isn’t yet known if the titles will also be released on the Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 users, but if their claims are true, then I wouldn’t doubt it.

Earlier today, gaming site Kotaku received a massive preview of GTAIV, revealing a significant amount of new information about the game.

• Car chases during missions aren't completely scripted
  
• If a moving car's tires are shot, the car will grind on the rims
  
• An achievement called 'One Man Army' is presumably unlocked by using a rocket launcher to blow up a police helicopter
  
• The current build of the game contains cheats, which the developers used throughout the preview
  
• Skipping the taxi ride will cost you a 'small fee,' in addition to the ride fare
  
• One mission previewed involved Niko sniping gang members in a construction site on a rooftop
  
• Similarly to Gears of War, players can now use cover, blind fire, and free fire their weapons
  
• Niko's health is shown as a green bar that wraps around the radar, while his armor is shown as a similar blue bar
  
• Items that are dropped by NPCs in the game such as money, weapons, and ammo glow in the dark to make them easier to find
  
• While there will be multiplayer, there will be no cooperative gameplay for the story mode
  

You can check out the full article and screenshots here.

Thanks to ~Brad~ for the news.

EDIT: Kotaku followed up with a Q&A session with Rockstar about the game, which you can read here

The official Grand Theft Auto website has received a revamp this weekend. Check out the slick new look, GrandTheftAuto.com.

UK magazine PSM3 is boasting a nice 13-page-long extensive preview of GTA IV in their latest issue. This is the first time (or so we know) that a magazine or website has previewed the game on PlayStation 3 hardware. The preview is said to contain four brand new screenshots, which can all be seen here (thanks to Buubar for the scans and information). Highlights of the preview:

• The preview was done on PS3 hardware. This would, of course, make sense since the magazine is PSM3.
  
• While on a motorbike, if you are to crash your helmet may fly off depending on the size of the collision.
  
• The environment (buildings and such) may be damaged and destroyed depending on how much you fire at it (obviously a rocket launcher-type weapon would do more damage, etc.).
  
• Niko’s cell phone is now slightly more useful: you can now use it to call the police, fire department, etc. In addition, you can also listen to any of Liberty City’s 18 radio stations with it. You should even be able to take pictures, and then upload them onto the police’s computer!
  
• Liberty City’s Lincoln Tunnel goes by the name of the “Booth Tunnel”.
  
• The faster you tap X, (equivalent to 'A' on the Xbox 360), the faster Niko runs. In PSM3’s demo, he didn’t seem to grow tired after sprinting, however I personally believe this would change.
  
• As in previous GTA’s, the first few missions will introduce you to the many new characters, and will be filled with tutorials and what-not.
  
• When hurt, health is restored by medical kits, resting, or by eating.
  

Stay tuned for many more previews (as the news seems to be coming like crazy these days)!

Traditionally, Rockstar have always ran a contest leading up to the release of a Grand Theft Auto game, and this year is no different. R* just launched a new contest giving you the chance to win one of fifty limited edition Liberty City Swingers t-shirts!

As usual, the contest is unfortunately open to US residents only. So, if you live in the USA then check out the Liberty Swingers contest, good luck!

UK magazine Games Master has a new preview of GTA IV in their latest issue, in it is a fair bit of new information, summarised below:

• Cars no longer explode when flipped over.
  
• Grenades can be thrown from cars.
  
• You can push pedestrians out of the way using the B button on the Xbox 360 (presumably Circle on the PS3).
  
• Police AI has been improved and they won't shoot unless you've committed a serious offence, running from them will cause them to open fire.
  
• Different melee attacks can be preformed by holding down the right trigger and pressing Y, X or B.
  
• The cover system is similar to that in Gears of War, you can also blind fire.
  
• You'll notice characters breathing when it's cold.
  
• Some of the gangs in Liberty City are the Mafia, Jamaicans, Triads and Irish.
  
• Some in-game bridges have tolls.
  
• Spinners (on wheels) have been implemented due to the community's requests.
  
• Niko has an e-mail account and also uses RSS feeds. These can be accessed at any TW@ Internet café
  
• Radio stations will often report on events you've caused (e.g. completing missions, killing mob bosses)
  
• After running over a pedestrian blood spatter appears on the bumper and windshield of the car.
  

Thanks to cmacca4 for the scans.

The official GTA IV website has now fully launched and features new screenshots and videos of the game. It takes the style of a tourist guide and also includes a map of Liberty City.

I have uploaded all 25 new screenshots to the website, you can view them all in our screenshot gallery.

According to Rockstar Games' RSS feed, the official website for Grand Theft Auto IV is launching tomorrow (Friday 8th). Strangely there's no story attached to the headline, but presumably this will give us a nice collection of new media, including screenshots, possibly a new trailer, and more...

If we get more info on this, such as a launch time or any other details, we'll keep you updated.

German gaming magazine Computerbild-Spiele has a new 5 page preview of GTA IV, which includes 11 new gameplay screenshots and a new artwork. It's a hands-on preview so the journalists could do what they want rather than having a R* rep demonstrating.

Below is a short summary of the new information contained in the magazine:

• The game is set in 2008
  
• It seems that Niko always wears a helmet when riding a motorcycle
  
• When getting in a car, you now press two buttons to begin driving - one to get in, and one to start the engine
  
• In some cars you'll find useful items, such as money or a weapon.
  
• You can still get "wasted" and just like old time you'll respawn at the nearest hospital, minus your weapons and a little cash
  
• Bullet holes in vehicles and buildings won't disappear immediately
  

Thanks to Freezer89 for the information and scans @ GTAForums

Gaming blog The Cut Scene, part of Variety, has reported that there was a Grand Theft Auto movie in the early stages of production. Apparently Rockstar had warmed to the idea of doing a film, and Take Two was in negotiations with an unnamed film studio - even Eminem was being approached to play the lead. Although it appears, like the planned Halo film, the GTA movie has been scrapped, Cut Scene saying it "fell apart...at the last minute."

However, Dan Houser has responded to the media, dismissing the claims that the movie had ever been started:

Rockstar was not involved in this project in any shape or form nor is it something that we're currently interested in. There was no GTA movie in the works as far as Rockstar is concerned. Some movie producers were trying to put something together to entice us to make a movie, as studios and production teams frequently have done in the past. This proposal was no more interesting than the numerous others we receive. We never entertained proceeding with the project.

Perhaps it was only a suggestion floating around at Take Two, or perhaps it is just a piece of overzealous journalism, but it is still intriguing to hear at least rumours of a GTA movie from the creators themselves.

Do you think Take Two would make a GTA movie? Should be a one? If so, who should be in it? Let us know in the forums.

Another new screenshot has appeared online today, thanks to Yahoo and the Associated Press. Unfortunately, as with the previous screen we don't have a high resolution image at the moment, so for now this low quality image will have to do. As you can see, the screenshot shows us the interior of a cop car.

Source: Yahoo

Rockstar Games have released a brand new screenshot exclusive to fansites. Check it out below.

The Associated Press were recently given a preview of GTA IV from Dan Houser, and were also given some new screenshots. One of which has appeared online today courtesy of Yahoo. Unfortunately it's very low resolution, but hopefully we'll have a higher resolution version soon, as well as other low-res screenshots we've recently posted.

See more GTA IV screenshots in our gallery.

The latest issue of the US version of Official Xbox Magazine has a new GTA IV screenshot we haven't seen before. It depicts Niko getting arrested by two cops, very similar to how CJ was arrested by Pulaski and Hernandez in San Andreas. We'll hopefully have a hi-res digital version of the screen soon.

See the image, found by Freedom360, over at GTAForums