PS3 Fanboy

Hey there gossiping gaming grunts, the often correct rumormonger known as EGM's Quartermann is back again and this time with a juicy piece of wishful thinking for PS3 owners. Says Quartermann in the October issue of EGM, Rockstar Games and the team who've brought you Grand Theft Auto IV are working on an unannounced PS3-exclusive title.

While that's all the info on that for now, we'd like to point out that this is the same sort of thing we've heard a year ago. We're experiencing a bit of de ja vu just now. While no one knows for sure what the new game is about, we'd like to chance a guess. Most likely, it will be a title that will include everything on Rockstar's design document checklist: excessive profanity, excellently warped humor, and the casual 'beating up hookers' mini-game. If not, they have to at least include the last part for fan service's sake.

Well, finally. We were hoping this would come sooner, but better late than never, no? The widely reported problems of "freezes during certain modes" and "multiplayer connectivity issues" finally have a remedy -- a patch has just been released by Rockstar for Grand Theft Auto IV. An apology was also included in the patch notes, along with details of each problem resolved.

[Via Joystiq]

NPD figures for April have finally come in and this time, it's a close call between Xbox 360 and PS3. According to the NPD, PS3 sold 187,071 hardware units last month, which represents a year-over-year sales growth of 127%. More importantly, software sales have gone up 410% from last year, with over 2 million software units sold in April. A large portion of that figure comes from Grand Theft Auto IV, which sold over one million copies on PS3 in North America. The PS3 version had a higher attach ratio, although the Xbox 360 version still outsold the PS3 version almost 2:1. Predictions that PlayStation loyalty from the PS2 era would help PS3 sales were incorrect.

While Sony's home console didn't win any sales contests this month, it has gained a tremendous amount of momentum, especially when one remembers the console at the same time last year. The newly released rumble-ready DualShock 3 controller also sold incredibly well, with sales exceeding $10.9 million in April. By our calculations, that means over 200,000 controllers were sold in April alone. Not bad, huh?

Jack Tretton, president and CEO of SCEA, responded to this month's numbers: "Clearly, the tremendous legacy of Grand Theft Auto on PlayStation, combined with the blockbuster launch of Gran Turismo 5 Prologue packed a one-two punch with consumers at retail this month. The proof is in the numbers and, in April, PlayStation 3 hardware sales experienced a 127% increase over April of last year. PS3 momentum is fueled by enthusiasm for Blu-ray as the definitive high def standard and the growing number of consumers gearing up for some of the most anticipated titles of the year, exclusively for PS3, including the June release of Metal Gear Solid 4, and other great exclusives in the second half on the year, such as Resistance 2, SOCOM: Confrontation and LittleBigPlanet to name a few. With exciting PlayStation Network innovations and our strongest console-driving titles of the year still on the horizon, PS3 remains on pace for a breakthrough year."

In spite of a patch, many PS3 owners are reporting problems with Grand Theft Auto IV. While a number of solutions have been suggested, many are hoping for a better solution. According to one post on the PlayStation forums, a Take Two representative said the issue was "with the launch edition of the PS3" and that "the game was checked over and passed as 100% compatible with the current version of the PS3."

While this is unconfirmed, it does seem to be a plausible scenario. Considering how important GTA IV is, it wouldn't surprise us to see a new firmware attempt to fix these issues. Sony has previous released firmware updates, simply to patch games on the PSP. For example, Sony released an entirely new firmware for PSP a day after the release of Parappa the Rapper in Japan, because the in-game browser wasn't working properly.

[Via Joystiq]

According to Level Up, the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV has been outselling the PS3 at nearly a 2-1 ratio, with 64% of sales going to Microsoft's platform, and 36% going to Sony's. Granted, this data comes from first week sales at GameStop, which will skew towards early-adopting hardcore gamers. Many had suggested that GTA was so strongly associated with the PlayStation brand that PS3 sales would boom from the release of the new GTA. Could this initial sales data suggest otherwise?

Peter Dille, senior VP of marketing at SCEA, thinks that this is a figure that Microsoft shouldn't deem as a victory. He says that any difference in sales is due to the difference of install bases. "There's a larger installed base right now on Xbox 360 than on PS3. So it's not surprising that there's going to be more selling on Xbox 360 than PS3. Having said that, we're really excited about the ratio. If I had an installed base advantage of 3-1, I wouldn't be crowing too much about a 60-40 sales advantage."

The coming weeks and months will start drawing in the more casual market to the game, a sector which the PS2 captured wholeheartedly in the last generation of consoles. "We think it's not as high as what GameStop's telling you, if you look at [the full picture on] the national level. They're outselling us, but not by that same margin, and it's because of their installed base lead. With an installed base lead that's close to 3-1, if you're bragging about a 60-40 software split, it's clear evidence that the PlayStation 3 consumer is overindexing on GTA IV, and the PlayStation brand loyalty that we've been talking about is bearing itself out in the marketplace as we speak."

One of the big advantages of the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV is its exclusive DLC, coming later this Fall. Some may argue that a game as deep as GTA IV doesn't need additional content (Liberty City is a massive sprawl already!). However, it's not like PS3 owners shouldn't have the option.

Speaking to videogamer.com, SCEE boss David Reeves said that we may see DLC for PS3: "Well I think you probably will see it, it's just that a deal obviously was struck between Microsoft and Take 2 to do that ... I would say to them then, you know, email Rockstar (laughs), and ask them what's coming. I think they already are, probably!"

Reeve's wishy-washy answer certainly doesn't inspire confidence in the certainty of DLC for the PS3 version of GTA IV. For now it's still a pipe dream -- one that PS3 fans are incredibly reluctant to let go of.

[Via Joystiq]

Looks like Grand Theft Auto IV got a little band-aid patchwork today with a 1.01 update. It's a small little tweak at 18 MB, and it supposedly will fix up those freezing problems everyone's been getting antsy over. So far, we've been playing with the new patch for the past few minutes and everything seems to be going smoothly.

[Update: Looks like the freezing issue has not been fixed after all. Many gamers are stating the problem is persisting. Apparently, this update is supposed to fix multiplayer connectivity issues which cause the game to lockup. Eurogamer notes: "reducing the loads on the servers at GameSpy and hopefully the completely random hangs that some users have seen".]

[Thanks Lee!]

Liberty City can be a tough place to live. Trying to make an honest living in Grand Theft Auto IV as a hardened criminal just ain't as easy as it used to be. Sometimes you need to cheat.

You play as a thief and a murderer, why not be a cheater, too. Oh dear, if only your mother could see how far you've fallen. Watch the video to see the cheats work their magic. To read up on the full list and how to do them, check that out after the break.

[Thanks, Chris!]

Both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners have been experiencing issues with Grand Theft Auto IV. Although the number of PS3 consoles afflicted is "limited" according to Sony, those that have experienced problems seemingly can't find a solution. From the looks of Take Two's 12-step "fix" at Gamespot, we don't think Rockstar knows a real solution either.

The first suggestion is what we've heard already: delete your game cache and save data. However, other parts to the laborious process include disabling internet connectivity on the system. Then, disabling the Information Board, Media Server, screen aver, and more. When your PS3 is totally gimped, it may be able to successfully play Grand Theft Auto IV.

Sorry, but that's not going to cut the mustard. We're sure that the people affected by this mysterious plague of errors want a patch -- one that allows them to play the game without disabling every feature of their PS3.

[Via Joystiq]

You've most likely heard about the issues plaguing Grand Theft Auto IV on PS3. While some have reported success by deleting their saved content off their PS3 systems, many are still experiencing many issues with the game, on both the Xbox 360. We're conducting a network-wide poll with Joystiq and X3F to see how many people are affected. If we're vocal enough, Rockstar might finally issue a statement about what's going on.

Are you having problems with Grand Theft Auto IV?
	Yes, and I use the Xbox 360
	Yes, and I use the 60GB PS3
	Yes, and I use the non-60GB PS3 (please specify in comments)
	No problem (Xbox 360)
	No problem (60GB PS3)
	No problem (non-60GB PS3; please specify in comments)
	Don't own the game, I just felt compelled to click something

If you are a proud owner of Grand Theft Auto IV on the PS3, then you might not be so proud to know that the online multi-player mode is down. Or, at least it appears to be so for PS3 patrons. Numerous players have received errors upon attempting to connect; this blogger included has not been able to get the multi-player to work. An error message pops up: "Cannot connect to game provider, please try again." Hopefully, Rockstar can get things running soon. Wouldn't want to upset the GTA IV crowd, if you know what we mean. In the meantime, get back to the single player game. We'll keep you posted as we find out more.

[Thanks, Aron A.!]

[Update: It's back up. Yay!]

It was bound to happen: one of the video game sites was going to provide a video comparison of the two versions of Grand Theft Auto. A word to the wise: these videos are always tricky to capture. But, we think GameVideos did a pretty stellar job with this one. Make sure you download the HD version if you want to see any potential differences between the two. Do you have a strong preference for one over the other? Or are we just squinting to find differences that aren't really prominent?

Disaster! Panic! One of the biggest releases of the year and people are having problems? That almost never happens. Sometimes. Reports are coming in of Grand Theft Auto IV freezing during, and just after, the opening cutscene. Weirdly, anecdotal evidence is revealing that the issue seems to be exclusive to the 60GB version of the PS3. How frustrating!

Don't worry, there's a fix. Rockstar has stated that simply deleting your game data and then reinstalling will fix the issue. So if you're being plagued this particular bug then give that a go and see what happens. If it works, let us know. If it doesn't, then let us know that too. If you can keep the tears back long enough to type out a comment, that is.

Picking up the PS3 version of GTA IV, so you can get as many pixels onto your TV as possible? Well, that's apparently not what's happening. According to the pixel counters at the Beyond 3D forums, the PS3 version doesn't run at 1080p. Heck, it doesn't run at 720p. Rather, it runs at 640p -- still enough to be "HD," but far from the "full HD" experience Sony usually touts.

Pixel hunters were enraged when it was discovered Halo 3 ran at a lower resolution on Xbox 360 than advertised. However, should people stay away from the PS3 version? Probably not. Many Beyond 3D users note that in spite of the lesser resolution, the superior effects of the PS3 version gives it the visual edge: "the PS3 version looks nicer IMO. Everything just blends in nicely and makes a seamless contrast between front objects and background objects," noted forum user Nebula.

[Thanks, ClarkyCat!]

[Update: PS3 runs at 640p. Xbox 360 does run at a higher resolution: 720p.]

With Grand Theft Auto IV hitting store shelves this week, the reviews have finally started to pour in. We haven't seen such universal acclaim for a title this generation. From the looks of things, no matter which version you get (PS3 or Xbox 360), you're in for quite a ride:

• IGN (100/100) - " For those wanting to know which version looks better, the edge goes to the PS3 ... Grand Theft Auto IV is one of the best games we've ever seen ... The only thing you need to know is that you have to play this game. Period."
• 1UP (100/100) - "The PS3 version has the slightest visual edge, plus motion-control support ... Liberty City is no longer just a place you explore outdoors, looking for stunt jumps or the thrill of a six-star wanted level after riling up the LCPD during missions. I spent hours of my week-long review session checking out the game's indoor attractions."
• GameTrailers (98/100) - "Rockstar always has a knack for choosing just the right songs to set the tone of its games, and once again it's hit a homerun with Grand Theft Auto IV."

So which game are you picking up this week?