Gamers Queue At Midnight In Thirst For Action

Gamers, who crowded stores upon the midnight launch, could finally lay their hands on the controversial franchise’s newest sequel, which the distributor hopes may now pave the way for scoring a better deal in a takeover bid from a rival player of the market. 

The release of Grand Theft Auto 4 (GTA4) is expected by the market to be the biggest sensation of the year, with Reuters forecasting that the developer, Rockstar Games, and the distributor, Take-Two Interactive, will rake in $400 million during the first weeks of sale, from an estimated nine million sold copies.

In Budapest, the Überkonzol game store, which opened at midnight the day of the international release date and boasted being the first retailer to introduce the game in Hungary, received 60 enthusiastic nocturnal customers, shop manager Zoltán Vitár told the Budapest Business Journal. 

Thus far the distributor, Amex-Tec Kft, is reported to have sold 5,000 to 6,000 copies at around Ft 18,000 apiece, but Vitár noted that many retailers also ordered from abroad to fill their stocks. 

GTA4 allows players to assume the role of Niko Bellic, a 30-year-old from the former Yugoslavia, who comes to Liberty City (a digital remake of New York City) and is then led to a life of crime. 

The newest episode of the series features the same trademark characteristics that have made the franchise one of the most hyped entries in the digital industry’s hall of fame, such as a broad choice of missions, freedom to choose between alternative outcomes, and an elaborate script that is known to keep players spellbound. 

The first GTA was published in 1998 and while its graphics and game play features were not widely acclaimed, it did mark an important paradigm change in the gaming industry, since players could become the “bad guy,” who is not fighting for the ultimate good but is instead stealing cars and engaging in random shootouts. 

However, the third edition released in 2001 introduced a novel third-person perspective and a set of control options that sparked a profound change in the sector, opening the floodgates to a legion of clones that are to this day released on a regular basis. 

The approach turned out to be so successful that Rockstar has not altered the core features of the game experience since, apart from adding a few tweaks in later installments. 

Where GTA goes, controversy is certain to follow, with gender, ethnic and religious groups all having a bone to pick because the game allegedly advocates violence and crime and portrays groups of society in a less then flattering light.
In the various episodes, the protagonist is an Italian, an Afro-American or in the current case an Eastern European immigrant, who interacts with prostitutes, crime rings of Latinos, Asians, Negros and members of the corrupt law enforcement system. Many objected to their respective groups being demeaned or portrayed as criminals.

Rockstar, Take-Two and the GTA games have received the blame for the surge of high-school shootings and a reported spread of violence in general amongst American youngsters in past years, and several multi-million-dollar lawsuits have been launched by bereaved family members against the firms.

Rockstar’s reputation for releasing violent games has led to difficulties in marketing its products. Another title, Manhunt 2, which calls for players to assault and “execute” their opponents, saw serious resistance and was for a time banned in the United Kingdom, its eventual release made possible only by a lengthy court debate. 

GTA4 underlines a common trend of the global video game market, that continues to frustrate PC owners. Highly anticipated games are typically designed for console platforms, taking advantage of their technological features to create a more elaborate experience, thus GTA4 is only available for Microsoft’s Xbox 360 and Sony’s Playstation 3 systems. 

Developers are gradually shifting their focus to the console world, making extensive efforts to link themselves to games that are expected to generate huge sales, hoping that the chance to play the program will compel gamers to buy a console as well."

Source: Budapest Business Journal