Rumor Buster: GTA 7 NOT Sony Exclusive!
For the record, a “Rumor Buster”… kind of like “Bunker Buster”… we use it to debunk rumors. Moving on…
It is being reported (by HDGameNews) that in the latest issue of the Official Xbox Magazine, Sony has been able to lock up the rights to the next Grand Theft Auto title, which would [allegedly] be the seventh in the franchise. The quote being supplied to support this, from HDGameNews, is the following:
“Rockstar really wanted to make a game that you can truly only do on PS3, harnessing the power of the Cell and Blu-ray disc and this deal lets them do just that” as said by Sony’s Michael Shorrock in a statement to the press. ” We handed Rockstar a signed blank check because we were short sighted enough to let Grand Theft Auto’s exclusivity get away from us. Oops!”
I’m here to tell you that this is wrong. I’ll explain why after the break.
First off, if you want to get technical, Grand Theft Auto 4 is already the 9th game in the long-running franchise (Not counting the GTA London games):
And now, we have GTA IV. Secondly, the first part of that quote. When I read it, it sounded very familiar. Like I’ve heard it before. So, I went to my good friend, a Mr. Griswold Oogle, and had him look into it for me. You know what I found?
We have had incredible success with the GTA franchise and are happy to continue to offer those titles on our platforms, and even more excited about what’s to come from the current and future relationship between our companies. Rockstar really wanted to make a game that you can truly only do on PS3, harnessing the power of CELL and Blu-ray disc and this deal lets them do just that.. This is really a win-win situation for both companies.As Jack mentioned in the interview with Geoff, this franchise is not LA Noire, but something all new.
Pay special attention to the text in the bold… look familiar? It should: It’s the same damn text, taken from a PlayStation blog post that was made on July 27th by Michael Shorrock, talking about how Sony locked up the rights to a NEW franchise from Rockstar. Outside of mentioning that Rockstar MADE the actual game, there is no mention of the GTA franchise anywhere in that post.
Thirdly, and finally, while I have yet to receive my copy of OXM, no one I’ve talked to has said that there was any mention a Sony buyout of the GTA franchise in the pages of the November issue, which I guess is running late.
So, boys and girls, until I see some definitive proof (aka I either see the magazine article with my own eyes, or Sony comes out and says “yup”)… I call shenanigans. Balderdash. Plain ol’ bullshit. Quite frankly, this rumor… 99.8% not true.
UPDATO MAGNIFICO! (That means “update”, you silly sods)
So, after getting about a dozen e-mails from readers saying “Yeah, they didn’t mention GTA being exclusive”, and getting a dozen e-mails calling me a dumbass and making fun of my mother, I decided to go down to the Barnes & Noble and pick up the November issue of OXM.
Sure enough, on page 106, right under a story about Kudo Tsunoda working on a Marvel superheroes fighting game that, quote, “doesn’t suck”, is the story in question. And true enough, there is the quote.
INKED A deal with Rockstar to secure the publisher’s next franchise exclusively did Sony. “Rockstar really wanted to make a game that you can truly do only on PS3, harnessing the power of Cell adn Blu-Ray disc, and this deal lets them do just that,” enthusiastically exclaimed Sony’s Michael Shorrock in a statement to the press. Translation: “We handed Rockstar a signed blank check because we were short-sighted enough to let Grand Theft Auto’s exclusivity get away from us. Oops!”
…so there you go. The quote WAS in OXM, but unlike how it was previously reported that the next GTA would be exclusive (ala HDGameNews and others), it simply clarifies what we already knew: That Sony and Rockstar signed an exclusive agreement for a NEW franchise. Now, for one last item:
The magazine cost me $9.99, gas around here is $2.79 a gallon… y’all owe me $12.96. (Yes, I’m including tax)
[HDGameNews] (Original story)
Sony, PlayStation 3, Microsoft, Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar Games
October 5th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories actually this 2 title don’t count as part of the number of Grand Theft auto games this like extanded stories of previous GTA games and about the story will see but I dont doubt that it could be true you have to proof yet so don’t say its 99.8% not true you also need proof to say different and about the article we dont know what game he could be talking about it could be the next GTA so there…
October 5th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
What the hell are you even on. ofcourse thats a quote everyone knows that, that doesnt make it seem false, it makes it seem more believable. You dont think they quote things on Xbox mag? look over it a bit. Also sony has stated they have begun partnerships with rockstart to get closer with them. Im sure this is true, and when the new mag comes on you and your burnout assumptions will be de-bunked. Oh and if you dont count londons which they prolly dont, it is the 7th. GTA, GTA2, GTA3, GTA Vice City, GTA San Andreas, GTA4…ps3 exclusive #7. Peace.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:37 pm
This buster is worse than the rumor itself cause it doesn’t make sense. You guys are just trying to advertise your site. It would be better if you’ve waited. Crushing rumors isn’t good for advertisement, it leaves the fans with bad memories about the people who do it.
October 5th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
For anyone who still is not convinced that the GTA after GTA4 is NOT, I repeat is NOT the 7th installment, check this link.
http://www.mobygames.com/game-group/grand-theft-auto-series
October 5th, 2007 at 5:06 pm
1.) Ok, I get it — the name sucks.
2.) The story in question (from OXM) doesn’t state anything about GTA. It simply says Rockstar’s “Next Franchise”, which… considering GTA is nearly ten years old (or did it turn 10 already?), I would imagine DQs GTA from being the “next” anything.
October 6th, 2007 at 6:03 am
[...] stelle würde ich mich jedoch nicht freuen. Vermütlich soll das nur ein Joke sein. Mehr dazu gibt es hier. Quelle: - Xbox 360, Playstation 3, Nintendo Wii, PC and HDTV News [...]
October 6th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
[...] ernst kann man das nun nehmen? Scheinbar gar nicht. Denn wie 1pstart.com herausgefunden haben, bezog sich diese Aussage gar nicht auf Grand Theft Auto und es gab sowieso [...]
October 6th, 2007 at 12:19 pm
[...] haben wegnehmen lassen. Upps”Wie ernst kann man das nun nehmen? Scheinbar gar nicht. Denn wie 1pstart.com herausgefunden haben, bezog sich diese Aussage gar nicht auf Grand Theft Auto und es gab noch [...]
October 7th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
i dont understand, the next one after GTA IV is the seventh:
GTA 1
GTA 2
GTA 3
GTA Vice City
GTA San Andreas
GTA IV
GTA 7
thats like saying that GTA IV isn’t real because its the 4th and not the 6th or the 11th or whatever the …. you guys think it is. GTA IV is really the 6th, but they called it the 4th.
use your fuking heads you retards.
October 8th, 2007 at 1:48 am
I would say lets play the wait and see method. I think that with enough money it can be exclusive (just depends on how much money is involved). In either case, its definitely publicity that the PS3 sorely needs.
October 8th, 2007 at 9:37 am
Boys and girls…
Who cares about the version???
Talk about only about exclusives!
How are Rockstar going to ignore a 360 that doubles the current Sony console?
And knowing M$ they’ve probably thrown money all over Rockstar (ages ago).
October 9th, 2007 at 7:57 pm
[...] Following reports of Sony grabbing the exclusive rights to the seventh game in the [COLOR=purple ! important][COLOR=purple ! important]Grand [COLOR=purple ! important]Theft [/color][COLOR=purple ! important]Auto[/color][/color][/color] series, 1PStart’s JW decided to do some research in an attempt to confirm the story. What he discovered made one thing very apparent: This rumor is almost certainly false. full article HERE [...]