The kind folks over at Rockstar have just sent us three screenshots that we seen over at MTV and Evil Avatar, in unwatermaked form! View the images below:

Some people were doubting that the third image was real because it came from an "unknown" website, well, now we know it is real.

Thanks Rockstar

We say "Possible leak" because the original site, XboxWorld.nl, has taken the article. It included 20 normal screenshots and 9 mulitplayer screens. Thankfully, a GTA fansite called "GTANet" got the images before the article was taken down. We have uploaded the images below for you to enjoy.

Source: XboxWorld.nl (Thanks Gareth!)

P.s. Sorry about getting this news rather late, the new ownership change has made RsW HQ look like New York rush hour.

HYPER, an Australian Games Magazine has previewed Grand Theft Auto IV for their April issue. We should have posted this new information a week ago as we were able to put our hands on a copy on March 9th, however I have been in Canberra for the past week and a bit, thus unable to post this.

The issue has some new information as well as details on 3 missions which they were able to play in their demo of the game. There were also 8 new screenshots, well we say new but in actually fact they were released today with the official website update, however they were new at time of the articles writing so we’re going to include them below anyway. There not high-resolution shots but small screens. For high-resolution versions check the official website update.

• Cop Cars contain an accessible Police Database which can be of use for location targets, finding contacts, gathering rumors and “facts” the police know.
• All weapons can be used from your vehicle, unlike in San Andreas where you could only use particular weapons from your car window. Just remember to wind down the window before dropping grenades.
• Friendships are difficult to maintain. It’s important to keep in-contact with your friends. If you have a meeting planned and you can’t make it, call them and cancel rather than just not showing up as that would anger your friend.
• Similar to the benefits for having girlfriends (such as keeping your weapons when busted) in San Andreas in GTA IV keeping your friends may have some benefits as well.
• Brucie offers Niko helicopter rides for his friendship.
• Little Jacob on the other hand will sell weapons to Niko when you’re his friend.
• Roman runs a taxi service and will pick Niko up when contacted. This is where the taxi pickup’s after failed missions; being busted or wasted as mentioned in other previews comes from. Roman can also be contacted via your phone and asked to pick Niko up.
• HYPER played the Xbox 360 version of the game and completed 3 missions in their demo of it.
• ‘Jamaican Heat’, a mission near the beginning of the game serves as a tutorial mission to the gunplay mechanics/controls in GTA IV. Roman introduces Niko to Jacob who requires a body guard for some deals he is making. The deals go bad and you end up in a shoot-out in a back alley.
• Jacob is said to have a very think Jamaican accent. Consequently neither the reviewer, nor the Rockstar guys themselves could pick-up on more than half the things Jacob said. Voice dialog appears to be terrific in GTA IV, lots of emphasis has been put on making everyone sound like they should.
• The second mission played, entitled ‘Jacobs Ladder’, was in another alley way. This time Jacob needed a quick getaway incase this deal went wrong, which is does. The mission included combat and a chance to use the new ‘cover’ system.
• Once you’re on a ‘cover’ you can aim at another place to take cover and click the right bumper (Xbox 360) to move there. He moves in realistic, creative ways that ensure while moving you are still protected from fire to some degree.
• While on a ‘cover’ Niko can aim normally or ‘blind-fire’ which is less accurate but naturally, more safe for Niko.
• Niko can ‘vault’ over low covers by pressing X (Xbox 360).
• The last mission played called ‘Harbouring a Grudge’ involved Niko heading down to the docks to intercept a shipment of meds and take them to a drop-off point. The state of the mission involved using the jumping, climbing and shimmering controls to get to a warehouse roof. It ended with a car chase, cars full of guys attempting to stop you from reaching your destination point with the truck full of meds. The ability of dropping grenades from your car would no doubt of been useful here.
• Rockstar refused to give information out on the multiplayer, however HYPER believes the phone may be used as a contact holder for friends online. Meaning when you wish to play a multiplayer game you “call” your friend or friends and start the game from there. Very similar to Instant Messaging or Gametags. This is just an idea however, not official.

Scans:

Screenshots:

Rockstar has just updated the official site for Grand Theft Auto IV. The update is small, but includes a couple of new things. High quality artwork, 20 new digital screens, and a new radio station are all part of the update. We have collected the updates.

Artwork:


Screenshots:

Radio Station:
While two radio stations have been added to the music section, only one has never been heard of. K109 The Studio is a disco station hosted by DJ Karl Largerfeld. The other station added is WKTT, a talk station. You can listen to the promos via the widget below.

Official Site: Grand Theft Auto IV

The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB,) the body responsible for computer game ratings in North America, has now released a rating for Grand Theft Auto IV. Like most the GTA games before it, Grand Theft Auto IV has recieved a Mature rating, meaning that it "contains content that is considered unsuitable for children under the age of 17." GTA IV has already recieved ratings from both the German and Australian rating boards, with the Australian OFLC board rating the game as MA 15+ (Not suitable for people under 15. Under 15s must be accompanied by a parent or adult guardian) while the German USK board gave it their 18 rating. It is interesting to note that this game includes "partial nudity" something which GTA has never contained before except in the AO version of San Andreas which required heavy modification of game files to find.

Thanks to Kotaku.

This new screenhot has popped up on Evil Avatar. Enjoy.

Source: Evil Avatar

Supposedly, an intro video of an early copy of Grand Theft Auto IV is making rounds out on the good ol' interwebs. Problem is, it's a blatant fake. We have compiled a list of reasons why it's a fake.

1. The person don't even show us the entire disc. He just shows him inserting the disk and then moves the camera towards the screen really fast.
2. When the PS3 goes over to the game selection, there is a folder after a demo. The PS3 always sorts the folders first, then the games.
3. Selecting it so soon? The person hurries and starts the disc. The XMB game selection isn't even up for a second and he starts the game. If you want us to believe, wait a few seconds so we can see that there is a glow around the icon.
4. The video looks great, but just doesn't fit Rockstar's style with GTAIV.
5. Where are the credits? GTA intro videos usually have beginning credits.
6. The Take-Two logo has never been used in a GTA intro. Why start now?
7. The Rockstar studio logos have always been before an intro. Also, they use their unique studio color, not black.
8. The Statue of Happiness is much closer than in the video. This can be told by looking a un-used site intro that was released a while back.

We do have to give the guy credit though, he does have some great talent in making videos. If you want to view the fake video, it's below.

This time around, two new reviews of GTA IV have popped up on the internet. One is from a German computer website, Computerbild.de. The other is from a Portuguese gaming magazine, BGamer. Please note that I used the Google Translator to translate this from their native language.

From Computerbild:

• When the weather turns, changes the whole color.
• By ploughing the dock with the boat, splashing water repeatedly against the virtual camera.
• On Physics: An opponent stands on a small balcony.  Once your bullets hit the villain, he stumble.  But he is not from the balcony, but keeps up with a hand on the railing and dangles helplessly wander - that saves him is not, but very real.  It may also be that he does not stop immediately finds and falls down or he took the railing with both hands.
• Are more zaščitne objects within reach, hechtet your character at the push of a button elegantly there.
• The American Muscle cars are fast, but also difficult on the road.
• The difference between the front and makes heckgetriebenen vehicles like real life in GTA IV strongly felt.
• The driving behaviour of motorcycles is virtually identical to its predecessor.
• The control of the craft prepares no problems.
• Once the vehicle damage, deteriorates handling.  Then disfiguration of the car or brake unevenly.
• For the first time, it is possible, from the cars to be targeted ballern.  Later in the game, we can while driving precise hits.
• The Jamaican talk about Nikolaos in vehement slang full, while the Russians rather crude manners maintains.
• Each of the characters has its own language, its own charm and body language.
• The Latino Manny Escuela impresses with his confident manner.
• Even minor characters have a high recognition value.
• In the course of the game are changing as well Bellic 'personality traits.
• In your conversations with "business partners" learn a lot about the gangster life in Liberty City.
• From the bike, can be particularly troublesome opponents well off.
• Warehouses offer enough opportunities to climb.
• If the police are faster times, it handcuffs to the police station.
• Nikolaos Bellic is actually a loner.  But in some missions teamwork is required.

From BGamer:

• It is already known that a police car, a computer, and is also known as the man uses, it is simply the name and you will find the computer person. But the editors discovered something new, when an image into the computer uploads, the computer will find the person.
• The editors also wondered whether it will give Portuguese and rock star replied: Yes, in the north of Alderney is Portuguese, it is even flags.
• Will one of the car alarm is triggered, the police quickly draw attention.

Also currulating the internet is the inside of the Xbox 360 cover, it is not known if it's fake or not yet, we'll just have to wait for that.

Thank you to the following sites:

www.gta-xtreme.de (German Version)
www.gta-xtreme.de (English Version translated by Google)
www.computerbild.de/

The user "nevermikel" of GTA Forums has posted scans of the latest issues of PSM (PlayStation Magazine) Spain, in this issue they look into the multiplayer modes in Grand Theft Auto IV.

The modes mentioned so far are:

• Hangman’s NOOSE
• Car Jack City
• Bomb da Base
• Bomb da Base II (in reference to Grand Theft Auto III)
• Mafia Work
• Team Mafia Work
• Deathmatch
• Team Deathmatch
• Turf War
• Cops N’ Crooks
• Race and GTA Race
• Deal Breaker
• and; Free Roam.

Most are self explanatory, others not so. Scans are below this news post and details on the modes are below ( thanks to -=}{oT~dEv1L 666=- for the list ). We'll have a more comprehensive look at the multiplayer modes later on this month.

• In Race and GTA Race, you will race illegally till the finish and do anything to get there. For example, throwing a grenade at your rival’s car, perhaps even stealing another car because yours was wrecked.
• In Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, you blast your friends away in a free-for-all. The staff at PSM Spain tried a match, all of them armed with rocket launchers, and they had great fun.
• In Mafia Work and Team Mafia Work, you play as one of Kenny Petrovic’s mafia henchmen. Complete assassinations (given over phone) before other players in the game to score points.
  
• In the mode Cops ‘n Crooks, one team plays as cops, while the other criminals. As you’d expect, the cops must stop the criminals from escaping. The cops has an added advantage of monitoring the position of the criminals on their GPS’s, the criminals have no such option available.
• The mode Hangmans Noose will be a co-op mode. In the mission, you and your friends are to escort a Mafia gang member, while being ambushed by the SWAT, in a helicopter.
• The 15 online multiplayer modes can be accessed through your cellphone’s multiplayer option.
• You will be able to customize your character before playing the online multiplayer modes, for example, changing his race, sex, skin color, hair and clothing. A total of 16 players can play simultaneously online.
• You can stop a NPC car from coming your way if you point your gun at them.
• The host sets the rules for each game, for example the number of peds and traffic in a multiplayer game. There are some exceptions for some modes too. For Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, you can also choose whether the police will intervene and types of weapons too. For Race and GTA Race, the host can choose which vehicles are involved and the number of laps to be played.
• Liberty City will be on your feet. Forget the other closed maps; here you have to whole map to play on, laugh and run with your friends.
• The map will be the same as the one in single-player, when you select the multiplayer modes, it will be a smooth transition.
• Some stuff about when the reporters first got there: “We were back to the Rockstar Games offices in London to play the Multiplayer modes. During the four and a half hours we played against a good part of the team with a huge 65″ inch plasma screen TV, headsets on our head and the sensation of experimenting with something revolutionary. The multiplayer was selected from Niko’s phone just like that, one click away. We were allowed to play 7 out of the 15 modes under the watchful eye of a Rockstar Games representative. We started out with Deathmatch (free for all). If players choose to work as a team in Team Deathmatch, up to four can get in a vehicle, from a taxi to a helicopter.”

Rockstar has just announced via the official GTA RSS feed that there will be a new site update on Thursday of next week. The update will include updates to the music section, screenshots section, and the downloads section. Then, a week later on Friday the 27th, the fourth trailer for Grand Theft Auto IV will be released. The trailer is titled "Good Lord, What Are You Doing?" AKA Everyone's a Rat. Be sure to check back on the 20th and the 27th!