We're training our kids to be killers

GTA IV Is Region-Locked

This won't be terribly useful to Americans or PS3 owners, but anyone in Europe looking to score a cheap imported copy of GTA IV (or anyone in Australia looking to score the uncensored American version) should know that the 360 version of the game's been region-locked by the publisher. I only point this out because, over the past twelve months, nearly every single major 360 release has been region-free, meaning Take-Two joins MTV (ie Rock Band) as two of the last publishers to still make the decision to restrict the international sale of their games.

Who You Gonna Call?

The Ghostbusters™ are back in an all new story penned by the original creators! With Manhattan newly overrun by ghosts and other supernatural creatures, it's up to you to take on the role of a new recruit joining the original film cast of the famous Ghostbusters team. Equipped with a variety of unique weapons and gadgets, you will hunt, fight and capture a wide range of uncanny phantasms and demons in an all new funny and frightening battle to save New York City from its latest paranormal plague.

The game will be available for PlayStation® 3, Nintendo DS™, PC, Wii™ Console, Xbox™ 360.

GTA IV Gameplay

Gametrailers.com has released several GTA IV gameplay videos. To watch them simply click here.

Microsoft Looking into Early GTA IV Players

A peek at Gamercard aggregator MyGamerCard.net reveals a long list of Xbox 360 users already racking up achievements on Grand Theft Auto IV since an illegal torrent of the game was leaked yesterday and early copies started showing up in people's homes.

Neither Rockstar nor Microsoft itself have yet responded to requests for comment. Neither has Sony commented on any action it might take regarding video of the game being played on its network — video that GameTrailers, for its part, has since pulled — so it's unclear yet how any of them plan to address the software pirates.

Xbox Live's Larry "Major Nelson" Hryb, did say, however, that he was unable to comment yet due to the "need to look into this further," so we can assume that Microsoft, at least, is investigating.

Win An XBOX360 Elite with GTA4 in it!

johncow.com is going to give one of their readers a brandnew XBOX360 Elite and a copy of the new Grand Theft Auto IV which is coming out at the end of the month. Xbox 360® Elite is the premier console package with a massive hard drive, a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port, a high-definition cable, and a premium black finish for the console. In addition to a black wireless controller and Xbox LIVE® headset.

The winner will be picked via a lottery. You can get the tickets by:

• writing a small blurb about the contest on your blog
• becoming an affiliate with Top Hosting Center
  
• giving comments, about the contest, you leave on another blog’s latest post will get you some tickets, as will leaving this link in a new forum thread somewhere
• subscribing to johncows RSS feed and THC’s blog feed

Contest will run until the 30th of this month.

Link to the contest: http://www.johncow.com/win-an-xbox360-elite-and-a-copy-of-gta4/

Mafia 2 Game Trailer

Although many a question mark swirls around EA's proposed $2 billion buyout of Grand Theft Auto IV purveyor Take-Two, one of the more pressing mysteries involves 2K Czech's--nee Illusion Softworks--Mafia franchise. Would EA choose to continue with the series, even though it heavily overlaps the theme and setting of the publisher's own Godfather line of games?

Seeing as how the fate of Mafia won't be determined with any real resolve until after EA's tender offer to Take-Two investors expires on April 18, 2K Czech has no reason to not continue with Mafia II, the latest installment in its gangster series. Along with releasing a new batch of screenshots today, 2K Games officially confirmed that Mafia II would be released on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. Previously, the game was slated for unspecified "next-generation platforms."


Aside from a teaser trailer and a handful of screenshots, 2K Games has been less than forthcoming with details on Mafia II. However, that information dam will soon be cracking, given that Mafia II will cover the May issue of the Official PlayStation Magazine. In addition to filling in some of the backstory of wiseguy Vito Scaletta's ascent through the ranks of the mid-20th century New York City mob scene, the blowout reveals that the game contains more than 50 vehicles and 10 square miles of unrestricted territory.

Release date: November 2008