GTA IV trailer already causing trouble

360 News | Putting New York officials out of sorts.

So there's problems already - despite the fact the GTA IV trailer contains absolutely no violence or bad language whatsoever, the resemblance of the setting in the teaser to New York City is enough to get some residents up in arms about the upcoming supergame.

The main speakers consist of politicians and policemen of New York, who aren't happy with the idea that their city is going to be vilified (or satirised) as the suggestive location for GTA IV (despite the fact it will clearly be named Liberty City - then again, that name came from our dear old New York in the first place).

"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland," said City Councilman Peter Vallone, chairman of the council's public safety committee. The New York Daily News made the report that "Grand Theft Auto is set in a mythical city that bears a striking resemblance to New York." Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly offered his comments, saying, "It's despicable to glamourise violence in games like these, regardless of how far-fetched the setting may be."

Jason Post, a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg, went ahead and confirmed that, "The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers." Check out the trailer and tell us your thoughts in the forums.

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31 Comments

Crestfallen

5 years ago

Some brownnose dickweed" wrote

The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers.

Lol, you know he's extensively played and studied the game.

DancesInUnderwear

5 years ago

I would play a Halo in a Disneyland.

Make it happen Bungie.

Flypaper

5 years ago

I guess we can't really point too many fingers and laugh at this one. After all, the last game to be banned in Australia had people up in arms because it glamourised painting on walls.

Vervain

5 years ago

There's no actual proof that it IS New York and already the people from New York are complaining. Get over it guys.

ittekimasu

5 years ago

lol the policeman is only mad because he cant play as a policeman in the game >.>

Bitchacho

5 years ago

Vervain wrote

There's no actual proof that it IS New York and already the people from New York are complaining. Get over it guys.

I can see how the NY mayor is peeved. Quite obviously it is meant to be New York since 'Liberty City' is an old reference. Just because you call a 'car' an 'automobile' it doesn't change the fact they're the same thing.

But still, why get upset now after there have been countless other NY based games, including GTA?

Spanca

5 years ago

True Crime: New York City, anyone?

ittekimasu

5 years ago

Mitchacho wrote

Vervain wrote

There's no actual proof that it IS New York and already the people from New York are complaining. Get over it guys.

Probably the fact that they have gone that one step further and included icons which make it resemble NY, tbh i had no idea that liberty city was the old name of new york so i'm guessing alot of other people who will play this game will now think of 'new york' instead of liberty city.

hmm i wonder if you'll be able to snipe from the statue anyway

Bitchacho

5 years ago

lol dude it wasn't 'the old name' of NY, it's just a nickname like 'The Big Apple.'

Crestfallen

5 years ago

Wouldn't the old name of New York be just York??

Wait a minute, York?? Does that mean everyone in New York used to be British??

*head explodes*

ittekimasu

5 years ago

i thought all americans were once british >.> omfg dont tell me the encyclopedias that i got from tea and crumpets were wrong ><

Marka

5 years ago

crestfallen wrote

Some brownnose dickweed" wrote

The mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers.

Lol, you know he's extensively played and studied the game.

With a crystal ball of course. GTA IV could be about picking flowers fo all he knows, as long as it has the GTA name it dosnt matter what its about people while want it banned.

legend166

5 years ago

Eh.

They have a right to complain, and Rockstar have the right to make the game in a quasi New York.

Done.

Maikii

5 years ago

Vervain wrote

There's no actual proof that it IS New York and already the people from New York are complaining. Get over it guys.

Yeh, except for Time Square, the Crysler building and Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building....

Vervain

5 years ago

Maikii wrote

Vervain wrote

There's no actual proof that it IS New York and already the people from New York are complaining. Get over it guys.

Yeh, except for Time Square, the Crysler building and Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building....

Just because they add in various places from New York doesn't mean they will call it New York. They'll probably call it something else.

Crestfallen

5 years ago

^ The fact that it contains those landmarks means that its simulating/replicating New York, regardless what they chose to name it.

canetoad

5 years ago

crestfallen wrote

Wouldn't the old name of New York be just York??

Wait a minute, York?? Does that mean everyone in New York used to be British??

*head explodes*

Lol, I think it's always been called New York, but they give it the nickname Liberty City because of the Statue of Liberty. Yes, the British did take over NYC in 1664 from the Dutch and Native Americans.

DrTim

5 years ago

Wheres my sick bag to puke blood into...

These fools, they know nothing!

BovineDeath

5 years ago

Wow, it's like Hugo Chavez getting upset about an American game where you topple a mad dictator in Venezuela, or having nukes launched by terrorist from Juarez, Mexico!

I live near Bathurst, the only city in the world to want video games set there (V8 Supercars).

Flypaper

5 years ago

Geez, you yung'uns not down with your musical history?

"Even old New York
was once New Amsterdam.
Why they changed it I can't say -
people just liked it better that way!"

Kaboth

5 years ago

Spanca wrote

True Crime: New York City, anyone?

Well in that game you were a cop albeit an undercover, morally ambiguous one. Perhaps that's how they sidestepped the criticism?

HeDanny

5 years ago

"Istanbul not Constantinople going to Istanbul.." *cough.. oops. sorry..

You know, is it just me or is the world losing its Sense of humor?

ittekimasu

5 years ago

don't think america has alot of humor when it comes to something about them >.> Simpson's is more popular in europe than america because of the amount of fun the show does on america.

Nev

5 years ago

Technically, you could argue that Planet of the Apes takes place in New York, since the Statue of Liberty was there.

"Wait a minute... Statue of Liberty... That was OUR planet! You maniacs! You blew it up! Damn you! Damn you all to hell!"

On another note.. As has been mentioned in regards to other games that have come under fire for being set in real-world locales... Who cares?

Plenty of violent TV shows and movies are set in real cities. CSI: Miami? Las Vegas, anyone?

The only possible reason for attacking GTAIV is if they're envisaging a situation where someone can snipe someone a specific building and use it as reference when they go to commit a REAL crime (line of sight, exit strategy, etc).

But I don't think GTAIV is going to be that accurate, either in terms of locations or physics.

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Grand Theft Auto IV

Pre-order or buy:
PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  29/04/2008 (Confirmed)
Standard Retail Price:
  $119.95 AU
Publisher:
  Rockstar Games
Genre:
  Action
Year Made:
  2007

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