The game is played from athird-person perspective and its world is navigated on foot and by vehicle. Throughout the single-player mode, players control Niko Bellic. Anonline multiplayer mode is also included with the game, allowing up to 32 players to engage in both cooperative and competitive gameplay in a recreation of the single-player setting.[b] Twoexpansion packs were later released for the game,The Lost and Damned andThe Ballad of Gay Tony, which both feature new plots that are interconnected with the mainGrand Theft Auto IV storyline, and follow new protagonists.
Development ofGrand Theft Auto IV began soon after the release ofSan Andreas and was shared between many of Rockstar's studios worldwide. The game introduced a shift to a more realistic and detailed style and tone for the series. Unlike previous entries,Grand Theft Auto IV lacked a strong cinematic influence, as the team attempted an original approach to the story. As part of their research for the open world, the development team conducted extensive field research in New York, capturing over 100,000 photographs and several hours of video. The developers considered the world to be the most important element of the game; though not the largest map in the series, they considered it comparable in scope due to its verticality and level of detail. The budget climbed to overUS$100 million, making it one of themost expensive video games to develop.
Grand Theft Auto IV was released for thePlayStation 3 andXbox 360 consoles in April 2008, and forWindows in December. It received critical acclaim, with praise directed at the narrative and open-world design.Grand Theft Auto IV broke industry sales records and became the fastest-selling entertainment product in history at the time, earningUS$310 million in its first day andUS$500 million in its first week. Considered one of the most significant titles of theseventh generation of video games, and by many critics as one of thegreatest video games of all time, it won year-end accolades, includingGame of the Year awards from severalgaming publications. It is among thebest-selling video games with over 25 million copies sold by 2013. The game generated controversy, with criticism directed at the game's depiction of violence and players' ability todrive drunk. Its successor,Grand Theft Auto V, was released in 2013.
Gameplay
Grand Theft Auto IV is anaction-adventure game played from athird-person perspective.[2] Players completemissions—linear scenarios with set objectives—to progress through the story. It is possible to have several active missions running at one time, as some require players to wait for further instructions or events. Outside of missions, players canfreely roam the game'sopen world and complete optional side missions.[3] Composed of the fictional city ofLiberty City, the world is larger in area than most earlierGrand Theft Auto series entries.[4] At the beginning of the game, players can only explore a limited area—Bohan, Broker, and Dukes—with all other islands unlocking as the story progresses.[5]
Players usemelee attacks, firearms and explosives to fight enemies, and may run, jump, swim or use vehicles to navigate the game's world. There is afirst-person perspective option when using vehicles. In combat,auto-aim and acover system can be used as assistance against enemies. Should players take damage, their health meter can regenerate by consuming food or drinks, using medical kits, or calling for paramedics.[6] If players commit crimes, law enforcement may respond as indicated by a "wanted" meter in thehead-up display (HUD). On the meter, a count of stars indicates the current wanted level. Gaining more stars will cause law enforcement to incapacitate players more aggressively and extends the wanted vicinity area, and is capped at six stars. The player can evade police by travelling outside the wanted vicinity area, after this the wanted meter enters a cool-down mode, law enforcement hunt for the player, and eventually recedes when they are hidden from the officers' line of sight.[7]
Combat inGrand Theft Auto IV was reworked to include acover system.[6]
The game's cover system allows players to move between obstacles, to fire blindly, aim freely, and target a specific enemy. Individual body parts can also be targeted.[8] Melee attacks include additional moves, such as dodging, blocking, disarming an opponent and counter-attacking.Body armour can be used to absorb gunshots and explosive damage, but is used up in the process. When health is entirely depleted, gameplay stops, and playersrespawn at the nearest hospital.[6]
Thesingle-player mode lets players control anEastern European war veteran,Niko Bellic. During the story, Niko meets and befriends various new characters. While free roaming the game world, players may engage in context-specific activities such asbowling ordarts, either alone or with friends. Other available activities include avigilante mini-game, and in-game television programming.[9][10][11] Hanging out, answering calls, or completing missions of friends will increase that friend's respect. If their respect is high enough, the player can unlock favours; for example, Niko's cousin Roman owns a taxi service, and can send one of hiscabs to take Niko to any destination without a fee. Cabs are always available during gameplay for quick travel to a destination. Throughout the course of the game, players are also faced withmorality choices, which alter the storyline appropriately depending on the player's choice. Niko has acell phone for contacting friends and hanging out with them through activities.[12] The cell phone is also used to access the game's online multiplayer mode, and to entercheat codes.[13] To access the in-game Internet, which allows Niko to send and receive emails and set up prospectivedates with potential girlfriends, Niko can useInternet cafés located around the city.[14] The game also features asubway system, allowing players to quickly traverse through the game's world.[15]
Theonline multiplayer mode forGrand Theft Auto IV allows up to 32 players[b] to freely roam across the map. Players decide which game mode they wish to play, includingdeathmatches and street races. Bothcooperative and competitive game modes are available, split into ranked and unranked matches.[16] For players to level up through ranks, in-game money has to be earned. The game also features a Free Mode, in which players have the entire map open to explore, with no end goal or mission to complete. Hosts of the game can control many variables, such as police presence, traffic, and weapons.[17] The multiplayer mode was discontinued on Windows in 2020.[18]
Synopsis
Setting
Grand Theft Auto IV takes place within an alternate version of Liberty City seen inGrand Theft Auto III. The design of the city focuses on a recreation of four of the boroughs ofNew York City: Broker (based onBrooklyn), Dukes (Queens), Bohan (The Bronx), and Algonquin (Manhattan). The setting also includes the neighbouring state of Alderney (based onNew Jersey).[19] In the story, it is explained that bridges are locked down due to a terrorist threat, and police constantly pursue players if the bridges are crossed. These barricades are lifted as the player progresses the story, allowing them to traverse uninterrupted between islands.
Grand Theft Auto IV is set in the fictional "HDUniverse", which mirrors and parodies the real world. The previous games formed fictional universes of their own,[c] which despite having many similarities with the HD Universe, are considered to be different continuities. Hence, the Liberty City depicted inGrand Theft Auto IV is different from its previous renditions, and the game itself serves as areboot for the series. The new timeline established byGrand Theft Auto IV continues with two expansion packs,The Lost and Damned andThe Ballad of Gay Tony, and a sequel,Grand Theft Auto V, as well as its online component,Grand Theft Auto Online.[21][22][23] The handheld gameGrand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also considered part of the HD Universe because it features the same map asGrand Theft Auto IV, except for Alderney.[24]
Plot
Niko Bellic, an Eastern European ex-soldier,[25] arrives in Liberty City aboard the cargo shipPlatypus to escape his criminal past, pursue theAmerican Dream, and search for a man who betrayed his unit to an ambush ten years prior. Reuniting with his cousin Roman, he discovers that the stories of riches and success he was told of were embellished. Instead of living a life of luxury with nice cars and pretty women, Roman lives in a small, dirty apartment, owns an unprofitable taxi company, has gambling debts, and often disputes withloan sharks. Niko begins assisting Roman with his problems and makes criminal contacts in the city. He befriendsYardies second-in-command Little Jacob and is forced to work for Vlad Glebov, Roman's Russian loan shark. Niko eventually kills Vlad upon learning he had slept with Roman's girlfriend, Mallorie.
In retaliation, Niko and Roman are kidnapped byRussian mobsters on orders of their boss Mikhail Faustin and his lieutenant, Dimitri Rascalov. Indifferent to Vlad's murder, Faustin releases them and employs Niko as ahitman, ordering him to kill the son of Russian crime lord Kenny Petrović. When Petrović threatens retaliation, Dimitri persuades Niko to assassinate Faustin and satisfy Petrović. However, Dimitri betrays him after the killing and brings Niko to his former employer, Ray Bulgarin, who accuses him of stealing from him during a failedhuman trafficking job years earlier. Niko denies the allegation and a firefight ensues, allowing Dimitri and Bulgarin to escape.
Dimitri's men burn down Niko and Roman's apartment and taxi company, forcing them to flee to Bohan. While Niko finds work with several localdrug lords, Dimitri briefly kidnaps Roman in a failed attempt to lure Niko into a trap. Later, Niko discovers that his romantic interest, a woman named Michelle, is an undercover government agent who thenentraps him into working for her superior. In exchange for the murders of known or suspectedterrorists, the superior clears Niko's criminal record and aids him with seeking Niko's traitor. Roman receives a large amount of insurance money from the arson, which he uses to rebuild the business and buy an apartment in Algonquin. Roman also proposes to Mallorie, who accepts.
While working for theIrish Mob, Niko befriends gangster Patrick "Packie" McReary, helping him and his brothers carry out various jobs, including a major bank robbery. Niko is later hired by Ray Boccino, acaporegime in the Pegorinocrime family, to oversee a diamond deal, which goes awry. Boccino repays Niko by helping him find his ex-comrade Florian Cravic, now known as Bernie Crane, who claims he was not the one to betray their unit. Niko realises that the traitor was Darko Brevic, the only other survivor. Niko continues working for theMafia and earns the trust ofDon Jimmy Pegorino, who orders him to kill Boccino after suspecting him of being a police informant. Niko also helps Packie kidnap Don Giovanni Ancelotti's daughter to ransom her for the diamonds, but Bulgarin intercepts the exchange. In the ensuing firefight, the diamonds are lost.
Eventually, government agents find Darko inRomania and bring him to Liberty City for Niko to decide his fate. Afterwards, Niko is summoned by Pegorino for a final favour: to help with a highly lucrativeheroin deal in collusion with Dimitri. Learning Dimitri is aboard thePlatypus, Niko must decide to either work with Dimitri or exact revenge.[26] If Niko agrees to the deal, Dimitri betrays him again,[27] kills Pegorino,[28] and sends an assassin to kill him at Roman's wedding, but the assassin accidentally kills Roman instead;[29] Niko retaliates by tracking and murdering Dimitri.[28] If Niko chooses revenge, he kills Dimitri,[30] prompting Pegorino to target him at Roman's wedding but accidentally kill Packie's sister Kate, whom Niko had been dating;[29] Niko tracks and murders Pegorino.[31] In both endings, Niko learns that Mallorie is pregnant.
Development
Rockstar North's former studio inEdinburgh, Scotland, whereGrand Theft Auto IV's development was overseen
Preliminary work onGrand Theft Auto IV began in November 2004,[32] a month after the release ofGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas.[33] Rockstar presidentSam Houser felt that following upSan Andreas was "a nightmare".[34]Rockstar North, the core 220-person team behind the game, co-opted studios owned by parent company Rockstar Games to facilitate development between a full team of over 1,000,[35] including 50 employees atRockstar NYC, 40 atRockstar Lincoln, 10 atRockstar San Diego, and around 600–700 working part-time internally and externally.[36] Some key members of the development team worked 12-hour days during production, often without holidays.[35] The team decided to continue the numbering scheme absent from the previous two main games to represent the same leap in production asGrand Theft Auto 2 (1999) toGrand Theft Auto III (2001).[33] Development ofGrand Theft Auto IV ceased by 21 April 2008 when the game wassubmitted for manufacturing.[37] ProducerLeslie Benzies estimated that the budget of the development efforts exceededUS$100 million, makingGrand Theft Auto IV one of themost expensive video games ever made.[35]
Research and open world design
The game's setting, Liberty City, is based on New York City. The team did not look at the previous renditions of Liberty City as inspiration, wanting it to retain the "general feel" but nothing else.[38] The map is roughly three times the size ofGrand Theft Auto III's.[38] The developers originally considered using the entire state ofNew York, before restricting it to Manhattan, and then expanding it out again. They considered including more suburbs with woods, and would regularly vote on which areas to include.[39] Art director Aaron Garbut said that the team chose the setting because of the detail and variety it provided, describing New York as "an amazing, diverse, vibrant, cinematic city".[40] WriterDan Houser added that the team "wanted to be somewhere where we had a foothold" due to the amount of research required for the world; Rockstar Games's main headquarters are located in New York.[41] The team consciously avoided a precise recreation of New York City to allow for more enjoyable game design,[32] selecting the areas that they felt "characterised it the best".[40] Garbut wanted to capture a caricature of the city as he felt that most people were familiar with "the highlights" from film or literature but did not need to know the areas precisely.[40] The city was not built with specific missions in mind; the area was created first, and missions implemented later.[42]
To achieve a realistic environment, 60–70 employees from Rockstar North travelled to New York for research: first at the beginning of the project in March or April 2005 for a week and a half,[39] and a smaller trip in 2007.[38] Police officers who previously worked thebeat drove the team aroundWashington Heights.[39] A full-time research team based in New York handled further requests for information, such as the ethnic minority of a neighbourhood or videos of traffic patterns. Videos shot in New York were played on televisions at the Rockstar North offices "so while they worked they could look up and there was New York".[39] Benzies claimed that the team took over 100,000 photographs on location in New York,[35] though Garbut estimates that they took around 250,000.[38] They also studied architectural plans for apartments, used satellite images to determine city block layout, researched sales figures for models of cars, and read books that detailed the city's infrastructure, including itssubways, sewers, and garbage disposal.[43] Hove Beach is based onBrighton Beach, which Sam Houser found "pretty incredible" and unusual; the name is based on the English cityBrighton and Hove, made up of the former neighbouring townsBrighton andHove.[44] Houser appreciated that Brighton Beach was home to several Eastern Europeans due to the nature of the game's characters.[44]
Dan Houser described Liberty City as "the biggest character" of the game.[40] TheGrand Theft Auto IV rendition of Liberty City is more detailed and larger in size than most earlier entries in the series; although smaller than San Andreas, the setting of the previous main game, the developers considered it comparable in scope due to city's verticality, number of buildings, and level of detail.[45] The team wanted less dead spots and irrelevant spaces, such as the wide open deserts inSan Andreas.[32] They wanted the game to be "a more focused experience" thanSan Andreas, and Dan Houser felt that the limited activities of New York allowed this.[33] The team felt that the addition of Niko'smobile phone added to the immersion of the world and represented society's shifted focus on phones.[33] The in-game brands and products are designed over several years; the billboards were implemented in the game around six months prior to release.[38]
Benzies produced the game. Dan Houser co-wrote the story,[35] while his brother Sam executive-produced the game.[34]
The game's script, written by Dan Houser and Rupert Humphries, is about 1,000 pages.[35] Approximately 660 actors provided voices for the game over 80,000 lines of dialogue.[39] After conceiving the character and setting, Dan Houser spoke with his brother Sam Houser and Leslie Benzies to bounce story ideas before writing a rough synopsis, a six-paged, detailed document. Once the synopsis was reworked, the designers broke it into missions, represented by a large flow document demonstrating each section. The writers then work on the introductions to the missions; the gameplay dialogue comes much later.[41] Unlike previousGrand Theft Auto games,Grand Theft Auto IV does not have cinematic influences. "We were consciously trying to go, well, if video games are going to develop into the next stage, then the thing isn't to try and do a loving tribute or reference other stuff," said Dan Houser.[41] He said that the writers wanted something "fresh and new and not something that was obviously derived from [a] movie".[41] Dan Houser felt that the quality of the writing had to improve alongside the advancements in graphics and technology. He noted that the improvements in facial animation allowed for slower-paced cutscenes.[40] The unique dialogue that plays when a mission is retried was to ensure that the gameplay felt "less canned and less likeGroundhog Day".[40]
Dan Houser described Niko Bellic as "a more rounded character" than those in previous games.[40] He felt that his dual personality—often saving innocent people, while also being a "cold-hearted killer"—made him more relatable.[40] He also felt that Niko's unfamiliarity with Liberty City allowed for the player to relate to him more, only driven by his vague past and relationship with Roman. When deciding on Niko's background, the writers felt that being an immigrant could lead to more dangerous situations, and therefore more enjoyable missions; after discussions with criminal experts, Dan Houser found that "the real scary characters are not born in America anymore".[40] He felt that Niko's outsider view ofAmerican culture was "fun".[40] The team wanted Niko to be "more of ananti hero than a hero, capable of making positive actions within his criminal world".[46] They wanted his demeanour to reflect the weight of his past and choices.[46]
Niko's design underwent a few changes, but was finalised early in development.[47] His outfit underwent several changes based on Eastern Europeans, particularly photographs of men fighting in winter wars inYugoslavia andChechnya. The primary motivation for the design was a face to convey the appropriate emotions and a body that could move nicely with the new animations.[40] The in-game purchasable outfits were also designed to fit with the character.[33] The team ensured that thegameplay choices presented to the player were not too extensive, as they still had to make sense to the character, who is driven by the people around him. Dan Houser felt that the missions inSan Andreas had become too linear, and wanted to present choices to the player inGrand Theft Auto IV.[40]
The writers found that Niko needed a motivation to come to America, so they created his cousin, Roman. Dan Houser felt that the two could not be brothers as there would be a deeper level of familiarity than necessary. He described the two as adouble act, with Roman's fantasist charm playing off Niko's tough cynicism. The team gave othernon-playable characters (NPCs) more definable behaviours and dialogue to make them feel more alive. The writers initially considered having a smaller group of characters, but found that the story became boring and that players were less likely to explore the world. The stranger characters found in the game world were based on the "crazy people" that populate New York, according to Dan Houser, which in previous games were only able to be captured through radio stations or mild pedestrian behaviours.[38] The team based the ethnicities, clothing, and behaviours of the NPCs on the photographs and videos that they captured around New York, divided into different areas;[40] they createdmood boards for each location.[38] The NPCs also converse in different languages.[39]
Art design
Grand Theft Auto IV sees a shift in the series to a more realistic and detailed style and tone, partly a result of the transition to consoles which offeredhigh-definition graphics and the new and improved capabilities of such consoles. The development team worked to represent the upgrade in quality across all design aspects while maintaining the coherence of the previous games.[32] The team took the game's development as an opportunity to "strip things back and start again", refining the art style without losing the style of the series;[40] they distanced the game from the "cartoon-like style" of its predecessors while creating a new style that was consistent across all aspects of the game.[48] Garbut found the increased demand of detail brought on by the advanced technology daunting.[49] A technique used to make the visuals look real was to avoid harsh edges, instead blending surfaces together to make the world look dirty and lived-in.[50] Theprops department created multiple variations of different objects to make the world more interesting and unique.[40]Grand Theft Auto IV was the first contemporary game in the series since 2001'sGrand Theft Auto III; the team felt that enough time had passed to avoid feeling repetitive.[33] The types of in-game vehicles were decided upon early in development, after which the vehicles department begin creating the designs. The vehicles are not based on specific real-life counterparts, but take elements from several, with some original ideas by the developers.[51]
Technical and gameplay design
The process thatGrand Theft Auto IV's animation underwent: (top) actors performing on stage, rawmotion capture data, (bottom) in-game characters, and the final scene in the game[52]
The proprietaryRockstar Advanced Game Engine was used forGrand Theft Auto IV.[53] Garbut found the game's technical design similar toGrand Theft Auto III's, with both being the first in the series released on their respective platforms. He claimed an operablegame engine was not finalised until late in development, at which point "there's still plenty of guesswork" until optimisation near release.[42] The characters' physical performances were recorded usingmotion capture. Up to eight actors, dressed in full suits, could perform on the motion capture stage at one time.[52] The camera included ateleprompter for actors to read their scripts.[54] Over a hundred moves would be captured each day of production.[52] Thevoice acting performances were often recorded months later alongside facial reference capture,[55] and an actor's voice could be composited over a different actor's physical performance.[56] The in-game animations were crafted similarly, using a combination of different motion capture performances.[57]
For the gameplay and animations, the team redid a lot of the work from previous games, wantingGrand Theft Auto IV to "feel next-generation".[40] Therole-playing elements fromSan Andreas were removed fairly early in development, partly due to the animation work it would have required, and because consistently needing to visit the gym felt antithetical to Niko's motivations.[33] The game's targeting system was one of the first focuses of development due to the advanced technology; the team wanted it to feel realistic without being too technical. The cover system was a "natural addition" to the targeting.[33] Benzies described the multiplayer as the hardest part of the game's development.[36] The team wanted the multiplayer to feel like an extension of the cinematic single-player experience. Dan Houser described it as "a section of a film rather than the whole narrative".[33] The developers considered adding co-operative multiplayer to the main story campaign, but decided it worked better as a single-player experience.[33]
When Sam Houser first showed interest in using theEuphoria software in the game, he was told that it would be impossible or only limited to cutscenes, but some members of the team were able to make it work. Engineers fromNaturalMotion worked on-site at Rockstar North for several months at a time to incorporate Euphoria software into the game.[34] Rockstar also worked withImage Metrics for the game's facial animations. The facial rigs had around 100 joints, with a total of 300 minutes of facial animation. The scale of the project caused some issues for the animators, forcing them to haverigs completed before animation began. They also faced difficulty in the direction of the actor's head—either straight on when looking at the teleprompter, or down when looking at a script. Image Metrics head of production David Barton noted that "having realistic eyes is 90 percent of the battle", as it allows the player to believe the character.[54]SpeedTree was used for in-game environment rendering.[58]
Music production
When selecting music for the in-game radio stations, music supervisor Ivan Pavlovich said "[we had] to pick the songs that make New York today what it is, but make sure they won't feel dated by the time the game comes out."[59] The developers contacted over 2,000 people to obtain recording and publishing rights;[60] they hired a private investigator to locate the relatives of lateSkatt Bros. memberSean Delaney to license the band's song, "Walk the Night".[61]Billboard reported that Rockstar paid as much as $5,000 per composition and another $5,000 per master recording per track.[62] Developers originally considered letting players purchase music in an in-gamerecord shop and for Niko to have anMP3 player, but both ideas were cut.[60]DJ Green Lantern produced tracks exclusively for the game's hip-hop radio station The Beat 102.7.[62] Record producer Bobby Konders, who owns the record label Massive B and hosts the in-game radio station Massive B Soundsystem 96.9, flew toJamaica to getdancehall artists to re-record tracks to make references to the boroughs of Liberty City.[62] The Housers's father, jazz musician Walter Houser, provided several classical music tracks for the game.[34]
Microsoft'sPeter Moore announcedGrand Theft Auto IV atE3 2006 by rolling up his sleeve to reveal a temporary tattoo of its logo.[63] The game became widely anticipated.[64]Wedbush Morgan analyst Michael Pachter suggested Take-Two may delay the game from its 16 October 2007 release date to boost 2008 financial results and avoid competing with games likeHalo 3;[65] Rockstar responded it was still on track for "late October".[66] In August 2007, Take-Two announced the game would miss its date, delayed to their second fiscal quarter (February–April) of 2008,[67] citing technical difficulties with the PlayStation 3 version.[68]IGN predicted the delay would benefit other publishers, particularlyActivision withCall of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.[69] On 24 January 2008, Rockstar announced the 29 April release date.[70] Some gameplay features were censored for the Australian and New Zealand versions but the restrictions were subsequently removed.[71][72]Capcom published the game in Japan on 30 October 2008.[73]
In August 2008, Rockstar announced that the game would be coming toWindows on 18 November 2008 in North America and 21 November in Europe,[74] with additional development work byRockstar Toronto.[75] Microsoft partnered with Rockstar in aUS$50 million deal to bring two episodicdownloadable content packs to the Xbox 360:[76]Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned on 17 February 2009,[77] andGrand Theft Auto: The Ballad of Gay Tony on 29 October 2009.[78] Dan Houser wanted the episodes to show "a different side of Liberty City".[79] In January 2010, Rockstar announced that the DLC would be bundled asEpisodes from Liberty City, released for PlayStation 3 and Windows on 13 April 2010 in North America and 16 April in Europe.[80]Episodes from Liberty City was also bundled with the main game inThe Complete Edition, released on 26 October 2010 in North America and 29 October in Europe.[81] The Xbox 360 version of the game and its DLC were madebackwards compatible with theXbox One on 9 February 2017.[82]
Promotion
The game was promoted through posters and murals on billboards and buildings, including Chinatown, New York City.
Industry analysts foundGrand Theft Auto IV's marketing much more subtle than Microsoft'smarketing ofHalo 3 (2007), identifying Rockstar's interest in controlling the output at all times.[83] The game was marketed through video trailers and press demonstrations. On 29 March 2007, the debut trailer was released. It was narrated by protagonist Niko, and depicts the open world accompanied by the song "Pruit-Igoe" byPhilip Glass, originally composed forGodfrey Reggio's 1982 documentary filmKoyaanisqatsi.[84][85] The trailer is credited for starting theRickrolling meme; after the higher viewership crashed Rockstar's website, several users re-posted the trailer, but some misleadingly played the music video forRick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up".[86][87] The second trailer was released on 28 June 2007, showcasing the game's physics engine and featuring the song "Arm in Arm (Shy Child Remix)" bythe Boggs.[88] Dan Houser noted that the game was "still rough" when the first trailer was released, but that cutscenes were "coming on board" by the second trailer's release.[40]
To unveil the game's cover art, Rockstar contracted artists to paint a mural on a wall at a secluded warehouse location, showcasing the art in a video on 28 November 2007.[89] A third trailer was released on 6 December 2007, introducing some of the game's characters, such as Roman and Michelle. The trailer features the song "King Ring" by Russian rap artistSeryoga, which Rockstar felt captured the "melting pot mentality" of Liberty City.[90] Dan Houser wanted the third trailer to capture the "visceral qualities" of the game, but focus less on the story, as the first two trailers had done.[40] On 8 February 2008, five teaser trailers for the game were released, each showcasing a particular character or service within the game.[91] Similar teaser trailers were later released in pairs on 21 February,[92] 7 March,[93] and 11 April.[94] Another trailer, released on 27 March 2008, showcases some scenes from the game, such as a bank robbery and police chase.[95] A television commercial fromGameStop debuted on 1 April, focusing on the activities in Liberty City.[96]
Viral marketing strategies were used to promote the game.Wanted posters were placed around New York City promoting the game's characters and website;[97][98] billboard versions were also posted throughout the city.[99] Murals and posters advertising the game were placed on buildings and public transport.[100][101] TheChicago Transit Authority (CTA) removed advertisements promoting the game from their property in April 2008;[101] Take-Two filed a lawsuit in response, claiming that the CTA had violated a contract.[102] Visitors to the website of WKTT Talk Radio—a fictional radio station within the game—were offered a chance to leave a voice mail message stating their problems. Prior to leaving the message, callers were asked to read the terms and conditions, which revealed that some of the voice mail message would be selected for use in the game.[103]
In the month prior to launch, Rockstar and GameStop held a competition offering up toUS$10,000 and a trip to New York City for the game's launch event.[104] Microsoft held a similarsweepstakes competition, offering consoles, games,Microsoft Points, abaseball bat, and an invitation to the launch event as rewards.[105] The officialGrand Theft Auto IV website was redesigned on 8 February 2008 to show a preview of activities and locales within the game's world.[106] To encourage pre-order sales, Rockstar collaborated with several retail outlets to provide aspecial edition version of the game. It includes a metalsafe deposit box, an art book, and the soundtrack CD.[107] The publisher also collaborated withSony to release a 40 GB PlayStation 3 console with a copy of the game.[108] GameStop hosted midnight launch events at over 3,500 of its American stores, with contests and giveaways.[109]
Grand Theft Auto IV received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregatorMetacritic.[110] It is the second-highest-rated game on the site,[118] and the highest-rated PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 game.[119][120] Reviewers praised the narrative,[111][114][117][121] open world design[111][112][117] and combat system.[112][12][115][116] Hilary Goldstein ofIGN felt that the game "sets a new benchmark for open-world games",[117] and Andrew Reiner ofGame Informer wrote that the game "completely changes the landscape of gaming".[114]
Reviewers lauded the open world design, some further complimenting the freedom that it allows the player. Seth Schiesel ofThe New York Times named the city the "real star" of the game.[15]Official Xbox Magazine's Hicks was impressed by the city, attributing this to the game'sartificial intelligence.[121] Robinson ofComputer and Video Games considered the environment believable, and felt that the world was "utterly unmatched".[112] Goldstein ofIGN felt that, although Liberty City is inspired by New York, it is not beholden to it. He wrote that the city "exists in its own universe and rightfully so".[117] Crispin Boyer of1UP.com directed praise at the city's "breathtaking vistas, incredibly varied scenery, and lived-in look."[111] Conversely, Jesse Costantino ofGameRevolution felt that the game lacked important features common in other open world games.[122]
Reviewers praised the narrative.IGN's Goldstein accepted that the darker tones to the story were a break from series tradition.[117]Jon Hicks ofOfficial Xbox Magazine felt surprised by the amount of depth to the story.[121] Reiner ofGame Informer wrote that the level of freedom in the game contributed to his enjoyment of the story.[114] The morality choices faced by players throughout the narrative were also welcomed.1UP.com's Boyer felt that they gave the game an element of "replayability".[111]Eurogamer's Tom Bramwell considered the morality choices a fair substitute over "bosses with large health bars".[12]
The game's protagonist,Niko Bellic, with the main antagonist, Dimitri Rascalov. Reviewers praised the story and characters, commending themorality choices faced by players.[12][111]
The game's characters—particularly Niko—received positive reactions from critics.[12] Hicks ofOfficial Xbox Magazine and Andy Robinson ofComputer and Video Games both called Niko "charismatic" and "likeable", stating that they prefer him over previous protagonists of the series.[112][121] George Walter ofGamesRadar praised the depth of the character, andIGN's Goldstein felt that the character of Niko feels relatable when faced with difficult decisions.[115]Jeff Gerstmann ofGiant Bomb felt that Niko was "the only thing that mattered to [him]" as he progressed through the story, with the character becoming one of his favourite features of the game.[123] Schiesel ofThe New York Times named Niko one of the most realised video game characters attributing this to the game's script,[15] while1UP.com's Boyer commended the use of character bonding during missions.[111]
Many reviewers found the combat system was more responsive than in previous games, particularly praising the addition of the cover system.[111][112][12] Justin Calvert ofGameSpot wrote that the cover system makes the game's combat a "huge improvement" over previous games.[116] Reiner ofGame Informer agreed, writing that the targeting system makes players feel responsible for all deaths.[114]IGN's Goldstein praised the fluidity of the cover system, and felt that the auto aim mechanic is a "great help in larger battles".[117]GamesRadar's Walter wrote that the cover system has "paved the way to a new style of mission".[115] David McComb ofEmpire called the combat "sharp and instinctive",[124] and Hicks ofOfficial Xbox Magazine felt that the cover system allows players to execute an attack plan.[121] In addition to the combat system, most reviewers noted the vehicle handling was more realistic than in previous games.[114][115][121] Robinson ofComputer and Video Games felt that the vehicle handling echoed realism, while Hicks ofOfficial Xbox Magazine called the vehicle selection "excellent".[112] Costantino ofGameRevolution praised the improvement of the game's mechanics, particularly the physics engine's advanced vehicle and character animations.[122]
Reviewers praised the sound design. Goldstein ofIGN praised the actors' performances and the use of licensed music.GameSpot's Calvert andGamesRadar's Walter also commended the licensed music, the latter admiring the humour of the radio's talk stations.[115][116] Michael Pinson ofThe Pro Audio Files praised the separate features of the sound design—including the city's ambiance, licensed music, character dialogue, and vehicle and weapon sound effects—applauding the developer's use of uniting the features together.[125] Carolyn Gudmundson ofGamesRadar also retroactively praised the soundtrack, commending its suitability to the setting.[126]
The online multiplayer mode received positive reactions from critics.[12][116] Reiner ofGame Informer praised the character customisation available in the multiplayer mode, and noted that it runs "just as smoothly" as the single-player game.[114]1UP.com's Boyer called the multiplayer modes "excellent",[111] andIGN's Goldstein named it one of the best.[117]Official Xbox Magazine's Hicks dubbed the multiplayer as "hugely entertaining",[121] while Walter ofGamesRadar praised the "seamless" process of entering a multiplayer match.[115]Giant Bomb's Gerstmann andGameRevolution's Costantino felt divided about the multiplayer, the latter naming it a "fantastic idea", but feeling as though connectivity problems resulted in a "broken" experience.[122][123]
The Windows version received "universal acclaim", according to Metacritic.[110] Reviewers liked the enhanced visuals[128][132][133] and the additional features,[1][127][131][133] but criticised the port for its inferiority over the console versions.[127][129][131]
The in-game features added in the port were well received.[131][133] The addition of the Video Editor was met with positive reactions;GameSpot's Calvert called it "a great way to get creative",[1] while Kieron Gillen ofEurogamer criticised the unpredictability in its timing.[129] Critics also praised the addition of the customisable radio station, which allows players to listen to their own choice of music;Tom Chick of1UP.com named it the best feature of the port,[127] and Steven Hopper ofGameZone called it a "great touch".[133] The port's upgrade to 32 concurrent players in the online multiplayer mode, as opposed to the console version's 16 players, was also met with positive feedback;Eurogamer's Gillen said that the "possibility for mayhem... increases",[129] while Will Tuttle ofGameSpy felt that the player increase "changes the action significantly".[130]
The port's enhanced visuals were commended by many reviewers.GameZone's Hopper considered the visuals an improvement over the original versions.[133] Andy Robinson ofComputer and Video Games called the visuals "impressive",[128] while Tom Orry ofVideoGamer.com called them "superb".[132] Conversely, the port's system requirements, considered difficult to run with advanced settings,[1] received criticism.[131][132]Eurogamer's Gillen said that, though the Windows version is "the most attractive version", it's "annoyingly fiddly to get there".[129]GameSpy's Tuttle was able to overlook the demanding system requirements in exchange for the game's other features.[130]
Within twenty-four hours of its release,Grand Theft Auto IV sold over 3.6 million copies, equating to approximately $310 million in revenue.[156] Within a week, it generated more than $500 million in worldwide revenue, equating to approximately 6 million copies sold for Take Two.[157][d] The numbers surpassed analysts' expectations for the title.[159][160][161] After one month of availability, the game had sold over 8.5 million copies.[162] It broke threeGuinness World Records on 13 May 2008: highest grossing video game in 24 hours, highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours, and fastest-selling video game in 24 hours.[163][e] On 11 March 2011, Take-Two announced that the game had sold over 20 million copies, with theGrand Theft Auto series surpassing a collective total of 100 million copies.[165] As of July 2013, the game has sold over 25 million copies, making it one of thebest-selling video games, and one of the best-selling games on bothPlayStation 3 andXbox 360.[166] All sales records broken byGrand Theft Auto IV were beaten by its successor,Grand Theft Auto V.[167]
In the United Kingdom, the game became the fastest-selling game of all time, selling over 631,000 copies in twenty-four hours.[168] This broke the record set byGrand Theft Auto: San Andreas at 501,000 copies over the same period.[169] During the first five days of availability, the game sold over 927,000 copies in the United Kingdom.[170][171] In the United States,Grand Theft Auto IV sold 2.85 million units in its first five days.[172] By the end of 2008, the game had sold over 5.18 million copies in the US.[173] In its first four days of availability in Japan, it sold 133,000 copies on the PlayStation 3 and 34,000 on the Xbox 360, according toMedia Create.[174] In its first week, the Windows version ofGrand Theft Auto IV debuted at seventh place on the weekly charts;[175] by the second week, it had left the top ten.[176] Based onunique user counts, the game was the most playedGames for Windows – Live game in 2009 and 2012,[177][178] and the second-most played in 2011.[179]
Controversies
Pre-release
Former attorneyJack Thompson, known for campaigning against titles from Rockstar Games, heavily criticisedGrand Theft Auto IV prior to its release.[180][181][182]
In 2007, then-Florida lawyerJack Thompson, known for his campaigns against the series, stated he would take measures to prevent the sale ofGrand Theft Auto IV to minors.[180] On 14 March, Take-Two filed a lawsuit against Thompson to preemptively restrict his attempts to ban the game from sale.[183] Thompson responded by filing acountersuit accusing Take-Two of violating federalRICO statutes, committingperjury andobstruction of justice, andconspiring to deprive him of his civil rights.[184] On 20 April, both parties reached a settlement agreeing to drop their lawsuits:[185] Thompson was barred from suing to ban the sale or distribution of Take-Two's games but able to act as counsel in lawsuits by other parties, while Take-Two agreed to drop thecontempt of court lawsuit against Thompson regarding alleged improper conduct during the court hearings for Rockstar's gameBully (2006).[181]
On 18 September 2007, Thompson filed a document with a federal court in Florida, claiming the assassination target of a mission inGrand Theft Auto IV is a lawyer character based upon himself. He threatened to "take necessary and proper means to stop release of the game" if the similarities were not removed.[186] In April 2008, Thompson wrote a letter directed to the mother of Take-Two chairmanStrauss Zelnick, in which he labelledGrand Theft Auto a "murder simulator" and criticised Zelnick's upbringing, comparing hisBoy Scouts experience toHitler Youth.[182][187] Thompson subsequently claimed he sent the letter to Zelnick's lawyer, formulating it as a parody to induce "shame" in Zelnick.[182]
Following the release of the first trailer in March 2007, New York City officials criticised the choice of their city as inspiration for Liberty City;Peter Vallone Jr., chairman ofthe council's public safety committee, compared it to "settingHalo inDisneyland", andPolice CommissionerRaymond Kelly called it "despicable to glamorize violence in games like these".[188] A spokesman formayorMichael Bloomberg said "the mayor does not support any video game where you earn points for injuring or killing police officers".[188]Jason Della Rocca, executive director of theInternational Game Developers Association, accused city officials ofdouble standards for criticising video games but avoiding the argument for books, films, and television series set in the city.[189]
In April 2008,non-profit organisationMothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) criticised the ability todrive drunk in the game. MADD requested theEntertainment Software Rating Board change therating of the game to "Adults Only", effectively removing it from sale.[190] They asked Take-Two and Rockstar to consider halting distribution out of a sense of social responsibility and respect for victims of driving under the influence.[190] Rockstar said it respected MADD's work but felt the game's audience "is more than sophisticated enough to understand the game's content", adding "you can't judgeGrand Theft Auto IV by a small aspect of the game".[191]
Onhis program in May 2008,conservative American radio hostGlenn Beck used the game as an example ofviolence in video games "training our kids to be killers", erroneously stating the player can attack police officers with achainsaw;[192][193]Kombo's David Oxford rebutted that the game is not targeted at children.[193] Beck said games likeGrand Theft Auto IV were being used to make militaries more violent;Destructoid'sJames Stephanie Sterling countered that violent wars occurred prior to the creation of video games.[192]Computer and Video Games's Robinson compared Beck's "rant" to the game's satirical radio shows.[194]
There is nothing in the game you would not see in a TV show, or a movie a hundred times over ... We set out to make games that felt like they could culturally exist alongside the movies we were watching and the books we were reading
In June 2008, six teenagers who were arrested for robbery inNew Hyde Park, New York, claimed they were inspired byGrand Theft Auto IV, according to theNassau County Police Department.[195] In August, an 18-year-old student was arrested inBangkok for the murder of a taxi driver after attempting to hijack the vehicle; according to the police captain, the student "wanted to find out if it was as easy in real life to rob a taxi as it was in the game".[196] The game was subsequently banned in Thailand.[196] In August 2013, 87-year-old Marie Smothers was killed inSlaughter, Louisiana, when her eight-year-old grandson shot her in the head with a handgun after playingGrand Theft Auto IV; under state law, the boy could not be charged for her death due to his age.[197]
^abTheonline multiplayer mode for the Windows version of the game allowed up to 32 players until its discontinuation in 2020, while the console versions allow up to 16 players.[1]
^Rockstar North (29 April 2008).Grand Theft Auto IV (PlayStation 3 andXbox 360) (1.0 ed.).Rockstar Games. Level/area: "The Cousins Bellic".Niko: Why don't you show me around the city? ...Roman: Terrorists. There's been a big scare and you can't go across the bridges so good.
^Boyer, Crispin (March 2008). "Sweet Land of Liberty".Electronic Gaming Monthly. EGM Media, LLC. pp. 44–56.Sam Houser: "He's from that gray part of broken-down Eastern Europe, a war-torn area."
^abcGarratt, Patrick (15 December 2008)."VGA 2008 – The winners".VG247. videogaming247 Ltd.Archived from the original on 23 February 2009. Retrieved30 September 2020.
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