Here’s a small sign of larger changes in the game industry: I got word today from Rockstar Games that April’s Grand Theft Auto 4, the latest installment in their huge (if controversial) thugs-in-the-sandbox franchise, will launch with a “Social Club” (open April 15), a site where gamers can track their game scores and achievements against other players.
Anyone with an Xbox Gamertag or PlayStation Network ID can sign up, which means the site will incorporate data from both Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 players; most interestingly, it’ll come with an “LCPD Police Blotter,” which will dynamically display “aggregated data of millions of connected players — showing the most dangerous areas of town, most commonly used weapons and more.”
The announcement and branding hints at more functionality down the road — perhaps a full-fledged social network, or even early preparation for a GTA-based MMO, a spinoff that’s long been rumored but never confirmed. In any case, it leverages the web and aggregated player data in a way we don’t often see with hardcore games, especially cross-platform console titles. And since GTA is the big daddy of console franchises, expect others to follow.
Image credit: www.rockstargames.com/socialclub
14 comments so far
9:02 PM PT
[...] Grand Theft Social Network? - GigaOMWhat is most interesting here is someone so mainstream building a social network that brings Xbox and PS3 players together under one roof. [...]
9:16 PM PT
With regard to the multiplayer version — at the bottom of the official page at http://www.rockstargames.com/IV/ there’s a multiplayer link… when you float over it you see “coming soon”. I’d say it’s definitely in the works.
9:35 PM PT
Very interesting…I would like to get your Communities thought on a new financial social network that we just launched that pays it users/members for consuming content.
Below is a short video
http://my.wallst.net/referral/AlbertAimers/JoinForm
2:10 AM PT
Hey Albert, here’s my thought: try to stay on topic! Spam sucks.
As to the Rockstar Social Club / MMO, this is the big innovation in GTA IV. I admit that having pre-ordered the game, I’m kind of an interested party… but I reckon that this will make GTA the trend setter yet again. The idea of being able to play against friends in Rome, Spain, the UK etc on the PlayStation Network is really exciting.
7:56 AM PT
If they can get this implemented well, it could be a huge draw. Rockstar has a steady history of some amazing implementations, so I’m computing that they’ll get it right, or update until they can.
See you in that virtual parlor. Drinks are on my avatar.
9:01 AM PT
[...] like the upcoming Grand Theft Auto release, and full-fledged social networks or MMOs may ensue. Wagner James Au has a bit more information; there’s no telling what this development might do to social [...]
9:24 AM PT
[...] how not to combine social networking and marketing. Now there’s word of another company launching a social network, Grand Theft Auto. Anyone with an Xbox Gamertag or PlayStation Network ID can sign up, which means the site will [...]
9:20 PM PT
[...] Speculation of a Grand Theft social network. Definitely. Social networking and the ability to interconnect with other networks will be as ubiquitous as sensor based controllers or headsets and IM. [...]
9:32 PM PT
[...] developer leverage the power of the internet. That’s what Rockstar Games is doing with the GTA IV release. The rise of gaming platforms connecting to the internet creates many cool options for game [...]
2:08 AM PT
[...] focused. You have a chance to learn from people who do what you do. Like, play Grand Theft Auto? Well, yes … the next version of this game will connect to a world wide chat system where you can [...]
12:16 PM PT
[...] Grand Theft Social Network? - GigaOMWhat is most interesting here is someone so mainstream building a social network that brings Xbox and PS3 players together under one roof. [...]
12:12 PM PT
[...] Grand Theft Auto to launch new game with a social network [...]
10:49 AM PT
“Hey Albert, here’s my thought: try to stay on topic! Spam sucks.”
that cracked me up, nice work tom!
11:05 PM PT
[...] Grand Theft Social Network? [via Zemanta] [...]
Leave a Comment