There has been some recent information about the police in Grand Theft Auto 5. Apparently it’s going to be more difficult to escape during chases and the cops will have a smarter and more coordinated strategy. Sounds like there could be some real adrenaline chase sequences! Today though, GameStop is revealing a bit more information regarding escaping police. Word is that you will be able to use rival street gangs to assist you in getting away. Gangs that are more interested in fighting the police will help you escape. No specific details, but the fact is that gangs can play a role in chases and escapes.

Other details that have been previously mentioned about police chases in GTA 5, is that they will use advanced tactics. They will also go to higher ground to spot you if you’re escaping on foot.

The recent Q&A at Rockstar had a lot of real gems of information. Regarding mulitplayer, it appears Rockstar is going to really turn it up a notch. They are promising to have a new and improved cheat detection system. You know, the kind of cheats that ruin multiplayer and not the cheats that actually enhance the single player game. Rockstar has said they will be launching “Grand Theft Auto Online” which isn’t clear what their intentions really are. There is currently a parked page (ads) and not a real website at grandtheftautoonline.com so it’s a bit more baffling. The issues with logging in with a game like Max Payne 3 are said by Rockstar to be fixed and that GTA V multiplayer will be a smooth experience.

There was an amazing Q&A from Rockstar today about GTA V. It’s been a while since they really offered up new details. As always, they spoke in generalities and nothing overly concrete. However we think there may be something interesting that was said. Here is the quote:

Question: You’ve probably been asked before, but is GTA V coming for next gen consoles also?

Answer from Rockstar: The only versions of the game that we have announced are for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation®3 which are set for a September 17th worldwide release. We don’t have anything to share about the possibility of a next-gen or a PC platform release at this time and we are completely focused on delivering the best possible experience for the consoles people have right now.

Sometimes it’s not what was said, but how it was said. Okay the only versions “we have announced”? That statement doesn’t deny the possibility of GTA 5 PS4 or GTA 5 Xbox One. They go on to say that they are focused on the best experience for the consoles people have right now. How about when people have those other consoles? Does that mean Rockstar will then focus on the best possible experience on those consoles when they are out or near release?

I think they are being coy. I am not more optimistic at versions for the new consoles. They don’t want to lose out of sales of this version. No way, never. They wouldn’t do that. However, I think the door has been slightly opened here.

If you haven’t been keeping up on the latest technology news, let me get you caught up. This fall, shortly after the release date for GTA V, the PS4 and Xbox One consoles are coming to market. I was holding out hope that in fact Rockstar was then going to follow-up with news that Grand Theft Auto 5 is going to be a release title for the new consoles but that isn’t the case. A big part of this I’m sure is the new architecture in coding games for these next generation consoles. There is no backward compatibility and I’m sure GTA V was far enough along in development that they could redo in the middle of the process.

Since we’ve been so excited about this game for so long, will it keep you content while playing on your PS3 or Xbox 360? I wonder how the shelf life will be for gamers who pickup the new console. Friends of mine a not rushing out to get the new Xbox and perhaps that’s great news for Rockstar. People may not rush out for the new consoles in large part because of the price tag and the lack of backward compatibility.

Under normal circumstances, I’m sure a game like GTA 5 could last for years. Downloadable content and cheats play a bit role in that. Should we expect more than a year with new addons coming from Rockstar or more than that? Less than that? As a company I’m sure they are plenty disappointed in how this went down. Are you going to get everything out of this game before going to the next generation of gaming consoles? Do you really think you will be playing this game a year from the release date?

Some lucky guy with CNET had a chance to play a demo of Grand Theft Auto V. It’s worth a read for sure. The reviewer was impressed with the scope of the game and by all accounts, it looks pretty darn good graphic wise even though the PS3 is getting dated. In particular, the reviewer noted the heists and the gameplay that allows you to switch between the 3 characters. It would be nice to get a more solid review, but you can get a good overview on what to expect when the game is finally released. Check the preview out on CNET here.