I’m sure it may be different in Europe, but in terms of the USA, the Xbox 360 version of GTA 5 has the lead when it comes to pre orders. I would say they have a very healthy lead especially when you look at the fact that the Xbox 360 is the best selling console right now in North America. That said, the number I really care about? How about that “6” under the “Weeks to Lauch” column. Yep, we’re almost there!!

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Obviously running this site I’ve been involved with the idea of GTA V since the very beginning. It’s been a rocky road given the delays and lack of information for years. There has been anticipation for years and yet the leaks over the years have been minimal. It’s been frustrating at times for sure. There has been something interesting that has come about though because of all this time.

With the recent unveiling of GTA Online, something occurred to me. I don’t think that I would be the first to suggest that GTA 5 is going to be perhaps the biggest and greatest video game of all time. There is more than one fanboy saying it. I have a reason for saying it. Remember the game company Rare? Think back to the almighty GoldenEye 007 for the Nintendo 64. Then think about their follow-up game Perfect Dark. I think Rockstar is doing what Rare did. It’s rare (no pun intended) to have a game developer take years on a game. Look at the Call of Duty series. Pump them out every year! There is immense pressure by companies to roll their games out. The less time on a game, the less impressive, the less polish and the less WOW factor.

So when I think of GoldenEye 007 for the N64, it’s clear that Rare had YEARS to develop and work on that game. You can tell. The game had unreal replay value and incredible layers of discovery. That kind of detail doesn’t just happen. It can only happen from a lot of time and resources. Games today simply don’t get those resources and time. Look at Perfect Dark. Not as popular, but even today it has such an incredible depth of replayability and features that you could play the game for years (and I did honestly). Rare was able to put an incredible amount of time and resource into Perfect Dark and the result is a game that really cannot be matched in terms of what features it had. Single player, bots, custom weapons in multiplayer, challenges, and more. PD N64 is packed with goodies and there are few opportunities for developers currently to invest so many resources in one game title. Sure Halo has some of the same characteristics. Bungie were able to operate like Rare and put an incredible amount of time into the Halo series. The results? The best video games ever made. Not a big stretch to say more time and money into a game results in a better product. That said, my point is that GTA 5 has more time and resources put into it than any other video game in history.

So I’m drawing on the parallels with Rare as I am with Rockstar. No other company could afford to delay a game so long and invest so much in the concept and design. Trust me, that’s why this new GTA game will be hard for anyone to beat. It appears that there are so many layers to the GTA V world that we could be playing this game for years. Oh yes, no PC, Xbox One or PS4 version? C’mon folks, of course those are coming. Beyond that don’t be surprised if you can bring your character, items and stats over from the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions. We’re seeing news that stats from the Battlefield 4 game can be exported to the next generation console game. Nothing lost, nothing to fear.

To be the “best video game in history”, I think replayability is a big criteria. Cosmetics play a role for sure. Fun factor plays a role also. Getting your moneys worth? That’s pretty big. Sale count also in what is the best video game in history. I’m sure that GTA 5 will crush the all time best sellers list for video games provided we might see the following versions: iOS, Android, PC, Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, and PS4.

If you weren’t quite sure about the various landscapes and areas of exploration, this should help you. Water, land, air, you name it. It’s an immense world that is Los Santos and there will be many many hours if not months and months of gameplay in Grand Theft Auto V.

Let’s get you caught up on the latest images featuring various locations of Los Santos. It’s looking amazing and I can’t wait to start exploring!

This is pretty cool. If you’ve seen the GTA V Travelogue page on Rockstar’s website, you will notice missing photos, or shall we say grayed out photos. A guy by the name of Chazz Harrington deserves the credit here for the sleuthing. I have my favorites. What’s yours? Note: click on images to enlarge. See the original post here.

More goodies! There is an interesting travelogue that Rockstar has put on their site. It gives you an idea of what to expect and what to do in both Los Santos and Blaine County. Cars, Shopping, Activities and more. This is part 1 and the part 2 is still greyed/blacked out on the site. You can see the images, but it’s not a link yet. Here is what we see so far:

• Leadership You Can Trust: You’re arriving at quite an exciting time as our area is in the midst of the current gubernatorial race with Sue Murry running against conservative challenger and famous star of screen and TV, Jock Cranley.
• Beaches & Watersports: Our coastal areas and beautiful lakes and rivers are a dream come true for those who crave aquatic adventure.
• The Great Outdoors: Hunters and adventurers can find great sporting challenges across our vast Blaine County countryside. Bring a rifle to hunt for dangerous game, hike to the peak of the majestic Mount Chiliad, or hire a plane and parachute from on high.
• Friendly Neighbors: The streets are alive with all kinds of characters who coordinate clothing colors and enjoy leisurely pursuits such as territory clashes and pharmaceutical commerce. Stop and chat with a member of The Epsilon Program for some enlightenment, or head to Blaine County, where they always extend a helping hand to outsiders.
• Fast Cars at Your Fingertips: If you are ready to hit the highway in a sleek sports car or go off-roading in Blaine County in an SUV, avoid pushy salesmen and select from a stunning array of vehicular options online.
• Thriving Economy & Commerce: Every day the stock exchange is minting millionaires who know how to play the market. Take your gains and invest in the volatile Los Santos commercial real estate market. To go big in this town, you just might need to buy a building.
• Affordable Hthcareale: Thanks to recent legislation, if you receive something as harmless as a scratch or as serious as a bullet wound, any of our state certified medical centers will patch you up and make sure the healthy bill is picked up by taxpayers.
• Vehicular Customization Shops: Residents of Los Santos take great pride in their cars. They spend the majority of the day in them. When you’re ready to trick out your ride, visit LS Customs, because nothing says class like neon.
• Shopping & Glamour: Tourists come from far and wide for the experience of Los Santos shopping. From the well-tailored jet-setter couture in the high-street shops of Rockford Hills to the disheveled and disaffected drug addict hipster vibe in Hawick, there’s a wide array of fashionable retail options for you.
• Accessible Air Travel: A wide range of aircraft are available for your travel and aerial transport needs. Log onto ElitasTravel.com and purchase luxury aircraft from the Luxor and Shamal jetliners to high-end helicopters and more.

See the official travelogue here.

What is this GTA Online that Rockstar has been teasing about? We are about to find out this coming Thursday! It will be about the multiplayer aspect of the new Grand Theft Auto game and it likely is going to blow your mind (and mine also).

Here is the official quote from Rockstar:

Look for the world premiere of the official GTA Online Gameplay Video as well as coverage of first press previews here at the Newswire and at rockstargames.com/GTAOnline – this Thursday, August 15th.