I meant more of an organized, persistent free roam than any quasi-lobby, potentially instanced, pre-game shenanigans.

That Cops N Crooks game sounds interesting. I'm hoping it's all the crazy awesome I'm thinking it will be.

The whole multiplayer aspect sounds pretty pimping if you ask me, though the 4-player co-op mode (Hangman's Noose) has my interests piqued for sure. I'm hoping there's a decent selection of missions for that mode. I'm sure they'll be replayable, but even so, a nice bit of variety will make it rather excellent.

This is looking more and more interesting; thank you.

It refers not to the Mafia of Godfather fame (which made an appearance in GTA3), but its multiethnic Russian counterpart. Note that members of same have been known to refer to it simply as the 'Organizatsiya' (Organization)

So just so I'm clear on a few things: The multiplayer is on LIVE right? Are there co-op missions of any sort? Any news on DLC?

Finally, I got in my preorder for the 360 version, so... yeah!

In order: yes it is; yes there are co-op missions (self-contained scenarios distinct from the storyline); and not to my knowledge.
With respect to cooperative play, I quote from the following IGN article:

I should note that this sounds like the co-op challenge scenarios seen over in Saints Row. However, the upcoming sequel has Crackdown-esque drop-in cooperative play for its campaign. (IGN reference; Gamespy reference)

Well there's a week and ten hours until this gets released. I can't see myself bothering to pick it up at midnight though as, you know, work the next day and all that.

To help Skills and Iwata plan how they're going to play the game, here's a list of the achievements that's believed to be accurate, although Micrsoft have banned all official news until the release date.

It looks like the majority are things you'll pick up just through normal story and online play. I'm sure some people will boost a couple of them but it's unlikely to affect other people's online games (Unlike so many of the games of Halo 3 I played over the weekend where people were using the Legendary Brawl playlist to AP boost without affecting their Lone Wolf rankings, sad motherfuckers).

Those achievements seem, for the most part, perfectly reasonable stuff. All seem like sensible extensions of the game world, a bit like Crackdown, which I like. Don't understand the need for multiplayer achievements though, but then I don't like them in general. I certainly hate nonsense ones like these:
I hope that one is a fake.

I'm hoping that

is a fake one too. GTA more than almost any other game is great for completely ignoring the story half the time and just having fun, so the idea of having a time limit to getting that achievement without starting a whole new game is pretty unappealing. The list looks pretty average aside from that one and the one OP posted, though.

Didn't even spot that one. That's a terrible idea to try and get people to rush through the game. I very much hope that one is a fake.

So powerful is the GTA brand that mere adverts for it are causing a crime spree in Chicago. A CRIME SPREE I TELL YOU. Or so implies Fox News:

MyFox Chicago | Violent Video Game Ads on The CTA

There are no words.

Wait, they ran the same story for GTA SA bus ads? Bus ads? Really? This is crucial news! FOX is a proud sponser of the Grand Theft Auto series it seems.

Words can't describe the level of hype and excitement I've got pent up for this game.

I'm guessing they included that one as a second play-through deal. Anyone who tries for that one on their first play needs to seriously rediscover the fun of playing computer games rather than just obsessively collecting gamer points.

I agree that multiplayer achievements are often retarded but ones like these seem to be largely of the kind you'd pick up after a while if you're pretty good at the game which for me is the whole point of achievements. For instance, I like the ones in Rainbow you get for killing 150, 300, 500 and 1,000 people online because you can't scam your way up to those easily with a mate, to get them is a sign that you play the game a lot and nothing more. I can understand it would be annoying for someone who desperately wanted to collect all the achievement points but if you view getting them as a bonus rather than a necessity, they're fair goals.

From that list, it's only really the time limit one and the flying under bridges that you're going to need to go too far out of your way to unlock.

Very true, but I'd argue that hold true for a second play-through as well. A game like GTA is about experiencing a world, not with a time-limit. It's easily ignored I know, but it just seems counter-intuitive to encourage that sort of playing at any time in a game like GTA.

Anyways, there's an interview online with Dan Houser that is worth reading - The Cut Scene - Video Game Blog by Variety: Dan Houser's very extended interview about everything "Grand Theft Auto IV" and Rockstar. It's shame the guys behind GTA don't come out and say things more often because they have a very sensible view on the world, or so it seems.

Yeah, I read that yesterday, it's a great article. Personally, I'd never bother going for that 30 hour achievement, I agree with you wholeheartedly, such an approach to the game seems completely counter-intuitive. I'm sure some people will go for it though, much the same as people played through Suikoden 2 in 4 hours to get Clive's story or FFIX in 12 to get the Excalibur II sword.

I've just got off the phone to a mate having organised to get together with him, quite a lot of beer and a big sack of weed for an evening of GTA next wednesday. For me that's always been the great thing about the GTA games, they're one player but you can happily play with a bunch of people taking it in turns to do missions and shit. He's also bringing Mariokart for the Wii, it's going to be like being 15 all over again. :)

Well technically I was more like 12 when Mariokart first came out and 17 when GTA came out but lets take an average.

Pics of the special edition from someone on the internet.

http://i29.tinypic.com/ic7pk5.jpg

http://i26.tinypic.com/20gyyyc.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/np2cn7.jpg

http://i30.tinypic.com/99i807.jpg

$150 for this and you don't even get a proper case for the music CD? Pure style. :erm: I'll be there on launch day for my hobo deluxe standard edition.

I heard Rockstar already sent a package to ign.com (that's what they do since SquareEnix got fucked with the awesome KH2 review for not sending one), now the question only is: which number behind the 9? Well, maybe we will see the first 10.0 who knows

OXM and PSM both already gave it straight tens as I understand and with the amount of money Microsoft are throwing at advertising this (None of the UK ads mention that it's available on PS3, they all just say 360) I'd be surprised if this didn't rank pretty high on IGN.

I don't know how long this has been up, but 1UP have an interview with Sam Houser this time, which is another worthwhile read: GTA4 Sam Houser Interview from 1UP.com

can anyone say leaked?

Grand Theft Auto IV MULTI5 PAL READNFO XBOX360-iCON

too bad i dont have a flashed xbox :(