Today's Ypulse Guest Post comes from my new friend John Davison who is the president and co-founder of What They Like, Inc. a parents guide to entertainment. Its first product, www.whattheyplay.com gives parents an unbiased look at the content of video games. For any of you attending SXSW Interactive this year, John will also be joining me for our Core Conversation focusing on tweens, teens and video games. If you work in youth media or marketing, and would like to write a Ypulse Guest Post, just email me with your idea...

Biggest video game of the year gets a release date

The video game sure to be both the biggest, and most contentious of the year, Rockstar Games' Grand Theft Auto IV finally has a confirmed release date; April 29. The clock is now officially ticking on the build up to the inevitable sensationalized press coverage of how the game is corrupting the nation’s youth with its depravity. Given that nearly every previous entry in the series has been rated "M" (for Mature gamers, over 17) by the ESRB, it seems safe to assume that IV will be no different, and will also carry descriptors much like its predecessors. Make no mistake; this is a game franchise that deals with adult themes, and adult situations, featuring violence, strong language, drugs, and sexual themes. It's not a kids game by any stretch of the imagination, but kids will want to play it in just the same way that they want to sneak in to see R-rated movies, and get peeks at forbidden treats on the Internet.

Now the date has been set, the Rockstar Games media machine is starting kick in, with coverage in the games press, entertainment, and men's lifestyle press leading the charge. Previous games, such as 2004's Grand Theft Auto San Andreas (which is the biggest selling game ever in the United States) have been monstrous global success stories, posting worldwide sales figures north of 12 million units. Expectations for GTA IV in 2008 are extremely high, and it's expected that the release of the game will also have a positive effect on sales of Microsoft's Xbox 360, and Sony's PlayStation 3 for which it has been specifically designed. The standard edition of the game will retail for $59.99, with a "Special Edition" (which ships in black metal safety deposit box, and contains the game, an art book, a soundtrack CD, a duffel bag, and a keychain) retailing for a mighty $89.99.

Soundtracks are always a significant part of the Grand Theft Auto experience, and though not confirmed yet it seems likely to be the case in this release too. Philip Glass, the composer of the music used in the first online trailer (his piece "Pruit-Igoe") is rumored to be involved in the production of the soundtrack. Unlike previous soundtracks that have been thematically consistent with the time period of each game (Vice City was set in the 80s, San Andreas in the 90s) the range of music in GTA IV will span different decades and genres, the first confirmed track shown to the media was "Sorrow Tears and Blood" by Afrobeat artist Fela Kuti.

Posted by anastasia