If critics want to ban Grand Theft Auto because it lets you kill virtual people, what world do they live in?

Charlie Brooker: In a previous life, I reviewed videogames for a living. As jobs go, it was a curate's egg. On the one hand, I could legitimately sit around playing games until three in the morning without feeling guilty - even if I wasn't specifically reviewing whatever I was currently playing, it all provided useful background knowledge. It never felt like work.

Grand Theft Auto creators detail Max Clifford’s engineered controversy

Speaking to the Sunday Times, Grand Theft Auto creators David Jones and Mike Dailly have gone into further detail on the fact that much of the controversy surrounding the series was engineered by publicist Max Clifford. The collaboration was last explored in David Kushner’s book Jacked: The Outlaw Story Of Grand Theft Auto.

The Making Of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City

As Rockstar’s open-world classic arrives on iOS to mark its tenth anniversary, we look back to its creation with company president and GTA: Vice City executive producer Sam Houser. Here, he recalls the films, TV shows and music that inspired the game and the legacy it leaves behind – and why Ray Liotta thought he was a “fucking lunatic”.

GTA Shipments hit 125m as "special" series continues to grow

And that’s why the industry gets excited, sits up and pays attention when the words ‘Grand Theft Auto’ are uttered.

*Read beyond the cut for Take-Two's boss comparing Rockstar's GTA products with Activision (And COD/Black Ops) - it's like they are doing our work for us - An essential read!!*

Lesson 10 - Media Ownership

Some notes on the main issues of media ownership - with reference to Rockstar Games

PPT after cut

Lesson 6 - Marketing in GTA IV

Dan Houser opens up about GTA III

http://uk.gamespot.com/features/dan-houser-opens-up-about-grand-theft-auto-iii-6341347/?page=2
Not a new interview but interesting to hear what Dan says about GTA III

Click below to read beyond the cut

Lesson 5 - Origins of Rockstar Games

For more information see The History of Rockstar Games or dip into Jacked: The unofficial story of Granf Theft Auto or download here.

5 rockstar - origins of the company from mrhoward12

"We're training our kids to be killers" - Jack Thompson

What is Hot Coffee?

http://www.nomorehotcoffee.com/

 

What is "Hot Coffee"?
The term "Hot Coffee" has come to be used to refer to an unauthorized third party modification to the retail version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. This modification is a piece of software which has been made available for download from the internet and has been used to change the retail version of the game to access scenes which were rendered inaccessible during development. These scenes were not intended to be seen or to be part of the Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas experience.

http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/04/05/hot-coffee-gamings-greatest-story

Hot Coffee: Gaming's Greatest Story

Sex, scandal, stupidity. Hot Coffee had it all. A new book tells the tale of Grand Theft Auto and its biggest moment. Here's the IGN review.

There's no contest. In the history of videogames, the saga of Hot Coffee is the greatest story ever told. It's bursting with sex, hypocrisy, lies, espionage and even a dash of heroism.
It's a battle-royale between two establishments – the old, cold media-governmental combine and the hot young blades of the game industry's cultural-revolution. It's about one of the best, most controversial games-series' ever made. And it's about a host of incredible personalities, many of them mind-blowing egotists with an absolute conviction of moral rightness.

Grand Theft Auto: Why I love it

Tim Weaver confesses his undying affection for Rockstar's premier franchise...

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/324450/features/grand-theft-auto-why-i-love-it/

Classic PC review: Grand Theft Auto 1

http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2008/03/27/classic-pc-review-grand-theft-auto-1-now-a-free-download.htm

 

Grand Theft Auto. In the month leading up to the release of Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and PS3 on the 29th of April, here at videogamesblogger.com we’ll be looking back at the series that revolutionized the videogame industry, selling an amazing 65 million copies worldwide. The game that took us on our first visit to the dangerous streets of Liberty City, San Andreas and Vice City is the 1997 PC and PlayStation hit, Grand Theft Auto.

Read more: Classic PC review: Grand Theft Auto 1 (now a free download) http://www.videogamesblogger.com/2008/03/27/classic-pc-review-grand-theft-auto-1-now-a-free-download.htm#ixzz26UYbuuoq

Rockstar Games reviews

Bully review
GTA IV review
GTA IV sells 22m
GTA IV links
GTA IV Lost and the Damned review
Rockstar Table Tennis Review
LA Noire review
Red Dead Redemption review

Rockstar Games

I think the Rockstar Games story is a fantastic saga to read about - If the Social Network got greenlit for a movie, I think the story of two brothers from England becoming the most influential figures of the games industry is surely worthy of being made for the big screen! From their beginnings in the music industry, via Lemmings and Dundee, via Race and Chase ... the iconic R* logo .... the leap into 3D with GTA III .... the attention to detail in both "Miami Vice" 80s styled Vice City and 90s "Bloods and Crips" LA portrayed in San Andreas .... to Hot Coffee - a watershed for the process of modding - and then Niko Bellic's turn as protagonist in GTA IV and New York being swamped with R* flyers in a wash of old school flyering inspired from the music industry that originally captured the imaginations of the two Houser brothers. Throw in Red Dead Redemption and LA Noire, showing R* are no one-trick ponies, and even the sport of kings, Rockstar Games Table Tennis!!

For a sense of nostalgia - as well as good research obviously! - you can download the first GTA and GTA2 from the R* website at http://www.rockstargames.com/downloads#/?collection=7



This shows great value for money as others could have cashed in here! But it increases the power of the brand.

The website also has a wide range of wallpapers - http://www.rockstargames.com/downloads#/?collection=1 I can't think of many other videogame developers whose logo I would want on the wallpaper of my PC, but it works! To bastardise the famous Barcelona tagline, Rockstar have become more than a games company. The word Rockstar has many connotations - glamour, danger, success, rebellious, wealth, cavalier - it's easy to see why the brand stands out among its competitors - few inspire the same dangerous cool as the team at R*.

For those wish to delve further into the story of Rockstar Games - If I had the power to do so, I would get the department to buy each of you a copy but alas not - you may wish to take a look at the following book: (Don't know if it's available in any local library)
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jacked-unauthorized-behind---scenes-ebook/dp/B006FH0C6E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1347472554&sr=1-1
I bought it on Kindle for £8.99 though it's about £13.99 in Waterstones.
Though I would definitely suggest downloading the 'trial chapter' as it's a very easy read and full of interesting information.

The history of Rockstar Games

We need to know in our heads who Rockstar Games are, how they started, what do they stand for - you may need to watch this series a couple of times as we go through the course, so that you have some Rockstar facts and figures on the tip of your tongue in the exam.

Rockstar is the perfect name for the attitude and image they wanted to create.