Grand Theft Auto V has recently been announced to be releasing the the Spring of 2013, and with this Rockstar are planning to start their pre-order campaign. If you venture into your nearest game store and pre-order GTA V, you will receive a double-sided poster and a hopefully a Los Santos Photo Viewer, which has a bunch of screenshots that will never be released publicly - unless of course someone manages to get a photo of the images inside and then I post them here, publicly...

The road to GTA V has finally begun, look out for a massive pre-order and pre-release campaign.

Oh yeah, there’s also a new trailer expected to be released either today or tomorrow.

Can't wait, I am playing through GTAIV again just to compare when it comes out next year.

That is pretty cool! Wonder if this is a thing in the UK...

So much for never releasing the screenshots?

Thanks for posting by the way!

@DharmaBum: Yeah, someone's taken a photo of the images inside the photo viewer, that's why they look like that.

@DharmaBum I was thinking the same thing. lol That would have worked back in the day.... but not this day and age.

@Baillie: good enough for me! Clever little tourist shtick they're going for. Cheers, duder.

Ahhh! I want that new trailer (well I want the game too but I'm willing to wait)

@AngelN7 said:

Ahhh! I want that new trailer (well I want the game too but I'm willing to wait)

"Well sir, you have to wait. But here is a trailer in the mean time to make that wait even more unbearable!"

Love,

Rockstar Games

In the orange picture I spy a zeppelin. Oh, please let there be pilot-able zeppelins in GTAV!!!!

Why can't the pre-order bonus be a gun :(

Hot damn, I didn't think there was gonna be countryside and/or desert stuff. I thought we were just getting the city of Los Santos and the nearby hills.

Here's some high res pics from Game Informer:

http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/11/01/grand-theft-auto-v-promotions-hit-retailers.aspx

Latest news on the trailer: "We are working on a second trailer - unfortunately Hurricane Sandy has derailed our plans somewhat but we will have something to show soon. Its hard to be precise as we have no power whatsoever in our New York office. We hope everyone else in affected areas is doing okay."

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/45951/grand-theft-auto-v-is-coming-spring-2013.html

@MjHealy: Rockstar said surrounding mountains, countryside and beaches.

Calling it: There are three protagonists like in IV, but they all come with the default version of V, not DLC (because I don't think they did that well). One is the narrator in the trailer with the suit, one's the guy with the dog (similar looking guy seen using vehicles in screens, but it's hard to tell because of the glass), and I think the last maybe being the girl in this concept art.

@Banshee: I like the subtle shoutout to Love Fist in that second poster.

@DonutFever said:

Calling it: There are three protagonists like in IV, but they all come with the default version of V, not DLC (because I don't think they did that well). One is the narrator in the trailer with the suit, one's the guy with the dog (similar looking guy seen using vehicles in screens, but it's hard to tell because of the glass), and I think the last maybe being the girl in this concept art.

There will definitely be DLC but I think there will only be one protagonist, Rockstar seems to like concentrating on one character

@Yanngc33 said:

@DonutFever said:

Calling it: There are three protagonists like in IV, but they all come with the default version of V, not DLC (because I don't think they did that well). One is the narrator in the trailer with the suit, one's the guy with the dog (similar looking guy seen using vehicles in screens, but it's hard to tell because of the glass), and I think the last maybe being the girl in this concept art.

There will definitely be DLC but I think there will only be one protagonist, Rockstar seems to like concentrating on one character

Yeah, Rockstar has become increasingly focused on delivering a deep story centered around a strong lead, see Niko Bellic, John Marston, and Max Payne as examples of that.

Also, I wouldn't read too much into the characters you see in that first trailer or the voice over. For all you know, those characters could be NPCs, multiplayer characters, or maybe characters created specifically for co-op missions (if those make a return).

@Banshee said:

yvonne strahovski much?

Love Fist!!!!!!!

Man that artwork is fresh. Can't wait for the new trailer and Game Informer scans to get posted =)

Well I'm excited

That artwork with the girl getting busted is fucking fantastic. Love the bright coloring, definitely gives off a California vibe, and the Love Fist shirt she's wearing is a nice nod to previous games.

So excited to for more info + a second trailer.

This game is dead to me until the PC version is announced.

@DharmaBum said:

...and Game Informer scans to get posted =)

Dude...let's not encourage that.

Not much to get excited over, but I'm looking forward to the trailer. Rockstar make some pretty cool trailers.

It seems like they're saying the second trailer they were planning to release today has been delayed because of hurricane sandy.

Someone from rockstar posted this in the comments section of the newsfeed at the very top,

http://www.rockstargames.com/newswire/article/45951/grand-theft-auto-v-is-coming-spring-2013.html

Bummer.

However, I don't know if it would be the classic rockstar troll. Probably wouldn't be.

Making a snap judgement, from that artwork I'd say that Rockstar has still got it. I'm loving the LA vibe, and perhaps not having the focus split three ways like in San Andreas will lead to a truly special virtual creation. I certainly enjoyed GTA IV, but the Liberty City/New York look got a little dour for me as time went on. With my favourite entry in the series remaining Vice City, it's great to see an injection of colour back into the game. Hopefully the soundtrack lives up to past standards...I bet it will.

@Fjordson: Love Fist has to be one of my favourite parts of Vice City and Vice City is easily my favourite GTA game. Before it got super serious, would love to see some of that old charm come back to the series.

@Andorski said:

This game is dead to me until the PC version is announced.

This

@Chaser324 said:

@DharmaBum said:

...and Game Informer scans to get posted =)

Dude...let's not encourage that.

No, let's.

I'm surprised at how little fake info I've seen floating around. Around this time, the GTAIV hype train was absolutely flooded with 'shopped screens and boldfaced lies. It might be out there, I just haven't seen any.

@ShaggE:

Yeah, we need more wild speculation about female protagonists and fake screenshots!

@Chaser324 said:

@DharmaBum said:

...and Game Informer scans to get posted =)

Dude...let's not encourage that.

It's only inevitable. And I don't mean posting them here - just for the info / images to get out there in general.

Really hope they get back to whatever formula they had going in GTA3 and Vice City. San Andreas became too sprawling and zany and 4 played it too straight and safe and was ultimately a tad boring. Something about the first two PS2 titles clicked and I couldn't estimate how many hours were wasted passing the controller back and forth with friends taking turns or just screwing around just being in that world.

A double sided poster? lol.

Anyway...either those women are giants or that purple car is really teeny tiny. Maybe they're confirming the game has custom golf carts!

I will have to see if they make the gameplay any more appealing this time around. I still haven't finished grand theft auto IV because of that.

Does anyone else think this is one of the lamest, most uncreative pre-order bonuses they've seen recently for a AAA game? I love the the GTA-style artwork but its nothing I haven't seen and I especially don't want another plastic tchotchke.

Take Two did an awesome pre-order for Borderlands 2 and offered a new class for the game. I personally world love to see something along these lines, like a multiplayer maps or pre-order specific missions. Maybe an MP3 sampler of some of the music.

I'm assuming they are going to offer some type of vender specific pre-order bonus, but these trinkets don't do anything for me.

Thank god they finally got that leash off, I've been on the edge of my seat for weeks. You know, the artwork has always been my favorite part of GTA games...

A few of the picture viewer shots in slightly better quality:

@djou said:

I personally world love to see something along these lines, like a multiplayer maps or pre-order specific missions.

No, just no. Everyone deserves an equal experience, pre-order exclusive bonuses like that is what's killing video games.

yea, enough of this segregated bullcrap, everyone should get the same content, as someone that pays $90+ per game in AUS i was my money's worth.

@randiolo: You pay more for games, but Australia's minimum wage is much higher that the US'. You're minimum wage is $14+ an hour, where the highest minimum in the US is $9.04, but most states pay in the $7 range.

Yeah, I hope Rockstar avoids pre-order bullshit. They've been good about that with past games (though RDR did have some different cosmetic outfits). Stuff like this picture viewer and the poster probably don't matter much to some people, but at least it's harmless goodies that don't affect the game.

I disagree if you buy a game day one and they offer something as minor as extra maps (not that I played GTA4 multiplayer) I think its good for early adopters to gather in one spot. Its a way for the developer to gather the "hardcore" community when the game is released and for people who want to build they console friends list to add people that are enthusiastic about the game.

On the other hand I don't think day one DLC is good. I was supremely pissed off by Mass Effect 3's "From Ashes" add on and the eventual mess that happened with the ending add ons. I loved the Borderlands pre-order and I've heard some good things about the Assassin's Creed 3 stuff.

The idea of equal experience is an illusion. Fragmentation between a game on different consoles or even the type of tv you use exist. When a game is as potentially massive GTA5 I think the publisher (and/or developer) should reward people who pre-order. People who are there day one with $60 should be rewarded when so many gamers now wait for price drop or buy used. I'm not saying everyone can't play multiplayer, a few maps, skins, music sampler would be a minor perk but better than some piece of plastic that I'll just add to the landfill.

This doesn't really solve anything, because then everyone will wait for "Game of the Year" edition or other releases that will include all the content. I'll be doing that with Borderlands 2, just like I did with the first one. How come The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings received a ton of new content and not for a single cent more? Would gladly purchase a game like that first day.

The idea of equal experience is an illusion. Fragmentation between a game on different consoles or even the type of tv you use exist.

That's not really the point here. You mentioned Assassin's Creed, the people who don't have all the DLC and pre-order bonuses experienced a lot of plot holes. How is that a fair bargain for someone who doesn't want to pay for DLC (Mind you, they already paid the full price for something that is basically an unfinished product)? Games cost 60 dollars and that doesn't even guarantee a full game nowadays. How is it reasonable to pay full price and then pay more for stuff that in a lot of cases should already be in the game and was taken out on purpose just so they can charge more? Insignificant things like cosmetics or something even not in the game (A poster, artbook, maybe an OST or whatever) I don't mind, but when you get a story focused game that doesn't even have the full story, then there's a problem. What does that leave you? You are pretty much forced to purchase that additional content or otherwise you will have an inferior experience, not to mention that you'll be lost in the next instalment.

People who are there day one with $60 should be rewarded when so many gamers now wait for price drop or buy used. 

Damn, this thread has spiraled a little out of control.

I thought this was supposed to be a thread about how awesome it is that Rockstar is starting to tell the world some info about GTA V, but it looks like now it's just a thread where people get pissed off about preorders and pricing.

I want my poster!

EDIT: Also, minimum wage in Nova Scotia is $10.15. WTF is wrong with you, America? haha

@MOAB said:

@Banshee said:

yvonne strahovski much?

Probably doing voice work.

@valrog said:

@djou said:

I personally world love to see something along these lines, like a multiplayer maps or pre-order specific missions.

No, just no. Everyone deserves an equal experience, pre-order exclusive bonuses like that is what's killing video games.

Agree I felt kind of dirty starting with the OP pre-order Porshe in Most Wanted