GTA : San Andreas leaked

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 10:31am

Will this never End? Strike 2

Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas jacked

Less than a week before its release, the wildly anticipated crime game has itself been stolen and republished on the Internet.

Less than a week after a pirated version of Halo 2 began appearing on the Web, another of the year's most sought after games has been stolen. Ironically, it also happens to be a game titled after a larcenous act itself. That's right. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas has become the latest victim of piracy, with illegal copies of the game, its manual, and its cover appearing on various Web sites.

Late today, Rockstar issued a statement on this latest in a series of unfortunate events. "The proper authorities are investigating the theft and are continuing to investigate all possible leads to ensure there is no further dissemination of our creative content," read the statement. "Downloading, possession and distribution of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, including making the game available on the internet, is theft." Then came this warning from the company: "We take the theft of our intellectual property very seriously and we are and will continue to diligently and aggressively pursue this matter."

For those wishing to help track down the San Andreas thieves, Rockstar also offered the following advice: "If anyone finds information on websites with links to unauthorized downloads, information, scans or videos, please contact us at piracy@rockstargames.com."

Rockstar officials also emphasized the fact that the theft would not affect Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas' release plans. The game is due in the US next Tuesday, October 26, and in Europe next Friday, October 29. However, it is already clear that with four of the year's top games--GTA: San Andreas, Halo 2, Doom 3, and Half-Life 2---being posted online before their official releases, piracy is becoming an increasingly common and serious problem for both gamers and the games industry.

Zac Naloen · Post by **Zac Naloen** » 2004-10-21 10:48am

So what is the actual release date?

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 10:52am

Zac Naloen wrote:So what is the actual release date?

Exactly what the article says.

The game is due in the US next Tuesday, October 26, and in Europe next Friday, October 29.

I'm getting this for the PC

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-10-21 10:58am

It wasn't jakced that much before the release date, I fail to see the big deal. I doubt that the GTA team is going apeshit over the problem. It's a major franchise and I doubt a week early leak will effect the sales much at all.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 11:00am

bohemianfey wrote:It wasn't jakced that much before the release date, I fail to see the big deal. I doubt that the GTA team is going apeshit over the problem. It's a major franchise and I doubt a week early leak will effect the sales much at all.

Its still worrying that even after all the well publicised jackings of games, no one still takes factory security seriously.

For film distribution there are strict security issue's, for games? its nothing, yet games earn more then movies.

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-10-21 11:09am

Ace Pace wrote:
bohemianfey wrote:It wasn't jakced that much before the release date, I fail to see the big deal. I doubt that the GTA team is going apeshit over the problem. It's a major franchise and I doubt a week early leak will effect the sales much at all.
Its still worrying that even after all the well publicised jackings of games, no one still takes factory security seriously.

For film distribution there are strict security issue's, for games? its nothing, yet games earn more then movies.

I would put the security and protection on the makers of the games. It seems like it's their fault if they aren't protected enough to prevent leaks. If they make more than movies like you say then they can probably spare some on security and less on marketing. Though I don't know very much about how it all works, so I could be ENTIRELY off base.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-10-21 11:10am

One day a theif is going to get himself shot over a fucking game.

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 11:12am

bohemianfey wrote: I would put the security and protection on the makers of the games. It seems like it's there fault if they aren't protected enough to prevent leaks. If they make more than movies like you say then they can probably spare some on security and less on marketing. Though I don't know very much about how it all works, so I could be ENTIRELY off base.

After a game goes Gold (Finshed, and sent to manufacturing), the developers stop working on the game, or in this case, move to finshing up the PC release, while the publisher deals with translating, distributing and manufacturing the millions of discs needed for a reletivly fast international release, its there the security breaks down.

In terms of developer leaks, after HL2 leaked, dev security was upped, yet publishers did nothing.

Chardok · Post by **Chardok** » 2004-10-21 11:16am

Vympel wrote:One day a theif is going to get himself shot over a fucking game.

And there will be much rejoicing, right?

I want to see some Shadowrun shit going on. that would be pretty cool. As for piracy, I'm pretty meh on it. I think to myself, Let em do it, let the authorities try to catch the thief, if he gets caught, good on them, if he doesn't good on pirate and friends. It doesn't change the fact that I pay for all my games, unless they are completely unavailable through any source and theres....some....law.....I forget which one....that applies as like...fair use....or something....

I guess what I'm saying is, if people want to pirate, I give two craps personally. 'cause in my mind, the game devs are still going to make quintillions of dollars off of a game like san andreas, anyway. and 50 of those dollars will be mine. (Piracy hasn't hurt the music industry all THAT much, right?)

*Dons asbestos suit*

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-10-21 11:26am

Didn't Rockstar (or whoever made them back then) advrtise GTA2 by putting up posters saying "Steal This Game!" ?

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 11:29am

2000AD wrote:Didn't Rockstar (or whoever made them back then) advrtise GTA2 by putting up posters saying "Steal This Game!" ?

I have no idea, but does that equal stealing it straight from the factory?

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-10-21 11:32am

2000AD wrote:Didn't Rockstar (or whoever made them back then) advrtise GTA2 by putting up posters saying "Steal This Game!" ?

I think I vaguely remember that.

2000AD · Post by **2000AD** » 2004-10-21 11:35am

Ace Pace wrote:
2000AD wrote:Didn't Rockstar (or whoever made them back then) advrtise GTA2 by putting up posters saying "Steal This Game!" ?
I have no idea, but does that equal stealing it straight from the factory?

Maybe not, but i do see a certain amount of irony.

Post by **Lagmonster** » 2004-10-21 11:37am

Chardok wrote:As for piracy, I'm pretty meh on it. I think to myself, Let em do it, let the authorities try to catch the thief, if he gets caught, good on them, if he doesn't good on pirate and friends.

I would rather that all lawbreakers be caught so that we can demonstrate that the law can be enforced. I'm not saying, mind, that all lawbreakers should be *punished*, because laws aren't always right. But the idea that people can 'get away with it' whether they're morally right or not disturbs me.

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-10-21 11:48am

Holy crap! It's out TUESDAY? I thought it wasn't coming out for months!

Damn...I'm outta the loop...

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 11:51am

Joe wrote:Holy crap! It's out TUESDAY? I thought it wasn't coming out for months!

Damn...I'm outta the loop...

No shit, but anyone have any clue about the PC release date?

m112880 · Post by **m112880** » 2004-10-21 11:54am

i heard the pc version wasnt getting released untill may or april.
kinda of sucks

Mlenk · Post by **Mlenk** » 2004-10-21 12:25pm

All the sites that I've looked at just say TBA 2005.

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-10-21 12:30pm

Teehee. Sucks to be you guys. **cuddles with her consoles**

Ace Pace · Post by **Ace Pace** » 2004-10-21 12:31pm

bohemianfey wrote:Teehee. Sucks to be you guys. **cuddles with her consoles**

Sucks to be the console users. *cuddles with high tech and configuration screens*. Total power....

bohemianfey · Post by **bohemianfey** » 2004-10-21 12:43pm

Ace Pace wrote:
bohemianfey wrote:Teehee. Sucks to be you guys. **cuddles with her consoles**
Sucks to be the console users. *cuddles with high tech and configuration screens*. Total power....

Sucks to be a console user, but it OWNS to be both.

Datana · Post by **Datana** » 2004-10-21 01:01pm

Mlenk wrote:All the sites that I've looked at just say TBA 2005.

Well, Rockstar themselves at one point said third quarter 2005, which probably means the third fiscal quarter. I'd guess late spring or summer, as IIRC, fiscal quarters are staggered forward by three months (could a business major correct me?).

On the original topic, this doesn't really affect me much -- I'm holding out for the PC version, despite having a PS2. GTA-VC's lock-on system really annoyed me in the console version, and I can't get decent accuracy with the thumbsticks. Also, isn't the game supposed to be on a double-layer DVD? A game rip would require that stuff get stripped out to fit on a DVD-R, which would really hurt the gameplay experience (or, it would have to be on a DVD-R-DL, which are expensive (and rare) enough right now that the full package would be more appealing).

m112880 · Post by **m112880** » 2004-10-21 02:26pm

i'll probley get both a pc and ps2 version of te game.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-10-21 03:44pm

I'm getting the PC version as usual. The PS2 version simply doesn't cut it anymore for me. Because Rockstar's publisher is American, they seem to release it in the US earlier nowadays.

The Cleric · Post by **The Cleric** » 2004-10-21 04:23pm

Christ, why the fuck do people do this? Such assholes.