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Let’s Just Say It: GTAV Screens Could Very Well Be Next-Gen

I think we're all sort of dancing around the obvious, here.

I've been looking at video game screenshots and media for many years. Over the course of the industry's history, this has proven to be an interesting – and ever-changing – process.

Back when magazines were pretty much all we had, how new games photographed was a constant issue of debate among us hardcore fans. Then when CGI started to gain a foothold during the original PlayStation days, we started to ask inevitable questions about still-frame shots we saw before a game released (especially an RPG with lots of cut-scenes). Perhaps most recently, we get powerful hardware with tons of media often available online, and that media could be touched up in some way, running on a system most don't have, or even, at the end of a generation, screenshots from a game that could be on both current- and next-gen consoles.

The new GTAV screenshots have arrived , only a day or two after the Transport images surfaced. These new pics show off some leisure activities, such as parachuting, tennis, and dirt biking. But there is an extreme amount of detail involved, even up close, to the point where we have to start questioning the origin of the screenshots. After which, we have to consider the project's position and the distinct possibility that in fact, GTAV might launch for at least one next-generation platform. The Xbox 720 seems to be the prime candidate right now.

GTA has never set the graphical bar in any generation as its vast open-world approach requires a ton of processing power and with every extra mile, less detail can be included if the game is to run correctly (without the frames per second slowing to a crawl). Right now, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim might feature the most stunning visual presentation in the open-world genre, but that isn't close to what we're seeing in these GTAV screens. There is a flat crispness, a minimal amount of pixelation/jaggies even on a close-up inspection; the vehicles (look at the bike closest to you in the top photo) and the people seem a touch too perfect.

…for this generation, anyway.

Last generation, there were quite a few games that launched on the PS3 and PS2, for instance, and some multiplatform titles that released for just about everything; PS3, 360, PS2, Xbox, etc. That only lasted for a year or so but it proves that "generation-straddling" has been done before. Plus, GTAV appears to be taking quite a long time, longer than even analysts predicted when it was first officially revealed in December of last year. It's feasible that this delay (GTAIV launched in April 2008, remember) is due to the simple fact that Rockstar is churning out one of the first games to launch for next-generation and current-generation hardware. Just a theory.

Related Game(s): Grand Theft Auto V

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0_o
0_o
12 years ago

I really hope it's for the current-gen and not next-gen. But what if microsoft payed rockstar bunch of cash just to release it on the next xbox sometime next year! I think that will even tempt ps3 fans to buy the next xbox for a better experience…

Darwin1967
Darwin1967
12 years ago

Personally, while the images are super nice, I just don't see them being next gen….there was the insider release of info that was leaked earlier and you would think given what she scooped that if this was a next gen title he would have dropped the ball on that one…but no mention was made. While I don't put a whole lot of credence with 'insiders' it's pretty clear that many of his observations have proven to be correct so far.

PharaohJR
PharaohJR
12 years ago

this a definition of quality…. one of the few developers/ studios that still know bout patience & quality…

Ignitus
Ignitus
12 years ago

Good reasoning. Makes total sense.

WorldEndsWithMe
WorldEndsWithMe
12 years ago

Let's put it in perspective. Let's pretend those screens are accurate depictions of the console version; now ask yourself if 360 can run that in a huge open world environment. Can it?


Last edited by WorldEndsWithMe on 8/22/2012 3:52:58 PM

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
12 years ago

Of course not.

daus26
daus26
12 years ago

But a PC can, and it doesn't even have to be a high end gaming rig.

I'm not saying it is certainly from a PC, but it looks nothing special compared to a lot of games from it. Plus, a lot of PS3/360 games can be touched up to look as good as this.

Look at it this way:

Would Rockstar release images from a console that isn't coming out (let alone announced) in at least a whole year?

That doesn't sound as reasonable as these images coming from a PC or touched up console pics. Plus, nothing indicates that these are in-game footages either, nor that they're graphical representation of the game. Until we see things in motion, like the first GTAV trailer (which looked nothing like this btw), we can only assume it's touched up pics or PC if in-game.

CrazyIrishBoy
CrazyIrishBoy
12 years ago

I'm sorry. But how does that look anything like next gen. If that's next gen… I give up. Not saying I have anything against the way things are going.. and I know I havn't commented here in a long while.. but ever since the peak of the ps2.. my attention span for anything on this website (or anything games realted) has become shorter and shorter.

CrazyIrishBoy
CrazyIrishBoy
12 years ago

Oh.. and to think that the game may release for one next gen console and not for a next gen console on a different platform is completely retarded at this point…….

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
12 years ago

Does ANYONE actually read? Or has reading comprehension just completely sh** the bed on the Internet?

I'm not even going to explain why what you said is wrong. Try reading the damn article. BIG surprise that your attention span is crap.

Ignitus
Ignitus
12 years ago

why do you like to insult people that disagrees with you? were you abused when you were a kid?

Ben Dutka PSXE
Ben Dutka PSXE
12 years ago

'sigh' Nobody who has disagreed with me has ever been insulted. Not ever.

They will, however, be insulted if they never read a word and write completely inane replies that have no bearing whatsoever on what was written. You deserve to be treated like a moron if you can't even read.

It can't be a disagreement if what they're disagreeing with is something I never even said. Logic.


Last edited by Ben Dutka PSXE on 8/23/2012 12:02:13 AM

bigrailer19
bigrailer19
12 years ago

I'm skeptical that's the case as I'm not completely blown away by the screenshots. But I wouldn't be surprised if the game did drop on next gen consoles, but not because the screenshots look next gen, because I've seen some other brilliant looking games releasing within the next 6 months.

___________
___________
12 years ago

of course not, since when do games get announced BEFORE said systems its going to release on!?
doing so would open up the flood gates to a myriad of leaks!
dont look good enough for next gen either, theres tons of mods out there that make GTAIV look way better than this!
pretty pathetic how 1 guy, a freaking college student who has what 2 or 3 hours a day of free time?
and a budget of 0?
pretty embarrassing how he can put out better more impressive work than one of the biggest best funded developers in the industry!
whats next, a sheep creating a ferrari killer?