Will Grand Theft Auto Four live up to its hype?

Has there ever been a more anticipated new game than Grand Theft Auto Four? As I write this on April 16, 2008, there are already people all over the world camping in tents outside game stores waiting for the May 1, 2008 release.

“Sure,” you say, “there are always some crazy people lining up for any new entertainment release.” There is nothing new anymore about seeing people living in tents to be first in line to get a new product or see a new movie.

But the hype around Grand Theft Auto Four has also reached Wall Street, with analysts predicting that it will not only be the biggest launch in gaming history (it’s projected to top Halo 3’s box office record of $300 million). in its first week last year), but it is also expected to break all records in the entire entertainment industry. Based on pre-orders, it’s expected to break the $404 million grossed by Pirates of the Caribbean: At Disney’s World’s End.

And that’s not all when it comes to Wall Street interests. Grand Theft Auto Four creator Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. has been the target of a $2 billion takeover offer by Electronic Arts Inc., which he recently rejected. Most financial analysts predict that a slightly higher offer is in the works, so only time will tell if such a merger will go through.

But all this financial talk begs the question of whether Grand Theft Auto Four will live up to its hype when gamers finally get their hands on it on May 1. According to the first reviews, the game has a realism never seen before. The streets of Liberty City come alive with the hustle and bustle, and it has a sense of place that reportedly places one in this gritty metropolis.

Add that to the fact that its streets will soon be filled with chaos on May 1, and you have a reason for fans sleeping in small tents around the world.