News & Information for Technology Purchasers
NewsFactor Network Sites:   NewsFactor.com Security CRM Business Sci-Tech Newsletters XML/RSS Feed  
   
Home Enterprise I.T. Hardware Software Communications More Topics...
Personal Tech
Average Rating:
Rate this article:  
Grand Theft Auto Could Be Next App Store Controversy Grand Theft Auto Could Be Next App Store Controversy
By Jennifer LeClaire
August 31, 2009 2:11PM

    Bookmark and Share
Rockstar Games plans to submit Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars to Apple, Inc.'s App Store. Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar, called the app "a perfect match" for Apple's iPhone and iPod touch. The question is whether App Store reviewers will approve the violent app. Rockstar also plans to adapt its Beaterator for the iPhone and iPod touch.
 



Even as rumors spread about the iPhone coming to new carriers next year, Rockstar Games has announced plans to bring its blockbuster franchise to Apple's iPhone this fall. But will App Store reviewers approve the violent game?

Rockstar Games, the publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, said it's bringing Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars to the iPhone and iPod touch. Rockstar also announced its Beaterator is coming to the Apple devices.

"Chinatown Wars is a perfect match for the iPhone and iPod touch," said Sam Houser, founder of Rockstar Games. "We are very excited to bring this incredibly ambitious version of Liberty City, with this level of detail and immersive game play, on Apple's new gaming platforms."

Grand Violence

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars follows the story of Huang Lee, a young Triad who travels to Liberty City after the mysterious death of his father. Players navigate their way through the streets as they uncover the truth behind an epic tale of crime and corruption Relevant Products/Services within the Triad crime syndicate, delivering the unprecedented amount of depth that has become a trademark of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

Already available for the Nintendo DS, Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars is also coming this fall for Sony's PlayStation Portable. But Nintendo and Sony will have to compete with Apple for gamers who want the franchise on a portable device -- if the device makes it onto the handset.

According to Mike Disabato, a senior analyst at the Burton Group, Rockstar can develop and submit Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, but Apple can still ban the game from its platform. If Apple doesn't like the way Rockstar has implemented it, he said, Apple may not approve the app.

In Human Hands

"If the Grand Theft Auto developers Relevant Products/Services have an interface that's bad or if they try to slip a fast one in like they did in one version of the game that showed what I'd consider to be X-rated sex in the thing -- and Apple finds it -- they'll block it," Disabato said.

Apple has rejected several apps, including Eucalyptus, a book reader that taps into the Gutenberg project to offer free digital content. Apple rejected the app initially because it offered access to the Kama Sutra, an ancient Indian text considered to be the standard work on human sexual behavior in Sanskrit literature. The text discusses sexual positions and acts.

"Whether or not Apple accepts Grand Theft Auto is also going to depend on the reviewer," Disabato said. "If they send it off to a reviewer who doesn't like violent games, they'll reject it out of hand because they don't like violet games."

A Music-Maker

Beyond Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, music fans may enjoy Beaterator, a portable music-making application that lets consumers create world-class beats and songs. Beaterator features thousands of loops and sounds and lets people make professional-sounding music in an accessible format.

"The simple, pick-up-and-play nature of Beaterator lends itself so well to the Apple platforms," Houser said. "We are happy to deliver an application that allows for such unprecedented sharing and ease of use."
 

Tell Us What You Think
Your Comment:



Advertisement


 Personal Tech
1.   Google Buzz Connects Gmail Users
2.   iPhone OS, Android Gain in Q4
3.   Nvidia Auto-Switches Notebook GPU
4.   Macworld Focuses on Mobile Apps
5.   MS: Windows 7 Doesn't Hurt Battery


advertisement
EPIC Objects To Google-NSA TiesEPIC Objects To Google-NSA Ties
Cyberattack meant to rattle Google?
Average Rating:
Symbian 3 Is Now Fully Open SourceSymbian 3 Is Now Fully Open Source
But mobile OS remains linked to Nokia.
Average Rating:
Sony Ericsson Unveils Aspen HandsetSony Ericsson Unveils Aspen Handset
Windows Mobile unit comes with Skype.
Average Rating:


advertisement
Product Information and Resources for Technology You Can Use To Boost Your Business

Enterprise Hardware Spotlight
Nvidia Auto-Switches Notebook GPU To Save Battery Life
Nvidia has taken the wraps off a notebook technology that chooses the best graphics processor for any given application and automatically routes the workload to Nvidia or Intel processors.
 
Microsoft Says Battery Woes Not Caused By Windows 7
Battery problems on Windows 7 machines are not caused by the operating system. That's the position of Stephen Sinofsky, head of the Windows division, in a long posting on the Windows engineering blog.
 
IBM's New POWER7 Servers Save Energy with Big Loads
IBM has unveiled high-capacity servers that are the first to be based on its new, multi-core POWER7 chip. It said the new line is designed "to manage the most demanding emerging applications."
 

Enterprise Technology Spotlight
Intel Launches Quad-Core Itanium 9300 Series Processor
After two unexpected delays, Intel has launched the Itanium 9300 series, a 64-bit, quad-core processor code-named Tukwila that is expected to double the performance of its predecessor.
 
Google May Add Facebook, Twitter Links to Gmail
Google will reportedly roll more social-networking features into Gmail, the fastest-growing e-mail service. The new features could save users the trouble of switching to Facebook or Twitter.
 
IBM's New POWER7 Servers Save Energy with Big Loads
IBM has unveiled high-capacity servers that are the first to be based on its new, multi-core POWER7 chip. It said the new line is designed "to manage the most demanding emerging applications."
 

Navigation
NewsFactor Network
Home/Top News | Enterprise I.T. | Hardware | Software | Communications | Network Security | Wireless Tech | Linux/Open Source
Apple/Macintosh | Microsoft/Windows | World Wide Web | Data Storage | E-Commerce | Personal Tech | Tech Trends | Press Releases
NewsFactor Network Enterprise I.T. Sites
NewsFactor Technology News | Enterprise Security Today | CRM Daily

NewsFactor Business and Innovation Sites
Sci-Tech Today | NewsFactor Business Report

NewsFactor Services
FreeNewsFeed | Free Newsletters | Free Whitepapers | XML/RSS Feed

About NewsFactor Network | How To Contact Us | Article Reprints | Careers @ NewsFactor | Services for PR Pros | Top Tech Wire | How To Advertise

Privacy Policy | Terms of Service
© Copyright 2000-2010 NewsFactor Network. All rights reserved. Article rating technology by Blogowogo.