(This post was written 12 years ago and prior to the release of Grand Theft Auto V. As such, it was/is conjecture based on a trailer for the game released at that time.)
Throughout pop culture history, few video games have had the honor and distinction of transcending the usual run-of-the-mill gamer audience and reaching mass, mainstream public consciousness. Unless you've been living under a rock for nigh on 2 decades, you know that Grand Theft Auto is one of those games. Like Pac Man, Mario Brothers, Tomb Raider and even Call of Duty, GTA has become much more than simply a game--it is a cultural phenomenon that has spawned city-wide advertising, national news coverage and--most importantly--millions of loyal fans. That said, it's no shock that the announcement of the next installment of the series--GTA V--has created a pop culture buzz the likes of which are rare, even by today's standards.
Though most in the game community knew the release of GTA V was imminent, it wasn't until last week that Rockstar Games officially confirmed the game by announcing a debut trailer would premiere today. Cue the requisite blizzard of speculation: Where would the next GTA take place? Who would be the protagonist? How big would the map be? Would there be hookers to rob? Well, while many of those burning questions are still unanswered, the world finally got a first glimpse at the next incarnation of GTA this morning.
What can be said about such a teaser of a trailer? Aside from sporting the usual style and panache we've come to expect from Rockstar, the biggest and most definitive reveal by far is the setting. Like GTA IV's return to Liberty City, GTA V brings us back to the fictionalized California locale of San Andreas. And, just like GTA IV, it does so rather beautifully: The meticulous attention to detail looks astounding, and though it likely pushes current console graphics to their limits, it appears to be--for lack of a better word-- stunning.
Many claim GTA San Andreas was the best of the series (Though I think Vice City was), and those with that opinion won't be disappointed. Whereas GTA IV may have departed from the scope and tone of San Andreas, this trailer hints at the return of planes, jet skis, etc., mountain and water settings, and perhaps even nods to property ownership and gang activity.
However, one of the biggest questions gamers had still remains unanswered: Who is the protagonist? Based on rumors circulating around the internet, there may be "more than one" playable character--which seems extremely exciting. That said, who is that mysterious man speaking in the trailer?
As stated above, speculation on this point has been running rampant all day. The biggest (and most ridiculous) rumor was that the voice heard was that of Tommy Vercetti--the main character of GTA Vice City, voiced by Ray Liotta. However, even the most cursory film fan knew the voice sounded NOTHING like Mr. Liotta (it doesn't), and when his representation released that it was, in fact, not him, it came as no surprise to anyone with half a brain. However, there was valid reason for said confusion: Certain shots in the trailer show an older male bearing resemblance to Vercetti surveying what seems to be some sort of business empire. If the game does indeed include multiple playable characters, it's feasible Vercetti COULD be that man, but he's definitely not the one speaking in the trailer.
The possible appearance of Vercetti in the trailer makes the question of a main protagonist more intriguing and complex, especially if one continues to look for visual clues in the trailer. For instance: many have conjectured they see CJ from GTA San Andreas in this trailer. IGN has postulated that the African American male being pursued by police towards the end of the trailer could be CJ. It's possible--but it's more likely that's someone else. When paused, the character in question bears little resemblance to CJ. But even so, there are indeed other characters in the trailer that could indeed be CJ, and the fact that Los Santos is a setting in the game does not rule out his inclusion.
Another interesting image is that of a homeless man holding a sign that whom some believe to be an "older" Niko Bellic (The protagonist of GTA IV). When paused, the similarity might seem to be a stretch, but if we assume Mr. Bellic spent 4 years addicted to drugs and/or alcohol and gaining weight, it's not completely impossible. Again, his appearance--as well as CJ's and Vercetti's--are pure speculation, but this speculation opens a very interesting line of thinking when thinking about just who we will be playing as in GTA V.
Consider this: Perhaps Tommy Vercetti has moved to San Andreas to extend an empire he began decades ago, only to find shady business practices have caused that empire to crumble around him (a Ponzi scheme would be timely fodder for Rockstar)--forcing him to "get his hands dirty again" and rebuild from the ground up. Maybe CJ left behind his gang banging days, only to be "pulled back in" to the life of a gangster because of a family death or economic crisis? And what of Niko Bellic? Has the American Dream crushed him, relegating his existence to a homeless man looking for any chance to start again?
Let's indulge this multiple story arc further, and look at a scene later in the trailer -- a brief glimpse of the three characters leaving a pest control van armed and ready for action. Could that be an older CJ, Niko and an older Vercetti? Could the main character we play as--the man speaking in the teaser--be someone who draws all of them together for some sort of all-star "dream team" of criminals who come out of retirement to recapture some semblance of life they've lost? The narration clearly tells the tale of a man who's backstory bears quite a bit of similarity to each of these past protagonists' possible stories: The attempt to leave behind a life of crime, only to be pulled back in due to a unique series of events we will see unfold during the game's narrative.
Again, with the rumor of multiple playable characters, this concept is both exciting and intriguing on many levels. But even if these reappearing characters aren't playable, the idea still seems very complex and well suited to Rockstar. I for one would welcome a "Crash" or "Magnolia" approach to GTA V-- where we see the lives of several key San Andreas inhabitants cross paths during a particularly turbulent series of days/ weeks. As a writer, this multi-arc story is fascinating, and seems to land squarely in the narrative wheelhouse Rockstar has been cultivating lately--an almost natural progression from GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption's tone and story depth.
Of course, all of this is pure conjecture, but it's completely feasible, and it's more than fun to consider. Rockstar never fails to disappoint when it comes to an engaging tale, and one has to expect GTA V will be no exception. At the very least, this trailer has lit a fire of possible ideas and rumors that will smolder until the product hits shelves. Gamers and non-gamers alike will likely be talking about what they can expect in GTA V for months-- creating a word-of-mouth pre-release buzz that would rival any movie, television show or movie.
After all, isn't that exactly what a teaser trailer is supposed to do?
Though most in the game community knew the release of GTA V was imminent, it wasn't until last week that Rockstar Games officially confirmed the game by announcing a debut trailer would premiere today. Cue the requisite blizzard of speculation: Where would the next GTA take place? Who would be the protagonist? How big would the map be? Would there be hookers to rob? Well, while many of those burning questions are still unanswered, the world finally got a first glimpse at the next incarnation of GTA this morning.
What can be said about such a teaser of a trailer? Aside from sporting the usual style and panache we've come to expect from Rockstar, the biggest and most definitive reveal by far is the setting. Like GTA IV's return to Liberty City, GTA V brings us back to the fictionalized California locale of San Andreas. And, just like GTA IV, it does so rather beautifully: The meticulous attention to detail looks astounding, and though it likely pushes current console graphics to their limits, it appears to be--for lack of a better word-- stunning.
Many claim GTA San Andreas was the best of the series (Though I think Vice City was), and those with that opinion won't be disappointed. Whereas GTA IV may have departed from the scope and tone of San Andreas, this trailer hints at the return of planes, jet skis, etc., mountain and water settings, and perhaps even nods to property ownership and gang activity.
However, one of the biggest questions gamers had still remains unanswered: Who is the protagonist? Based on rumors circulating around the internet, there may be "more than one" playable character--which seems extremely exciting. That said, who is that mysterious man speaking in the trailer?
As stated above, speculation on this point has been running rampant all day. The biggest (and most ridiculous) rumor was that the voice heard was that of Tommy Vercetti--the main character of GTA Vice City, voiced by Ray Liotta. However, even the most cursory film fan knew the voice sounded NOTHING like Mr. Liotta (it doesn't), and when his representation released that it was, in fact, not him, it came as no surprise to anyone with half a brain. However, there was valid reason for said confusion: Certain shots in the trailer show an older male bearing resemblance to Vercetti surveying what seems to be some sort of business empire. If the game does indeed include multiple playable characters, it's feasible Vercetti COULD be that man, but he's definitely not the one speaking in the trailer.
The possible appearance of Vercetti in the trailer makes the question of a main protagonist more intriguing and complex, especially if one continues to look for visual clues in the trailer. For instance: many have conjectured they see CJ from GTA San Andreas in this trailer. IGN has postulated that the African American male being pursued by police towards the end of the trailer could be CJ. It's possible--but it's more likely that's someone else. When paused, the character in question bears little resemblance to CJ. But even so, there are indeed other characters in the trailer that could indeed be CJ, and the fact that Los Santos is a setting in the game does not rule out his inclusion.
Another interesting image is that of a homeless man holding a sign that whom some believe to be an "older" Niko Bellic (The protagonist of GTA IV). When paused, the similarity might seem to be a stretch, but if we assume Mr. Bellic spent 4 years addicted to drugs and/or alcohol and gaining weight, it's not completely impossible. Again, his appearance--as well as CJ's and Vercetti's--are pure speculation, but this speculation opens a very interesting line of thinking when thinking about just who we will be playing as in GTA V.
Consider this: Perhaps Tommy Vercetti has moved to San Andreas to extend an empire he began decades ago, only to find shady business practices have caused that empire to crumble around him (a Ponzi scheme would be timely fodder for Rockstar)--forcing him to "get his hands dirty again" and rebuild from the ground up. Maybe CJ left behind his gang banging days, only to be "pulled back in" to the life of a gangster because of a family death or economic crisis? And what of Niko Bellic? Has the American Dream crushed him, relegating his existence to a homeless man looking for any chance to start again?
Let's indulge this multiple story arc further, and look at a scene later in the trailer -- a brief glimpse of the three characters leaving a pest control van armed and ready for action. Could that be an older CJ, Niko and an older Vercetti? Could the main character we play as--the man speaking in the teaser--be someone who draws all of them together for some sort of all-star "dream team" of criminals who come out of retirement to recapture some semblance of life they've lost? The narration clearly tells the tale of a man who's backstory bears quite a bit of similarity to each of these past protagonists' possible stories: The attempt to leave behind a life of crime, only to be pulled back in due to a unique series of events we will see unfold during the game's narrative.
Again, with the rumor of multiple playable characters, this concept is both exciting and intriguing on many levels. But even if these reappearing characters aren't playable, the idea still seems very complex and well suited to Rockstar. I for one would welcome a "Crash" or "Magnolia" approach to GTA V-- where we see the lives of several key San Andreas inhabitants cross paths during a particularly turbulent series of days/ weeks. As a writer, this multi-arc story is fascinating, and seems to land squarely in the narrative wheelhouse Rockstar has been cultivating lately--an almost natural progression from GTA IV and Red Dead Redemption's tone and story depth.
Of course, all of this is pure conjecture, but it's completely feasible, and it's more than fun to consider. Rockstar never fails to disappoint when it comes to an engaging tale, and one has to expect GTA V will be no exception. At the very least, this trailer has lit a fire of possible ideas and rumors that will smolder until the product hits shelves. Gamers and non-gamers alike will likely be talking about what they can expect in GTA V for months-- creating a word-of-mouth pre-release buzz that would rival any movie, television show or movie.
After all, isn't that exactly what a teaser trailer is supposed to do?
