Grand Theft Auto IV Official Site Launches (XB360)

On Friday, Rockstar unleashed the official web site for the upcoming release of Grand Theft Auto IV.

After passing the age gate, an ominous message above a nighttime Liberty City cityscape both welcomes and sets the rules all at once with "Welcome to Liberty City. Gateway to America! Now, can we just scan your retina and have a DNA sample?"

Once clicking the picture, users are launched into an outline map of the city's regions. Sadly, clicking on anything in the map brings up no more information about the places where Niko will get into trouble.

New features on the site include a downloadable slideshow screensaver. Rather than merely add your own shots to the screensaver, new screenshots from Grand Theft Auto IV will appear as Rockstar adds them to the official web site's download area.

For information, the site also announces a special collector's edition of the game that comes packed in a black duffle bag with orange lining. Inside the bag, GTA fans will find a 68-page artbook called The Art of Grand Theft Auto IV, a metal safety deposit box with keys, a soundtrack CD called The Music of Grand Theft Auto IV, a keychain and a copy of the game. It will be available on April 29 for $89.99.

New screenshots of game include shots of Niko driving while being pursued by a shooter in another car, shots of Niko standing over a body and more.

Part of the site, including "Music" and "Multiplayer" are mysteriously inactive with a "Coming Soon" sign over them. Yet with all the information on the site, fans of the series will have a few weeks of images and content to keep them buzzing until they get Grand Theft Auto IV on their PS3 or Xbox 360 on April 29, 2008 (the biggest "out sick" day ever.)