Added on July 26, 2010    RANT

VG247 posts GTA V “rumour”, various outlets take the bait

It seems not one day goes when there is not a rumour floating around about a particular developer, publisher or figure within the gaming industry. Today is one of those days, with this claim that the next GTA game will be set in Hollywood. This is all started with a post on VG247 which quite frankly, could be a complete fabrication. There are not even claims of sources.

It is what appears to be a fake conversation about nothing related to GTA or Rockstar, when suddenly it mentions that GTA V will be set in Hollywood and it will be revealed at a Max Payne 3 event. Without any question to the legitimacy of VG247’s post, this rumour soon spread to various other gaming websites, although less than you might think.
Eurogamer have added some substance by saying that an independent source told them that Rockstar is researching Hollywood, but are we honestly basing rumours these days on the claims of websites? Of course we don’t know the source, because no doubt they wish to remain unamed.

I’m not ruling out the possibility of a GTA game being set in Hollywood, but how am I meant to think they are based on a conversation post that shoehorns in the words GTA V and Hollywood? VG247 might not be lying, but lets look at this in another light. For starters, it was only last week that the Daily Star made a completely fake story about Rockstar creating a GTA game based on the recent crimes of Raoul Moat. Could VG247 be spoofing the idea of this? Perhaps the website has noticed the amount of gullibilty of video game rumours and are trying to make a point. Well hell, that’s a rumour of it’s own right there, if that’s what the quality of rumours are now.

As for Rockstar researching Hollywood, isn’t there a game that they’re currently producing that’s set in a location that includes Hollywood? Oh that’s right, LA Noire. Is it not possibile that this is what they are researching the area for?

Like I said before, there is a possibility that the next GTA game is set in Hollywood, or the Los Angeles area. But if I’m going to trust a rumour, it needs to have a good reason for being a rumour in the first place. So until I see a better reason for it, it goes in the DERP pile of stories.

(Boy, am I gonna have egg on my face if it turns out to be true)