Where next for GTA IV?

Ground Zero

What's the fuss about?
Setting GTA IV in the near photorealistic New York-inspired Liberty City raises some very difficult questions for Rockstar. Will there be aircraft in the game, given the possible knee-jerk tabloid headlines-in-waiting?

If it's set pre-2001, will there be a version of the World Trade Centre, or if it's set after 2001, will there be a virtual version of the Ground Zero building site, along with the in-progress Freedom Tower?

Touchy subjects, and ones that could use some delicate handling. We expect there to be planes and helicopters, since it'd be a step backwards for the series otherwise.

But including Ground Zero could be a great opportunity for Rockstar to show people that, okay, so GTA is basically about killing and crime and being rather nasty to other people and all that, but it can also be insightful, culturally-aware and even respectful.

You'd have a tough time convincing the Daily Mail of that, though.

Ben Richardson is a former Staff Writer for Official PlayStation 2 magazine and a former Content Editor of GamesRadar+. In the years since Ben left GR, he has worked as a columnist, communications officer, charity coach, and podcast host – but we still look back to his news stories from time to time, they are a window into a different era of video games.