[April Fools] New GTA City Named as Chicago!

31
Mar
2006
By Chris | 31st Mar 2006 at 22:11 GMT in GTA IV | 29 Comments

April Fools!

Well this was the most successful April Fools I've ever done, In roughly 24 hours, over 30,000 unique visitors saw the site, and over 40000 page views, a lot of them realising it was April, but hilariously, some of them didn't realise. It even managed to prompt some foreign GTA fansites to make a whole new section on their website for it!

So how did people know? Well firstly they will have noticed a somewhat poorly chosen font for the word "Chicago". Secondly you needed to be a little more knowledgeable about domain names - I had set gtachicago.com's nameservers to APRIL.GTACHICAGO.COM and FOOLS.GTACHICAGO.COM...

One site claimed they contacted Rockstar to confirm it was a hoax (this was at 2am on a Saturday...I smell a cover-up for embarrassment)...and it was amazing to see how one site analysed every little detail to prove it was false, some people obviously lose their sense of humour at this time of year...

Another thing we found particularly amusing were people commenting on the 'amateur source code' - it was copied and pasted from the Official San Andreas website when it first launched to make it look more authentic... Yeah it is bad but what the hell, it's not me your insulting, it's Rockstar!

Anyway I hope you all enjoyed it, and I know this is all over the internet now and is being linked on hundreds of websites and has been posted on virtually every gaming forum in the world, so no doubt you must have seen it somewhere. Below is the full April Fools joke as I wrote it...

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Amazing news! A few weeks ago I found the domains www.gtachicago.com and www.grandtheftautochicago.com had been registered and were parked at Register.com (see screenshot) which as you know is where Rockstar have also parked gta4.com. After contacting Rockstar they told me to keep quiet so I reluctantly did...

But now today, Rockstar Games have announced just one of the cities for the next instalment of the series, GTA4. Chicago, the windy city. Unlike previous GTA games where cities have been based upon real life one, GTA4 will take place in real life cities. The storyline from Rockstar sounds intriguing, the game will apparently span across three different eras.

Chicago, 1933. Since January 16, 1920, alcohol has been illegal to consume, gangs rule the streets, and homicide rates are soaring. Johnny Roselli has just escaped a lifetime prison sentence after being falsely accused of murdering his own family. He's now returned to lead his Mafia gang back with a vengance to bring an end to the prohibition, and by any means necessary, even if it means wiping out rival gangs.

The next two eras have been kept kind of secret by Rockstar, although we hear they are 1970 and 2010 from other sources, also, Rockstar have currently left the titles of these cities un-announced, probably to let all this hype circulate. We'll be bringing you more news on these exciting revelations as soon as we have it though, so stay tuned!

gta-chicago.gif

As you see by visiting the official website, it's almost the same as what the official San Andreas site looked like back when it launched. No flash intro yet, took a month for them to do one for SA so perhaps by the end of the month we'll have one for Chicago? The font they've used for the logo looks like a typical 1930's typeface, seems they're adamant on getting the atmosphere authentic.

Anyway enough of my excited babble! Get discussing this in our forums and let us know your wishes for the game!

888ball's photo
888ball 31st March, 2006 @ 22:28 - Permalink

Real original name, i have to say. Storyline sounds far too similar to all other GTAs, but hey, it will rock. Im now going to clean my pants.

Gerard's photo
Gerard 31st March, 2006 @ 22:34 - Permalink

Hey hey, THIS is what I've been talking about. THIS is what the we need. We're fed up with all the crap of Vice City Stories and silly remakes, a brand new city or three is amazingly cool and stuff.

*dead chuffed*

Wheelman101's photo
Wheelman101 1st April, 2006 @ 01:08 - Permalink
:w00t: GTA chicago,sounds kick @§§ :w00t:
handyandy's photo
handyandy 1st April, 2006 @ 02:27 - Permalink
Wow! Amazing news! A few weeks ago I found the domains www.gtachicago.com and www.grandtheftautochicago.com had been registered and were parked at Register.com (see screenshot) which as you know is where Rockstar have also parked gta4.com. After contacting Rockstar they told me to keep quiet so I reluctantly did...

But now today, Rockstar Games have announced just one of the cities for the next installment of the series, GTA4. Chicago, the windy city. Unlike previous GTA games where cities have been based upon real life one, GTA4 will take place in real life cities. The storyline from Rockstar sounds intriguing, the game will apparently span across three different eras.

The next two eras have been kept kind of secret by Rockstar, although we hear they are 1970 and 2010, also, Rockstar have currently left the titles of these cities un-announced, probably to let all this hype circulate. We'll be bringing you more news on these exciting revelations as soon as we have it though, so stay tuned!

gta-chicago.gif

As you see by visiting the official website, it's almost the same as what the official San Andreas site looked like back when it launched. No flash intro yet, took a month for them to do one for SA so perhaps by the end of the month we'll have one for Chicago? The font they've used for the logo looks like a typical 1930's typeface, seems they're adament on getting the atmosphere authentic.

Anyway enough of my excited babble! Get discussing this in our forums and let us know your wishes for the game!

April Fools

Sorry to disappoint.

Domain servers in listed order:

APRIL.GTACHICAGO.COM

FOOLS.GTACHICAGO.COM

Andrew91's photo
Andrew91 1st April, 2006 @ 02:47 - Permalink

When you copy/paste that into your adress bar it doesnt work. I dont get how you got that anyway, so please explain.

handyandy's photo
handyandy 1st April, 2006 @ 02:53 - Permalink
When you copy/paste that into your adress bar it doesnt work. I dont get how you got that anyway, so please explain.

Just look it up at http://www.whois.com.

Put "gtachicago" where it says "Easy Domain Search" Make sure ".com" is selected, then click "GO"

Once the page loads, click on "WHOIS LOOKUP" right above "cancel" at the bottom of the page.

Scroll down the page and you'll find the server names, APRIL.GTACHICAGO and FOOLS.GTACHICAGO.

Steven's photo
Steven 1st April, 2006 @ 02:57 - Permalink

hmm.. might be april fools, but u never know.

( yes i cut off time from my busy schedule to post here for the exciting news) :P

Andrew91's photo
Andrew91 1st April, 2006 @ 02:59 - Permalink

Ruin my hopes and dreams people.... :(

C.O.D's photo
C.O.D 1st April, 2006 @ 03:02 - Permalink

If this is just a april-fool joke, then yee-pee-kaa-yey

tommy vercetti guy's photo
tommy vercetti guy 1st April, 2006 @ 04:09 - Permalink

OMFG!!! NEXT GTA COPIED DRIVER: PARALLEL LINES!!!!! In driver:parallel lines you like go to jail in 1978 and come out in 2006, teh copycat lozers

Adriaan's photo
Adriaan 1st April, 2006 @ 07:25 - Permalink

Good one, but you know mine would have been better ;)

Mr.Me†al's photo
Mr.Me†al 1st April, 2006 @ 11:01 - Permalink

sounds nice :) but i really wish that there would be more than one city :unsure:

Scott.'s photo
Scott. 1st April, 2006 @ 11:39 - Permalink

Good find Chris. It better not be an April Fools Joke :(

Gerard's photo
Gerard 1st April, 2006 @ 13:30 - Permalink

Read more carefully:

"But now today, Rockstar Games have announced just one of the cities for the next installment of the series, GTA4. Chicago, the windy city. Unlike previous GTA games where cities have been based upon real life one, GTA4 will take place in real life cities. The storyline from Rockstar sounds intriguing, the game will apparently span across three different eras."

"The next two eras have been kept kind of secret by Rockstar, although we hear they are 1970 and 2010 from other sources, also, Rockstar have currently left the titles of these cities un-announced, probably to let all this hype circulate. We'll be bringing you more news on these exciting revelations as soon as we have it though, so stay tuned!"

Steven's photo
Steven 1st April, 2006 @ 15:01 - Permalink

I'm still wondering if its a joke. It could be, but im just gonna keep checking.

Ghost's photo
Ghost 1st April, 2006 @ 15:20 - Permalink
As you see by visiting the official website, it's almost the same as what the official San Andreas site looked like back when it launched. No flash intro yet, took a month for them to do one for SA so perhaps by the end of the month we'll have one for Chicago? The font they've used for the logo looks like a typical 1930's typeface, seems they're adament on getting the atmosphere authentic.

Anyway enough of my excited babble! Get discussing this in our forums and let us know your wishes for the game!

April Fools!!!

im not 2 sure tho whever that was for the vice city stories news

The JD's photo
The JD 1st April, 2006 @ 15:40 - Permalink

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure GTA Chicago was an April Fool's gag.

KAMAKAZEE's photo
KAMAKAZEE 1st April, 2006 @ 17:08 - Permalink

this information was'nt realesed on april fools day it was released 2 days before

Oskar's photo
Oskar 1st April, 2006 @ 17:13 - Permalink

Maybe Chris prepared this. As I read that April Fools News ONCE and then it dissapeared! Strange.

tommy vercetti guy's photo
tommy vercetti guy 1st April, 2006 @ 18:11 - Permalink

lawl liek teh pr0 faygot n00bs got liek dier arses handed to dem!1111one11!

And yeah, noob site forgot GTA london. Ony like, uber fans of like, GTA, like, remember the updown times and like stuff

Gerard's photo
Gerard 1st April, 2006 @ 18:30 - Permalink

Owned. So totally owned. Very successful prank. :)

And sucks to all those guys that guessed it easily and then tried to spoil it for everyone else.

That includes that person that thought it was clever to edit chris' post to explain it early.

Chris's photo
Chris 1st April, 2006 @ 20:30 - Permalink

Ha. Brilliant. Can't believe how far round the interweb this thing got, it was only supposed to be a joke for the GTA community but it's on gaming websites everywhere.

It was the most people I've ever fooled in my life. The average viewer wouldn't even notice anything fishy about it, but there's always people more than capable of finding out how it isn't real.

Next year we'll have something totally different happening on April 1st. And no it won't involve me faking a GTA game :P

Slayer's photo
Slayer 1st April, 2006 @ 20:46 - Permalink
Next year we'll have something totally different happening on April 1st. And no it won't involve me faking a GTA game :P

Yeah, because the game won't be out by then, but we'll have much more information about the game on the next 1st of April.

handyandy's photo
handyandy 1st April, 2006 @ 23:13 - Permalink
Owned. So totally owned. Very successful prank. :)

And sucks to all those guys that guessed it easily and then tried to spoil it for everyone else.

That includes that person that thought it was clever to edit chris' post to explain it early.

If you are talking about me, I never dissected any post. The only thing I explained was how to use whois, and thats because I was asked.

And yes, it was quite successful. Well done. I wasn't sure who had set it up however, didn't mean to try ruin anything. I even posted it on the official playstation forums, but they copped it straight away.

Gerard's photo
Gerard 1st April, 2006 @ 23:43 - Permalink

I wasn't talking about you, i was talking about someone that edited chris' actual post. A moderator on this site.

Jugs's photo
Jugs 2nd April, 2006 @ 09:02 - Permalink

lmao, nice prank, you even fooled me. I'm such a tool.

888ball's photo
888ball 2nd April, 2006 @ 12:50 - Permalink

Zino fooled me with this a few minutes after it was posted, bastard :P

Andrew91's photo
Andrew91 5th April, 2006 @ 00:29 - Permalink

Lol. That was a pretty good joke. The site looked authentic.

That was pretty awsome man.

Jared's photo
Jared 26th April, 2006 @ 10:32 - Permalink

It was a great joke. Tricked alot of people :P Over at GTAForums we we're trying to unraval the mistery of why all of a sudden this site has poped up. And why on the 1st of April. Ah it was great fun. Great work guys. :thumbsup: