Over in Germany, Burger King is running an edgy Vice City inspired campaign called Veg City. The website has a true Grand Theft Auto-style map, and there are mini games like a sniper games, red light district multiple choice game minus vegetable fucking, and an airport baggage game. Nothing quite like pickle hookers and capsicums getting cavity searches! Imaginative stuff.

Welcome to Veg City! [Official Site via Marblehead Blog via GamePolitics]

The term 'melodrama' is a somewhat loaded term -- ask a few people if X media counts as melodrama, and you're likely to get a variety of answers. Michael Abbott discusses melodrama in one accepted context (a definition that I would quibble with based on my own background dealing with 'melodramatic representation') in reference to games. Yes, we do do melodrama -- everything from GTA to Metal Gear to Final Fantasy plays with at least one interpretation of melodrama:

Who would have possibly thought that in a game filled with violence, foul language and generally deplorable behaviour, that so few who owned Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas would be so apathetic about the hidden sexual content buried deep within? Certainly not the law firms who filed a class action suit against Take-Two over the "Hot Coffee" incident, as the New York Times reports that just 2,676 of the millions who bought GTA: San Andreas have filed a compensation claim. The chance to cash in on Take-Two's legal woes ended on May 16 and the final tally must just shock you.

N'Gai Croal of Newsweek's Level Up takes us on a tour of the hipper-than-thou launch parties Rockstar threw to kick off GTA IV over the past two weeks. Billed as "a rare series of intimate events representing the eclectic musical soundtrack," they were really a big meet-n-greet pairing gaming writers with artists and other Rockstar types.

What if Grand Theft Auto had been released in the 80s? Well, aside from being the best game ever (When you play Grand Theft Auto, it's like you're really in the game!), it would have featured an awesome commercial. A kid would have been sitting in his room on the brink of dying from boredom. But just in the nick of time, a leather-clad "biker type person" would pound down the door, do a few shots of tequila and discover where a friendly night of Nintendo could lead once the lights went out. Hit the link for a glimpse of history we missed only by a decade and some puberty.

Grand Theft Auto for the NES [College Humor] Thanks Andy!

Interesting story out of New Zealand. Modder Stacy O'Callaghan, "sick of all this American rubbish" in the GTA franchise, set about modding his PC version (doesn't say which) to include official New Zealand police insignia on the cops and the cop cars.

Now here's a familiar story, modder cooks up something and gets in legal trouble, although it's usually from the software publisher. In this case, "unauthorised use of a police uniform" is an offence under New Zealand's Police Act. And even though it's unclear whether this really fits the definition of that offence, the cops are looking at their options. A cop spokesman said the police are looking into the matter.

Lazlow Jones, the principal DJ for Grand Theft Auto since it introduced a radio GTA III, went into the studio with Opie & Anthony on Friday and Holy Toledo, the first segment of his talk is shot through with spoilers.

Not the kind of spoilers that ruin missions or stories. This is more like a hands-on discussion of the game's feel and environment. But if you want to go into this game wide-eyed, jaw-dropping at the depth and complexity of the world you'll be living in for the next three to six months, especially if you're employed, then do not follow the jump.

I think you can still listen to this and be blown away by the game, but if you're sensitive to this sort of thing, you have been warned.

Clip one is the juicy spoiler clip. I'm not even going to mark timestamps because there's really no nonspoiler material. You either want to listen to it or not. Here's some highlights:

This is definitely the coolest (and I think only) GTA cake I have ever seen. I'm particularly fond of the copious use of knick-knacks on the cake like the tiny cars and the fake money. I'm a sucker for an overly decorated cake that uses lots of little toys. The only thing that's missing is some tiny hookers and some blood. It's a well done cake, but despite the subject matter it is a bit on par with something you might see coming out of the local grocery store with the pre-rendered photographic icing. Although, the use of this cake for a four year old's birthday seems highly questionable. Oh, and that sound you hear is the head of certain Florida lawyer exploding.