Not that Rockstar Games’ upcoming Grand Theft Auto IV (GTA IV) needs any more shameless spotlighting ahead of its April 29 release, but the year’s most hotly anticipated next-generation software offering just got a little hotter.
Ricky Gervais performs stand-up routine in Grand Theft Auto IV comedy club. Credit: BBC.
Oddly, considering the history of the game’s creators, the fresh burst of heat in question does not (for once) include sex-fuelled nudity or outbursts of gratuitous violence, but rather a high profile injection of UK comedy genius.
Specifically, British comedian and actor Ricky Gervais, the creator and star of hit television shows The Office and Extras, has been granted a guest appearance within GTA IV’s epic gameplay framework.
Fans of Gervais can expect to happen upon his in-game persona while visiting Liberty City’s Comedy Club, where they will be able to witness him performing a portion of his stand-up show, which reportedly includes around three minutes of fresh material.
Speaking about his GTA IV inclusion to free London magazine Shortlist, Gervais said: “It’s a first -- which always interests me… It was shot in New York, my favourite place in the world, and I got to wear a tight Lycra suit as part of the digital process. No, hold on, that wasn’t so good.”
“Unfortunately they captured the whole horror, except I look slightly tougher. It’s seriously a big deal, though. Games have outsold Hollywood for the past few years so it’s nice to be a small part of that.”
While his appearance in a Liberty City comedy venue is perhaps not especially surprising in terms of in-game location, Gervais has also said that he does indeed crop up elsewhere throughout Rockstar’s latest slice of gritty sandbox crime.
Although the Grand Theft Auto series is renowned for its connection to Hollywood talent in a vocal sense (i.e. Samuel L. Jackson, Ray Liotta, Dennis Hopper, Burt Reynolds), the actual physical representation of Gervais could be the thin part of the wedge that sees future videogames actually ‘starring’ a wealth of major names from the entertainment community.
Despite Grand Theft Auto IV’s release being another week and half away, the game is already receiving glowing critical reviews from the games press. Both the Official PlayStation and Official Xbox 360 magazines have awarded it full 10/10 scores.
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