Grand Theft Auto 5 Screenshots Break Radio Silence

Rockstar Games hasn't been saying much about Grand Theft Auto 5 but that doesn't mean anything's wrong. To reassure fans that the game's coming along nicely, the developer released two screenshots of the game.

"As we have said before, we have often had long gaps between asset releases on previous games and will continue to do so in the future," Rockstar said during a community Q&A. "We are sorry if you find this frustrating, but please understand, we don’t do this because we ‘don’t care about our fans' 'don’t respect our fans’ 'hate GTA fans etc' – precisely the opposite! We do it because we want to make sure we only release 100% correct information, and because we want to keep plenty back for the actual game release so there are still lots of surprises when you play it."

In the first shot, a police helicopter flies above the streets of Los Santos. The next shows a couple locals hanging out at a dock by a pond. Each image is impressive from a technical standpoint: the first shot demonstrates excellent draw distance while the second showcases detailed reflections in the game's water.

Rockstar plans to release additional screenshots soon. The second trailer sounds less imminent but it's still in the works. The company doesn't seem to be in a rush.

The relaxed pace that Rockstar has been sending out assets for GTA V suggests that the game won't be out this year. There was some speculation about an October release but we're only three months out from that. I'd think that a game of this stature would be dated further in advance. An early 2013 launch seems like the best bet.