Getting GTA 4 running on PS3 was “challenging”

Speaking to 1UP back in January, but only now published in full, Rockstar Games founder Sam Houser has revealed that there were initial challenges getting Grand Theft Auto IV up and running on the PlayStation 3.

“Getting things running on the PS3 initially was challenging,” said Houser. “I think it was challenging for a lot of companies, but it’s also a machine where, now that we’ve got comfortable with it – I don’t want to say we’ve cracked it, but we’ve got comfortable with it – we know we can make our games.”

As for how the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions compare, Houser says there’s not much in it.

“We’re at a point now where the games pretty much look identical side by side,” he explained. “There’s a slight difference in the way they look. I think that’s to do with really low-level technical stuff that I’m not the guy to explain. The 360 games have a certain look to them; PS3 games have a certain look to them. I like the way [the PS3] renders. There’s a certain kind of softness without being blurry – some warmth to it – and then there’s a certain more clinical element to how the 360 looks.”

He concluded: “Both have plusses and minuses. As far as I’m concerned, they’re neck and neck now.”

Grand Theft Auto IV will be hitting stores on April 29 for Xbox 360 and PS3.