The Grand Theft Auto series has been one of the strongest gaming franchises from the past 15 years, with almost every release setting sales records. Grand Theft Auto IV was the last console release, which dropped back in April 2008. The game was a critical and commercial success, selling 3.6 million units and earning $500 million in revenue during its first week. Suffice to say, GTA V has a lot to live up to.

Since the announcement, GTA V and other variants have been trending high on Twitter. People are mostly excited, while others are already beginning to speculate as to who the main character for the game will be, and what city will be the backdrop for all the mayhem.

One of the most important elements of the GTA series is the city players will be driving, shooting, and flying through. Rockstar has always done a fantastic job of taking the spirit of a real life city and morphing it into something all its known. They’ve done New York City, 80′s Miami, 90′s Los Angeles, and then a grittier more realistic New York City. The speculation for the next city backdrop will keep all of us fans having fun arguing about what era and ‘burg they should use.

Personally, as long as I get to drop a helicopter onto a group of hookers, shoot them, make off with their money while drawing 3 stars from the cops and making it out alive, I’ll be happy. Don’t judge, you’re thinking the same thing.

It ain’t easy getting around Liberty City. Plenty of people want to see Niko Bellic, GTA IV’s protagonist, eat more lead than a pencil factory.

Niko’s tough enough to handle the likes of Dimitri Rascalov, but getting around the streets and missions might be a challenge for newcomers and the impatient. As Search Engine Watch noted, a key aid for these players provides help.

The Liberty City Map at IGN uses Google Maps and its features to provide a huge overview of the sprawling game city. Gamers submit content to IGN, who reviews it and places it on the big map.

So many submissions rolled in, IGN begged gamers to ease up a bit. “Due to the sheer amount of submissions from all you pimps, the review process is taking longer than expected. Please do not submit the same marker twice out of fear your submission didn’t go through.”

The map is the ultimate game guide. Thanks to the enthusiastic gamers submitting content and edits, players may find missions, vehicles, and even a few Easter eggs there (look in the square in front of the museum for one.)

Gotta roll. Niko’s got a date with Kate; I wonder how things will work out with her….