One of the key rules I’ve come across as I cover gaming news for Gamebandits is that the higher the level of anticipation or fan loyalty to a brand, the higher the likelihood of hoaxes, rumors, and speculation. Take the case of Grand Theft Auto 5 for example. Grand Theft Auto is the granddaddy of open world action games and has a massive installed fan base. Every time there’s a new installment in the works, the videogame blogosphere lights up with innuendo, hoaxes, rumors, and rank speculation. Ever since San Andreas, there’s just something about the franchise that triggers a lot of wishful thinking, hopes, and speculation.

The supposed development of Grand Theft Auto 5 is no exception. According to some internet sources there was a Grand Theft Auto 5 pre-order at e-retailer Gamestation UK. The report even came with a supposed picture of the pre-order. Not surprisingly, the supposed pre-order lit up the gaming blogosphere until an email from a supposed Gamestation assistant manager called the picture a fake. The email says that there were some inconsistencies in the pre-order receipt which would qualify it as a forgery.

The first issue of the suppose assistant manager pointd out is that Grand Theft Auto 5 was never in the store’s system at all. He checked the store’s inventory at the date of the purported slip (July 1 2011) and Grand Theft Auto 5 was not in the store’s system. The second issue the email writerz claims is that pre-orders are arrived at using data collection for the interested levelz. Since there’s no info on this so far, there shouldn’t have been a pre-order. Also, there’s not amounts collected when normally pre-orders have to be paid for. Regardless of whether the email is real, the issues it raises are and point solidly to a hoax.