First GTA IV episodic content coming Q1, 2009

360 News | Coming a little later than we expected.

Most players by now have probably finished the single player campaign for Grand Theft Auto IV and are waiting for the Xbox 360 exclusive downloadable content. Originally believed to be scheduled for 2008 Take-Two CEO Ben Feder has confirmed the content won't be coming until Q1, 2009.

The downloadable content is set to be a "full" extra episode. "The 2009 release of this highly anticipated episode will provide better balance among top titles," said Feder. Feder was then questioned by an analyst, and stated "The reason we moved it is more about portfolio balance than anything else... the delay is not about development issues."

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25 Comments

mipac

3 years ago

I thought that the delay was to Q1 fiscal year? Which would be between November 2008 and January 31, 2009. Either PALGN or Joystiq is lying

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/grand-theft-auto-iv-dlc-delayed-until-fiscal-q1-2009/

GroovySamurai

3 years ago

I thought they would release the first episodic content around October or something - the wait seems so long now.. I wonder how the content will sell..

TheAnswer

3 years ago

mipac wrote

I thought that the delay was to Q1 fiscal year? Which would be between November 2008 and January 31, 2009. Either PALGN or Joystiq is lying

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/06/05/grand-theft-auto-iv-dlc-delayed-until-fiscal-q1-2009/

Just think that PalGN is taking Q1, 2009 as literally in 2009 instead of the Fiscal Q1 2009 period which is actually still in 2008.

ManeKast

3 years ago

Serioulsy, only the hardcore will be playing then? Hmmmm, makes me think. I still notice a hell load of people playing San Andreas, Vice City and III. So....... who knows.

Xephon

3 years ago

whys it xbox 360 only?

mipac

3 years ago

^ $50,000,000 from Microsoft. Personally I think Microsoft should have paid Rockstar $50,000,000 for a brand new exclusive 360 franchise like Sony has done with Rockstar and the PS3, but I guess Microsoft expects that the Grand Theft Auto name will make it all worth it. I guess we will have to wait and see when/if Microsoft releases download numbers.

LeonJ

3 years ago

mipac wrote

Spin that angle son. Spin it!

mipac

3 years ago

Spin what? All I said was that both parties have paid Rockstar big dollars for exclusives. Microsoft have paid $50,000,000 for GTA IV DLC, while Sony have paid an undisclosed amount for Rockstar to make a new PS3 exclusive franchise (people can quote Sony saying that they don't pay for exclusives, but anyone who believes that Sony didn't hand Rockstar a blank cheque is a fool).

I don't see how saying I think one parties strategy is better than the others is "spin", I think that paying Rockstar to make an entire new franchise exclusive to PlayStation is going to be a whole lot more beneficial to Sony than Microsoft getting some GTA content that the everyday GTA player really doesn't care about (at least 80% of my friends will never be finishing GTA IV, I'm a "hardcore gamer" and even I nearly didn't want to finish it).

So yeah, all I'm saying is that I think Microsoft might have jumped the gun on GTA IV. They presumed that the mass market will be wanting MORE GTA so soon, when really, for the majority of people, the main game was more than enough.

On the other hand, Sony have paid possibly less than $50,00,000, and are getting an entire new FRANCHISE "from the makers of Grand Theft Auto", and I think an entire series of games exclusive to PS3 is much better in the long run than some 360 DLC for a tired out game. I just think Sony has the better long-term business strategy here. But you can call it spin if you want

DancesInUnderwear

3 years ago

I'm still not sure if downloadable content will sit well with the masses, but all 3 GTAs sold great last generation, so why would this be particularly different? Also, do the general public really care who a game was made by? They see GTA, they buy GTA - the same may not be said for ROCKSTAR PS3 FRANCHISE.

mipac

3 years ago

DancesInUnderwear wrote

Yes, but those were entirely new entries in the GTA franchise with new worlds, characters, weapons, etc. This DLC is just extra missions for an undeniably already worn-out game. Even if I owned the 360 version, I wouldn't be buying the DLC because I was so fed up with GTA IV before the end of the game, it was incredibly repetitive.

I think that the general public will care that the new PS3 exclusive franchise is from Rockstar, Sony will definetely be marketing it as "from the guys who made Grand Theft Auto", and the possibility of Rockstar making the new killer-app franchise for the PS3 has a whole lot more potential than some DLC. In my opinion anyway.

LeonJ

3 years ago

All I'm saying mipac is everything you say is slanted towards 'pro' Sony and you have your little band of +'sers as well.

While the downloadable content may be rubbish or could be a full blown game in itself, it probably did have a slight advantage in separating the two for dual console owners looking for a reason to get one verison. Hell, a lot of people bought both as they didn't want to miss out on the 360's DLC. GTA is GTA. The game speaks money and an add on to a game that has sold 8 million+ (13 million predicted) is certainly worth having as an exclusive for DLC. You might even say it's probably better then a new IP exclusive as a revenue generater.

I honesty don't think Sony has any sort of long-term business strategy either looking at their crazy decisions in the last few years. Captain Ken certainly steered the PS3 into a nice ice berg and luckily for Sony the ship didn't completeley sink. Nothing they have done really speak logic to me. If they were smart they would have tied up GTA as an exclusive before the next-gen started and paid lots and lots of money for it. It probably would have ended the next-gen war right there. Imagine if GTA was a PS3 exclusive?

mipac

3 years ago

LeonJ wrote

Just because we are expressing our opinions, you don't need to neg me because you don't agree with mine. It's not like I'm flaming you.
I don't have a little band of +'ers, I have my own opinion and if people want to agree with it, that is their own business, I'm not making them do it, so it shouldn't really factor in here.

Not everything I say is 'pro Sony', during the years of Ken Kutaragi I was very vocal about some of the upsets I had towards Sony. Just because I agree with what they are doing now, doesn't make me have the fanboyish attitude you are suggesting.

All I'm saying is that Microsoft paid $50,000,000 for some DLC, and I don't think it was worth it. Sony obviously had the choice of throwing some cash into the pool and getting the DLC to themselves too, but they chose to pay Rockstar for a new PS3 exclusive franchise, and I think that is going to sway more people to a PS3 over some 360 DLC for GTA. Like I said, word is getting out now that GTA gets very stale towards the end, so I don't think that Christmas shoppers are going to be choosing more missions for GTA as their reason for buying a console, when their friends have told them that GTA gets very boring towards the end.

We obviously are not going to agree here, so I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. I still believe that Sony has Rockstar cooking up an exclusive that will blow the GTA DLC away, otherwise they wouldn't have paid for it over DLC, but we are just going to have to wait and see who made the better business decision. Please don't neg me again

john_solids

3 years ago

they payed for the dlc to increase sales on the 360 did that happen no.
what i dont understand is why you think paying 50 million on a 10 hour extra story is better then an entirely new game new story? the game play will still be the same for the dlc, and a hell of alot more people were interested in doing stupid stuff rather then the story.
at least with a new game if people hear about it and like it, it actually has the potential to get people to buy the ps3 for it. and what we have heard its a franchise so more then one game yeh? so even if the first is a great game and doesnt sell so well it has more coming after it to try and get more people notified about it.

Qbert

3 years ago

mipac wrote

I still believe that Sony has Rockstar cooking up an exclusive that will blow the GTA DLC away, otherwise they wouldn't have paid for it over DLC

This is where I disagree. Persoanlly I think that Microsoft kind of 'stole' the DLC exclusitivity from Sony and by the time Sony realised the ridiculous amount of money that Microsoft were going to pay, realised that they couldn't go down this path. I don't think Sony paid for this over DLC, but because they couldn't get it.

Aside from that speculation though, I personally don't think that the GTA DLC will be that important at all unless it turns out to feature a new city or something. Perhaps if they advertise it to death it might make an impact, but most people who buy GTA are casual gamers and won't know or really care about DLC. I was playing Uno on LIVE the other night and there were 2 people talking about how they were dissapointed that the PS3 version allready had DLC of "weapons and cars and ****" and the 360 version didn't. Microsoft are going to have to push this mard to make it worthwhile.

mipac

3 years ago

Qbert wrote

Aside from that speculation though, I personally don't think that the GTA DLC will be that important at all unless it turns out to feature a new city or something.

This is a major assumption that I take into consideration when making my opinion. IF it was a new city or something, then my opinion would be totally different. However one of the Houser brothers have already told 1UP that the 360 DLC will purely be new missions that people walk up to you in the street and give you. This is why I think it won't be very appealing, because it is just more of the same. If it did turn out to be a recreation of Vice City or something, I would be totally hyped and buy the 360 version, but unfortunately it isn't, it just unlocks more missions in Liberty City.

LeonJ

3 years ago

mipac wrote

I still believe that Sony has Rockstar cooking up an exclusive that will blow the GTA DLC away, otherwise they wouldn't have paid for it over DLC, but we are just going to have to wait and see who made the better business decision. Please don't neg me again

I neg'ed you because you are frustratingly biased and make baseless statements like above. You make it sound like you were sitting in the Sony boardroom and approved their business decisions. And you have no idea what the title 'exclusive' title may be that is going to blow us away. Last time I checked the only 'critically' acclaimed game to come from Rockstar was GTA game. It could be a total dive or something like Table Tennis 2.

Personally I don't really give a care about the DLC for GTAIV but the fact remains that it sold more copies on the 360. Do you think the lure of DLC was the main reason? No I agree I probably didn't, the installer base did. Did it help sales though? I would say it most likely it did.

If my math is correct, if they charge $20 US for the downloaded content, only 2.5 million gamers have to download it to break even. And there are two planned episodes so you can say only 1.3 million have to download 2 eps. You know, if the game is a giant seller then the attach rate for DLC will be high. Who would have predicted the GTA would sell well?

I think it's a smart business decision personally. If it even put the little seed of doubt in the a million gamers to which version to buy it's a win really for M$.

ugh the boot

3 years ago

Mipac are you nuts? You're saying Sony paying 'any' amount for a new franchise from 'the maker's of GTA' are gonna be better than More GTA (the best selling game on the planet)? NO WAY!!! I love my Ps3 but no game can be a better business prospect than GTA, I don't care if it is just downloadable content, it's GTA!! I definately want to see this new exclusive Sony has gotten and i'm definately more interested in it than add-on crap but securing exclusive content for the best selling game/media ever is definately a good business strategy.

Personally I just finished GTAIV this weekend and I don't see myself playing anymore of it (maybe just to muck around when i'm at a mates house etc) once I get my hands on Metal Gear Solid 4 and Ninja Gaiden II in a couple of days so this downloadable content doesn't mean anything to me.

LeonJ

3 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

Mipac are you nuts? You're saying Sony paying 'any' amount for a new franchise from 'the maker's of GTA' are gonna be better than More GTA (the best selling game on the planet)? NO WAY!!! I love my Ps3 but no game can be a better business prospect than GTA, I don't care if it is just downloadable content, it's GTA!!

Personally I just finished GTAIV this weekend and I don't see myself playing anymore of it (maybe just to muck around when i'm at a mates house etc) once I get my hands on Metal Gear Solid 4 and Ninja Gaiden II in a couple of days so this downloadable content doesn't mean anything to me.

Agreed.

Ugh, what did you think about the GTA as a whole? I'm interested in your thoughts.

ugh the boot

3 years ago

It was awesome, the most detailed and polished game I have ever seen (Pikmin 2 is second). The amount of media music, comedy, music, talk shows, voice work etc is just mind boggling! Everytime I play the game I see and hear something new, it really is the complete package in gaming BUT....it was basically a next-gen GTA so nothing new there or mind-blowing.

I actually think a game like GTA will end up being how games are played/made....well atleast I hope they are...let me explain....in future games will have a HUB that basically consists of the GTA city, if you want to play Virtua Tennis you drive over to the Tennis Courts, if you want to play a FPS you go and enlist in the army etc. I think the prospects/potential for it being the game to end all games is there, but I was a little dissapointed to find them taking away little things here and there such as garages, doing up cars, basketball mini-game etc, imo if they want to build the ultimate experience they should never take anything away, just add more and more details till one day your game is the ultimate game cuz it contains every genre within it.

Anyways that's my thoughts, i'd still give it a 10/10 like I said when I first got it but it was nothing revolutionary for me. Honestly if every dev approached their game like Rockstar does with GTA then we'd all be in heaven.

Spanca

3 years ago

ugh the boot wrote

So in summary, mind-boggling but not blowing?

Karai Pantsu

3 years ago

But... Boggle totally Blows! *head asplodes*

...

Sorry, no need for violence, I'll remove myself from this place immediately

DancesInUnderwear

3 years ago

mipac wrote

This DLC is just extra missions for an undeniably already worn-out game.

Has this been confirmed? The only comments I've seen have referred to the content as being "huge", which I would hope would be more than just some new missions.

harness

3 years ago

Qbert wrote

Aside from that speculation though, I personally don't think that the GTA DLC will be that important at all unless it turns out to feature a new city or something. Perhaps if they advertise it to death it might make an impact, but most people who buy GTA are casual gamers and won't know or really care about DLC. I was playing Uno on LIVE the other night and there were 2 people talking about how they were dissapointed that the PS3 version allready had DLC of "weapons and cars and ****" and the 360 version didn't. Microsoft are going to have to push this mard to make it worthwhile.

I agree with you here. 50 million is an insane amount of money to spend, and given that it's just an add on to an existing game (quite a while after its release too, so people may have forgotten or moved on from it). I question the wisdom of their investment. Maybe they know something we don't.

Worse, since they paid an insane premium to get this exclusivity, they'll probably charge an arm and a leg for it. 1200 points is the max price of anything on XBL Marketplace (I think), perhaps 1600 points will be the new max when this DLC comes out. Halo 3 (and eventually CoD4) map packs become free after a couple of months, I don't see that happening with this highly costly DLC.

NismoR34

3 years ago

^ 2400 is the max price for DLC actually, as Shivering Isles (Oblivion expansion) costs that much. The Penny Arcade Xbox Live Arcade game is also rather expensive at 1600 points.

As for this DLC, since the first chapter isn't coming out until next year now I don't see why you guys feel the need to argue over what the better business move was. I mean sure, discussion is wonderful but I don't see the point in offering a final opinion (of sorts) on the subject when we don't even know what the DLC will be for one and for two, what this supposed new exclusive PS3 franchise is (speaking of which, this is first I have heard of it - elaborate? - It's not LA Noire is it?)

There have been many things suggested as to what the DLC will be, even from Rockstar themselves (referring to Mipac's mentioning of the Houser comment) but everything is up in the air for now until it is confirmed later down the track. Microsoft/Rockstar clearly want to keep the DLC hush hush for the moment, so let's keep it that way and resume caring about it (or not) when we are a little closer to its release (or something is announced about it).

With regards to this DLC, whatever it is, the fact that it won't hit until next year is a good thing as far as I'm concerned. Just like the delay for the main game last year, any extra development time can only be a good thing surely?

Also, brackets are my friend in this post it seems...

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Grand Theft Auto IV

Pre-order or buy:
PALGN recommends: www.Play-Asia.com

Australian Release Date:
  29/04/2008 (Confirmed)
Standard Retail Price:
  $119.95 AU
Publisher:
  Rockstar Games
Genre:
  Action
Year Made:
  2007

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