Xbox 360 'owns' the GTA IV launch, according to Microsoft

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Home Grand Theft Auto

9:49 AM on 02.08.2008, Jim Sterling

122 comments | 14520 views

Xbox 360 'owns' the GTA IV launch, according to Microsoft photo

#console war #Grand Theft Auto #Microsoft #Xbox 360

There's no denying the power of the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar's controversial franchise is one of the most recognizable and well-known brands in modern gaming, and its next installment is going to be unquestionably huge. For Microsoft, Grand Theft Auto IV is not just being treated as an important game, it's clearly being treated as one of the most crucial of 2008.

Microsoft's Shane Kim has recently commented on the impact GTA's had on Sony hardware in the past -- most notably the revelation that was GTA III on the PS2 -- and how Microsoft is looking to harness that impact for itself by making sure that the Xbox 360 is seen as the definitive home of Liberty City. Kim is confident that Microsoft already "owns" GTA IV, but that gamers need to realize it.

"We already own it, I believe, from a content standpoint, because we have the exclusive episodes ... but we have to make sure the customers know that ... if you look back, again, to the role of GTA III and what that played in terms of PS2's development - in Europe as well, because it was huge in Europe. That's a great opportunity for us. We need to take advantage of it."

Kim admits that Microsoft's job isn't going to be a cakewalk, and recognized Sony's potential to steal some of the glory for itself, especially in Europe, where Sony products have always been successful. Kim realizes that if MS becomes complacent, the potential is there for gamers to simply associate GTA with Sony based on past experiences and not buy it for the less traditional Xbox. Kim is determined, however, to let the people know his opinion that the 360 is where the "greater experience" can be had. What say you, the people themselves? Are you getting this for the 360 or PS3, and do you think downloadable episodic content is key to the "ownership" of Grand Theft Auto?

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next 50 comments

119 comments | showing # 1 to 50

wardrox

They missed the p in owns.

sirpalee

Downloadable content is very important, for a fan or even a casual player, they will be cheap, and everybody has some points to spend...

Corncobtacular

To be honest the DLC for this games worries me a little bit. All the GTA games have felt great without the need for DLC. If this one feels trimmed i'm going to be pissed.

If it feels like a full game i'm going to be buying it on whichever system it performs better.

Sam Spectre

I'm getting it for the 360. I don't really have a choice since I don't have a PS3 but I'd probably still get it for the 360 so I could get the downloadable content.

Detry

DLC in da LBC yo.

-D-

It would've been great for Microsfot to not conspire and build up this pissing match using "exclusive" DLC as a weapon.

It's total bullshit. From the get go we're basically given the middle finger with pre-planned DLC that, if it's so important and great, should've been slapped onto the disc and not used to rape our wallets.

Snaileb

Oh snap, the gloves have just been thrown down.

dethrock

I guess it kind of depends on what the DLC is and how much it costs. Oh and I guess it also depends on how long it will take for me to get my 360 back from Microsoft. I've read nothing but horror stories after people sent them in.

dethrock

Trev

I don't have a 360 (yet) but I'm not going to wait until I do just have the shot at buying new missions. Because, seriously, who plays GTA for the missions and package-finding? Sure, you do that stuff, but you don't want to, you want to unlock the goddamn flamethrower and go torch anything that passes you on the highway or lob molotov cocktails at packed sidewalks. Missions are for squares.

And Fire is good.

Its my understanding the DLC is just missions, and that's not the time-killing sandbox gameplay I want from GTA.

Then again, considering the way Rockstar has sucked money out of me with the previous games, I'm not gnawing on the edge of my desk in anticipation of this one either. I'm actually going to wait for a review.

Cheeburga

BLU-RAYZ?!

BoXDoS

I'm getting it for 360 because I know there will be online play of some sort and I love x box live..as for DLC goes..it better have NOTHING to do with the completion of the game itself..It better just be some fun bonus missions from a quy who just moves in to lbc or something.

Miike

uhh Detry, LBC mean Long Beach Cali

GTA IV is based in NYC.

Unless your implying that you live in the LBC. Then totally different story.

Bob Arctor

well dlc isn't such a big deal to some of the casual gamers, even myself that plays a lot of games and tries to keep up with everything going on with video games I don't think I've ever paid for 'extra' dlc. I have downloaded them once they are free a l halo 2. I'll probably get it for 360 just in case the extra content does become free but i won't pay for it. I haven't paid for halo 3 maps and I can wait.

wonky360

If the game is a s good as it looks - being able to say "Have you seen the bit where.." to a PS3 owner will surely sell a LOT of 360s. This all depends on the downloads not being "collect all the cigarette packs" or some other lame shit.

dethrock

Double post up there, sorry.

Surf314

GTA IV is meh. I don't see what the fuss is all about I can only get so much enjoyment from beating up hookers and taking their money. Honestly it was a lot of fun when it was GTA I or GTA II. 3 completely lost my interest in the franchise, which is ironic because it was the only one that was interesting to everyone else.

Jim Sterling

Miike: Actually, it's based in Liberty City, not New York. Liberty City is just a parody of NYC.

bostano

It's a valid point that PS once "owned" the GTA franchise. Literally OWNED it, for it was on PS1 that GTA was born. It wasn't until almost 2 years after GTAIII came out that the series appeared on the Xbox platform.

MS has to be extremely excited that they got dibs on DLC. That means more sales in the US, where GTA sells WAY BETTER than in Europe, since just about every country there bans the freakin' game.

Mxyzptlk

Unless the DLC is going to make my virtual sandbox significantly bigger, I'm not terribly interested. A couple extra missions, vehicles, weapons... meh. If they want me open my digital wallet (and prove why the 360 version is the one to own) MS and Rockstar are going to have to wow me.

Y0j1mb0

It doesn't matter what DLC Microsoft has. Most people STILL associate The Grand Theft Auto series with the Playstation whether right or wrong. And you can bet there are going to be alot of people that buy the game on the PS3 because of that familiarity they had with prior iterations.

Microsoft IMHO is making a mistake by trumpeting their DLC as the first thing that comes to mind is..Is that really neccesary? Aren't thses games huge enough? I already paid 60 bucks..how much more do you expect me to pay for some episodes? Now if the DLC was offered free to paying LIVE customers..NOW THAT would be an interseting proposition. And one they can shove in Sony's Face.

Urashima

I think having DLC is important for almost any game released in this console generation. As long as Microsoft gets the word out properly, they'll probably convince a few people to get it for 360 as opposed to the PS3. I've never been big on GTA, but if I do buy it, it'll most likely be for 360. It's really gonna have to wow me, though.

akathatoneguy

I think the achievements are as much, if not more, of a selling point than the forthcoming DLC...especially when said DLC is vaguely spoken of and really means nothing to any of us so far.

Sadly, I don't think MS will do a great job of getting this news out to the public, anyway. I mean, they sat and watched while Sony advertised such games as Assassin's Creed as if they were PS3-exclusive.

Mr Lazy

360, if i'm spending 60 bucks on i game i want all the missions i can get, even if i have to spend points to get DLC

foxhound009

I'm getting it on PC.. who wants to bet it will come out on PC??
huh anybody? :P

mix

@ Trev

I totally agree, I usually play like 1/2 of the missions and go nuts. I have yet to date, beaten a GTA.

loki d20

I'd be shocked if it didn't pretty much win overall. First is the downloadable content, and second is that most of your gamer types who play GTA IV (typically same as your FPSers) own a 360 and aren't as likely to own a PS3.

I've pre-ordered the PS3 GTA IV CE, but solely because I don't like the noise my 360's disc drive puts out and this is the type of game that I'd rather spend listening to the soundtrack while I play. I can live w/o the extra content.

Joe Burling

360 for the following reasons...

-DLC
-Xbox Live is where my friends are, and it will have multiplayer
-Achievements
-I like to chat between games and the sandbox style of play will be perfect for that... I could even get into the game just to dick around while I wait for an invite on another game
-Rumble
-It won't look or play any better on the PS3
-I don't own a PS3 and won't own one until I can get one for $400 with a dualshock3 in the box
-I like the 360 controller better (except on games that heavily use the D pad)

Necros

D has a really good point; if they know there's going to be DLC at this early a point, it should really be on the disc. Otherwise, I'd say "yay for exclusive DLC," but honestly, now I feel like I'm getting ripped off.

ObsCure

I've played all the GTA games, and I've never really finished all of the missions on any of them. For me the sandbox aspect is the most fun part so I'm not really bothered about the episodic content. The 360 will get 2 exclusive content packs, which is great for those that want them, but I hardly thing they 'own' the launch. That just sounds annoyingly arrogant to me.

I'm sure those 2 packs won't be the only content, so we'll probably see content that both consoles share.

AgentMOO

DLC for games has a shit sandwich so far, so I wouldnt brag just yet. And like Mxy said, new areas or gtfo.

Will be getting it on the 360, Achievements + better controller. The Sixaxis is fucking painful to use for more than a half hour.

ZombiePlatypus

I'm getting it for 360, since I haven't nabbed a PS3 yet anyways, but I'd choose the 360 version regardless... Not for the DLC though.
I seriously doubt I'll buy the extra "episodes" or whatever unless there's something mindblowing in there, or maybe some extra turf. I've never really "finished" a GTA game. I play the shit out of 'em, and spend hours screwing around, but by the time I feel done with one and move on I've only completed a portion of what the game wants you to. I play this particular "sandbox" series strictly for the sandbox, the actual objectives take a back seat...

Holyetheline

I'm ultimately planning on getting it for 360. Definitely 360.

decoyb

I'm getting this for the ps3. I'm starting to see a trend of co-developed(burnout and DMC4 for example) multiplatform games looking and playing slightly better on the ps3. Having the DS3 probably helps out the with the playing better part though. DS3>360 pad>SIXAXIS IMHO.

Besides, I've grown to really hate my 360 and I want to use what little time it has before breaking again to play any decent 360 exclusives which mostly seem to be xbla games like RES HD and castle crashers if that one ever comes out.

DrXym

The idea of DLC sounds good, but it needs to be seen if its substantial content or just some new scripted missions. If you've played enough GTA you know that there are some basic mission types and GTA has some kind of scripting engine that players them. I would hate for new episodes just to be a handful of them because that would suck. It needs new geographic content, new cutscenes, new characters, new cars etc.

Joe Burling

I'd also like to add "better custom soundtrack" to my list of choosing the 360 version.

Also, its possible that the PS3 version may get delayed...

vexed alex

So I assume this means a rape-fest of GTA 4 ads with the 360 logo slapped on the back. It may mention exclusive DLC on it, too. That's all they can do, really. And I guess it might get people thinking that it's the system to get it on, but I agree with Y0j1mb0 :O

The majority of people have played on PS2 (excluding me) and that's what they remember. Who knows, though. If Microsoft pushes they may be able to steal some of Sony's fans who haven't made the current-gen jump.

qo_op

sorry, not paying 20 bucks for an extra 15 min side mission. LOL, sheep.

brad drac

From a european perspective, MS are going to have to do a SHIT LOAD to break the association between playstation and GTA that already exists. GTA is to europe what halo is to the US or dragon quest is to japan, the biggest of the big guns. The DLC will not be much of an incentive for the enormous majority of europe's target audience of the game, I'm not even sure 80% people who'll purchase the game over here would even know what that stands for. If they want to own GTA in this region, they're going to have to do more than all their previous european efforts combined.

moonkid

Dear Rockstar, if you guys can make the 360 version ten quid cheaper than the PS3 version I'll happily pay up to say...ten pounds for a load of extra downloadable content in the near future.

DaedHead8

BuckF1tches pretty much covered all the points I would make. Except one, have any of you all considered the power of the DLC coming with an extra 250 achievement points? I'd be willing to be thats reason enough for a lot of gamers to dl it.

Me? I've never beaten a GTA game, like most people here I play enough to unlock the good weapons and vehicles then I just cruise around town.

I also agree with Necros and Jim that if they are planning DLC this early, they should just put it on the disc. That would make the 360 version better by leaps and bounds.

ZMTToxics

PS3 FTW ATW.

vp360

360

Crunshii

PS3 for me. -D- pretty much pointed out all the obvious reasons.

I have games that have DLC and I have never been convinced to get them. There is no reason why I should spend 60$ to get the game, then $5, $10, $20, $30 for additional content to get "More experience" out of the game.

If you support DLC your only opening the gates to games coming out unfinished and then purchase the missing parts which makes you end up paying way too much money. and honestly, the gates of hell are already opened and wont close.

DLC = MMO like charging. It is never ending, over charging, and continuous way to milk the gamers wallet. It is to evily brilliant... Hmmm, May be I should get on the gaming business and do DLC games and charge $10 per chapter so I can be rich quick. I already have the avatar to do it!

Lightthrower

I'm getting it for the PS3 just to irritate Micro$hit. They are way to arrogant with this, they say they "own" it? Who the fuck are they kidding? They didn't make the game, they just paid bribe money so that they get exclusive bling. To everyone who has both consoles, get the PS3 version just to rub it in their faces.

Professor Pew

Wouldn't the PS3 get non-exclusive DLC as well later on? For MS's sake, those exclusive episodes better be great. There's enough people that still play GTA:SA to this day, so those kinds of people will surely eat up the DLC. The question is: will they care about the exclusive DLC by the time they are done with GTA4?

If MS wants to really profit from it, they should release the exclusive DLC around 2-3 months after the GTA4 release, and they should have added a clause in the deal that would make any PS3 DLC come out at least 3 months after any MS DLC. That way the people that own the game and crave more, will see that one console has that DLC and one doesn't have it (yet).

But MS will probably fuck it up for themselves anyway, yay!

Midknight

I'm ashamed to admit the only deciding factor for me in any multi-platform release is Achievements. I am an Achievement whore. I don't even have a decent score really, I just like getting Achievements for stuff.

"Achievement Unlocked: Fly Plane into Skyscraper"

Doubtful, yes. Me = Hopeful.

Samit Sarkar

Strange...for some reason, the blog software isn�t letting me comment on this post.

UnnDunn

360, no question. That's the only console I own, but even if I did own a PS3, I'd still get it for 360 for a number of reasons:

- Custom soundtracks: Liberty City in GTA III had pretty good radio stations, but after a while I just wanted some Biggie, Jigga, Nas, G-Unit, etc.

- Achievements

- No lengthy installs. Now that DMC4 has set the precedent, I'm willing to bet that a lot of big upcoming PS3 games will also mandate a huge, multi-gigabyte install process before you can play. And I wouldn't be surprise if GTAIV is one of those games. Blu-ray FTL.

And then there are the usual reasons like Xbox Live, the 360 controller being super-comfortable, etc.

bipolar beers

getting this on ps3. missing out on exclusive dlc wont keep me up at night tossing and turning. ill play this game but im not really super excited for it. id much rather play mgs4 resident evil 5 or a new ico game.

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