Microsoft: “GTA IV Episodes Are Exclusive”
Despite rumours, the GTA IV expansion is not heading our way this year.Published 13/05/2009 at 9:00.
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It’s called the snowball effect. One site says something, another picks up on it and says something else and within an hour you’ve got a confirmed release date for GTA IV: The Lost And The Damned without anyone at Take-Two, Microsoft or even Sony having any idea themselves. The start of this was PSW magazine claiming that the motorbike-based expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV was only exclusive for 6 months, which led to other sites sticking 180 days onto that of the original release date and, well, the rest is (potted) history.
The truth is that Microsoft paid $25 million apiece for 2 exclusive content packs, which would only appear on the Xbox 360, and despite the magazine suggesting that the exclusivity deal expires in August and that the “content will arrive on the PS3 once the deal has run its course” Microsoft have flat out said to Gamespot that “the [GTAIV] episodes are exclusive to Xbox 360″ ruling out any chance of a port. Sony hasn’t replied on the subject, and Take-Two have just said the usual “No Comment.”
Interestingly, whilst this is the first we’ve heard of the so-called “6 month window”, Take-Two still haven’t, to our knowledge, divulged official concret sales figures for Xbox 360 sales of The Lost and The Damned, so we have no idea whether or not Microsoft simply paid too much for the episodes, and whilst the official line is “No” it’s clear that getting these episodic downloads on to as many platforms as possible would make the most financial sense. Whether that means on the PS3 and whether that means it’ll be in August we have to doubt. Here’s to E3, then.
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cc_star | 13/05/2009 09:22
Team TSA: Writer
12624 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
I thought they’d sold over 2,000,000 units of Lost & Damned
Paragonknight | 13/05/2009 14:20
Member
3 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Where did you get figure from?
DarthSharkey | 13/05/2009 09:37
Member
1058 TSA Points | Member since: Feb 2009
I wouldn’t download it unless it was better than GTAIV, the game was boring and the mobile phone was a pain.
wedgehog | 13/05/2009 19:58
Friendly
841 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
I think the mobile phone was a great idea.
Vandix | 13/05/2009 09:40
Member
1233 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
I think just because Microsoft says “It’s exclusive” it means it won’t come to the PS3.
If I where Microsoft I’d always say “It’s exclusive” even when it’s a timed exclusive. Because these statements can generate more sales of your console and games.
Just a question though, is the DLC also available on the PC or not?
Not that I care too much, haven’t played GTA since Vice City, but just trying to share my view on exclusivity. ;)
Vandix | 13/05/2009 09:42
Member
1233 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
damn, forgot to put in a word in the first line.
it should be
“it doesn’t mean it won’t come…”
AJ | 13/05/2009 21:53
Member
1824 TSA Points | Member since: Oct 2008
Ah, now that’s using your noggin.
Paragonknight | 13/05/2009 10:15
Member
3 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
I don’t have GTA IV anymore but I’m guessing the reason they haven’t released information on how many sales they have made is because they haven’t made that many?
Averna | 13/05/2009 10:25
Member
340 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
They didnt make their $25mill back, thats for damn sure. Stupid move to purchase dlc for that stupid amount of money anyway. I don’t like MS for their aggressive practices. They do it all the time.
Doesnt help that Sony have, up until now, been really slack when it comes to pushing their hardware this gen. I think the corporate ego was a little inflated due to the PS2.
Raen | 13/05/2009 11:08
Team TSA: Writer
4754 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
Not really a stupid amount on GTA DLC. They needed to sell 1.25 million copies of the DLC to break even, but assume more like 2 mil when you take into account Rockstars cut. Given the popularity of GTA as a brand I wouldn’t even call that a gamble.
colossalblue | 13/05/2009 12:32
Team TSA: Editor
2112 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
They almost certainly haven’t sold anywhere near enough copies to make their initial outlay back yet and, while it’s concievable that they will at some point in the future they will more than likely never break a profit when you consider the marketing budget, distribution costs and lack of impact on console sales or core software sales. There just aren’t enough copies of GTAIV on the 360 out there to make this worthwhile. Unless everyone that bought a copy of the game buys all the DLC at full price.
Raen | 13/05/2009 14:07
Team TSA: Writer
4754 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
Oh I’m not saying that the investment has paid off, more that in the context of making the investment on a game like GTA $25 million, given the thresholds that they need to reach, does not seem like a stupid decision. With hindsight it was a dumb call, but at the time they made the investment it actually looked like a pretty safe bet.
wedgehog | 13/05/2009 20:00
Friendly
841 TSA Points | Member since: Mar 2009
If Microsoft see something they can buy then they will whatever the cost. SONY seem to have a different attitude.
BryOnRye | 13/05/2009 10:36
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1036 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009
Wasn’t Bioshock a 100% microsoft exclusive when that first came out?
cc_star | 13/05/2009 11:23
Team TSA: Writer
12624 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
no
If you buy exclusivity, there is always an expiry date on it…what that date is though is never known into you hear from OFFICIAL sources otherwise
Triggerhappytel | 13/05/2009 11:33
Member
455 TSA Points | Member since: Apr 2009
“If you buy exclusivity, there is always an expiry date on it…”
Erm, unless in the terms of the contract it is stipulated that it is a permanent exclusive. Or they could just put something like the year 2099 on the terms.
I don’t think TLAD will be coming to PS3; I can’t see Microsoft playing this kind of money for a temporary exclusive! And even if it did come to PS3, it would probably be after the next DLC is out, otherwise it could harm potential future sales.
Dr.Ghettoblaster | 14/05/2009 03:55
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7 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
BryOnRye’s comment about Bioshocks “exclusiveness” is a PERFECT example of why Microsofts statement means absolutely NOTHING in the face of time.
Tuffcub | 13/05/2009 11:03
Team TSA: Writer
6097 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Right to summerise..
PSW CLAIM its coming out
Loads of Websites pick it up
Gamesport CLAIM to have spoken to MS and says its not.
TSA Picks it up and reports it as cold hard facts. Which it isnt.
I cant see how the Gamespot article can hold up to any more dissection than the PSW claim. No one has any solid proof either way.
Not that I care I hate GTA.
cc_star | 13/05/2009 11:30
Team TSA: Writer
12624 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
“TSA Picks it up and reports it as cold hard facts.
have you read the OP?
Tuffcub | 13/05/2009 11:33
Team TSA: Writer
6097 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
The heeadline states “NOT COMING TO PS3″ – sounds like a fact top me
Why is an alleged Microsft statement only released to Gamespot any better than PSW’s word?? TSA seems to think so.
Just playing devils advocate my dear :D
Tuffcub | 13/05/2009 11:36
Team TSA: Writer
6097 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
How about changing the headline to
“Gamespot claims to have spoke to MS and LnD is Exclusive to 360″.
That’s accurate.
nofi | 13/05/2009 11:38
Wants a custom tag.
5592 TSA Points | Member since: Forever
Fair enough.
montage | 13/05/2009 11:22
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12 TSA Points | Member since: Sep 2008
GTA4? Heh, I remember playing that.
X201 | 13/05/2009 11:33
Member
506 TSA Points | Member since: May 2009
“Street Fighter 2 exclusive to SNES”
/looks at Mega Drive version
“Viewtiful Joe exclusive to Gamecube”
/look at PS2 version
GTA:San Andreas only on PlayStation
/looks at Xbox Marketplace
The one thing I’ve learned more than any in my many years of video gaming is that the word “exclusive” counts for nothing.
The details of the GTAIV DLC contract have never been revealed, something that MS would certainly do if the DLC were “100% exclusive only on Xbox” material.
I’ve thought all along that it is a timed exclusive, and nothing has happened since the E3 announcement many moons ago to change my opinion.
Paragonknight | 13/05/2009 14:19
Member
3 TSA Points | Member since: Dec 2008
Correction, exclusives by 3rd party developers count for nothing.
Blue Heeler | 13/05/2009 12:29
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170 TSA Points | Member since: Jan 2009
Lazlow from Rockstar is a regular on The Opie & Anthony Show (Sirius/XM radio show based in New York) and was asked about the L&TD DLC coming to PS3 or not and he said, “Microsoft paid us to develop this content for their system, it won’t be on any other system.”
GTA4 only held my interest for about 2 weeks before I got bored of it…so DLC for the game is kind of moot for me.
Jas-n | 13/05/2009 12:49
Folding With TSA Co-ordinator.
3391 TSA Points | Member since: Aug 2008
Exactly wht i said in the forums, they paid for 2 Exclusive episdic content, any after that is multiplatform.