Hot rumors are flying out of D.I.C.E. tonight after the Wired interview with corporate VP of Microsoft Game Studios, Shane Kim, went live on Thursday evening. Early in the interview Kim discussed the upcoming launch of Grand Theft Auto IV telling interviewer Chris Kohler, "making sure that we own the launch of Grand Theft Auto IV from a platform perspective is really important." At first glance that comment, and the subsequent explanation of the exclusive content on the Xbox 360, seemed like a typical bullet point listing that is better reserved for the back of a retail box.
However, according to the folks at Xbox Family Microsoft is taking steps to secure a successful Xbox 360 launch of the latest GTA title. Word around the campfire is Microsoft will offer free downloadable content to those who pre-order the Xbox 360 version of GTAIV and purchase their copies on launch day. The content in question isn't specified, but if this rumor turns out to be valid it would be interesting to see what would be given away. While the rumor isn't substantiated, the PR spin behind it makes sense. Offer an extended experience to gamers the day of release and it makes the PlayStation 3 version seem incomplete. But seriously, if this whole thing turns out to be about Gamer Pictures ... somebody's gonna get-a hurt real bad.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
2-09-2008 @ 11:04AM
agelgamer said...
Russell Peters FTW!!! LMAO I love that routine.
Extra free content is always a good thing. However, I think it's going to be a little more than just a gamerpic if MS really wants to kill the PS3 release.
KILL IT!
Reply
2-10-2008 @ 2:01AM
Xav de Matos said...
I was hoping someone would catch the reference!
2-09-2008 @ 11:09AM
Matt said...
Love the idea, but the key thing will be getting that out to the masses via some kind of marketing blitz. Have to get to the general public that would be making a choice between the two systems.
Reply
2-09-2008 @ 11:28AM
Heretic said...
Gamer Pics are the new stamps, only without value.
Collect them. I've only bought like 2 packs, but I have sooooooooooooooooooo many free ones.
Reply
2-10-2008 @ 2:00AM
Xav de Matos said...
Sadly. I own quite a few of them. You basically have no choice when you only have 80-100 points left on your account... at least that's what I tell myself to sleep at night.
2-09-2008 @ 11:31AM
LesbianHam said...
I hate his hands in this pic..
Bump/normal mapping is great, but it looks like there's no actual texture..
Reply
2-09-2008 @ 12:19PM
ryan said...
do you like...man hands?
2-09-2008 @ 12:12PM
Anthology said...
Most likely free theme/gamerpics. Though the free theme/pics thats out now is very nice, so i dont really need a replacement.
Reply
2-09-2008 @ 12:17PM
CharleyTony said...
since the game was delayed, maybe one of the episodic contents is ready to ship... MS did "buy" it from rockstar...
maybe this means it will be free ..
they did spend about 50 million bucks for exclusive rights to 2 episodic content packs... (which probably covered all of GTA 4's dev costs)
Reply
2-10-2008 @ 1:59AM
Xav de Matos said...
Good theories. We discuss the same thing during this weeks Fancast. Stay tuned for the show!
2-09-2008 @ 2:21PM
Ozzpot said...
What do they mean by "pre-order" though? Pre-order where? I buy almost everything from Amazon, usually order it a month or two before release, but that doesn't seem to count as a pre-order. Are they talking about high street retailers? Is there ever any list of which retailers participate in such things? Burnout Paradise was the last one to do this. "Free downloadable car with pre-order!". But where? My friend ordered from Amazon, a few weeks before release, and got no such content. I pre-ordered from Game's online store and did. But where's the information to tell people this?
Reply
2-10-2008 @ 1:58AM
Xav de Matos said...
The few details are as much as anyone is talking right now. Remember this is still safely at Rumor Camp.
2-09-2008 @ 2:36PM
EmptyEnergy said...
Wonder exactly how they will verify it is a preoder as well. I picked up mine from Target, so I get a GTA IV system wrap, but now I will get free DLC? Nice!
Reply
2-09-2008 @ 9:12PM
tyler said...
Wow thats cool and yesterday i decided to go pre order the CE of GTA Cant fuckin wait this jus adds to the fun Thanks guys
Reply
2-09-2008 @ 9:54PM
BowserUSC said...
3rd avenue is on the east side so it would never intersect west 49th street but east 49th.
Reply
2-10-2008 @ 1:57AM
Xav de Matos said...
I've never lived in Liberty City, so I'll have to take your word for it.
2-10-2008 @ 9:46AM
BowserUSC said...
Oh its fun. You just have to remember to lock your doors when driving and where the nearest health is.
2-10-2008 @ 10:00AM
Andy D said...
Yeah, I wonder how they are going to verify - I've had my copy paid in full over at Lion Games since the summer
Reply
2-11-2008 @ 11:31AM
WeHasFanboys said...
let's see, i have both 360 and ps3...
i'm gonna buy the ps3 version to spite you. spite you all!
i love both systems, but m$ is only doing this because they have, :ahem: "something" to worry about.
Reply
2-14-2008 @ 5:41PM
Mogul218 said...
Maybe it will be like the initial shipment of Crackdown that had the Halo 3 beta key?
Reply