Rockstar: Only GTA IV on Xbox has 'complete experience'

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jul 26th 2007 at 12:15PM }

A Rockstar representative tells GamesRadar that there is no advantage to owning the PS3 version of Grand Theft Auto IV over Xbox 360. He says they are identical games, and then you can almost hear the slap, "But I guess if you want the complete experience with the episodes, then yeah, you should buy the 360, I suppose." See what $50 million will get those Xbox kids? But remember, Microsoft is still going to charge for the extra content, so it's not like the core game is any different.

"Will the episodes ever see the light of day on the PS3?" is the real question. The word "exclusive" in the video game industry is almost as flexible as Alanis Morissette's use of the word "ironic." Exclusive, timed exclusive ... ironic, coincidence -- who knows what words mean anymore. As long as Sony offers up some cash, we think they could get the episodes too -- you know, if they did that sort of thing.

Tags: gtaiv, money, ps3, rockstar, xbox360

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

K2Valor @ Jul 26th 2007 12:19PM

PS3 got pwnt!

Tony @ Jul 26th 2007 3:40PM

Both format's retail games deliver the 'complete' experience as far as gamers are concerned at the game's launch and for a fair few months beyond that.

However, come March 2008 Xbox people get to pay for bonus stuff that wasn't on the original disk.

Phil Harrison says there's exclusive stuff he can't yet divulge, heading to PS3. Yet again it's only what we'd normally classify as 'bonus' stuff I'm sure. The core experience will remain the same...i.e: 'complete'.

peteyH @ Jul 26th 2007 12:20PM

Hahaha. It feels good inside.

jimy @ Jul 26th 2007 12:47PM

I must add on to your amusement with some more ha's

hahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 26th 2007 12:21PM

SWEET

OMG someone is going to report me now...I can feel it. And before the sony trolls start bashing me let me point out this is a MULTIPLATFORM game therefore I have a RIGHT to comment on it since its coming to the 360.

With that being said...

Thank You Rockstar and I can't wait for October...

Rare Hare @ Jul 26th 2007 3:35PM

What happens when one gets reported, anyway? Does Joystiq send you an e-mail that says "No! BAD JonnyBoy2U! That's a VERY BAD JonnyBoy2U!"

Or what?

borland502 @ Jul 26th 2007 4:48PM

You think that constantly sinking to half a heart would be enough. But there is a reason you are getting that "extra content" m'boy: Cold, hard, cash. And why did MS pay them extra?

It's because of the early reports that this would be the first game to exceed the limits of the no-Hard Drive, DVD standard, 360. MS didn't like where those stories were heading, so they paid Rockstar to add content and make it go away.

I'd crow less about the content, and wonder more why MS had to bribe Rockstar.

Shagittarius @ Jul 26th 2007 12:22PM

Downloadable expansions and expansions in general don't hold the allure for me that they use to. Honestly the experience of the base product is usually more than enough for me. The market is so crowded with great games I want to play I can hardly justify spending the time on what is essentially more of the same.

The difference for me will be if I can win trophies for my house in Home on the PS3.

Crono @ Jul 26th 2007 2:59PM

Can we count this argument as "Well, GTAIV sucked anyway"?

josh @ Jul 26th 2007 3:01PM

Why would this make a difference - have you even played Home yet? Maybe it won't be fun. Are you a Second Life fan? That's the only demographic I can really see being so excited for Home.

Azorean @ Jul 26th 2007 6:17PM

I hate when ppl say that they don't care about DLC or expansions! You don't care because your not getting it on the PS3 plain and simple but if you were you would be throwing it in ppl's face's! And fake trophies for a fake house in fake world is the reason to get the game? I would much rather get achievements that way I can actually compare my points to those of my friends which will be different unlike trophies which everyone who plays the same game will have most of the same trophies.

manic @ Jul 26th 2007 12:22PM

Didn't Phil Harrison mention the PS3 will get something in regards with GTA IV?

Either way, I don't care - I would only get the episodic content if it was free.

Stef Geiger @ Jul 26th 2007 12:27PM

Well then, if I'm worried about there not being enough content, now I know which version to get.

Come on people, the game will probably provide like 90 hours of play - how desperate are people going to be for even MORE content?

IlyaG @ Jul 26th 2007 3:06PM

This is the next generation. All games, except RPGs, are no more than 8 hours long.

On a serious note... when was the last time you played Grand Theft Auto? Those games can be completed in one weekend if you just follow all the mission instructions and don't get distracted by going off on your own to blow up random shit.

Kizzle @ Jul 26th 2007 12:28PM

Sony fails

vidGuy @ Jul 26th 2007 12:28PM

Now that's funny. I'm sure we'll see tons of pro-Sony comments here say that they don't care about the exclusive episodes, that it's the "core" game that matters, but what do you think they'd be saying if the tables were turned? "OmG Xsux got pwned! PS3 is so worth $600 so that you can get these episodes!"

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 26th 2007 12:29PM

ZOMG I'm actually going to give you a heart for that...

Just for speaking the truth.

Stevo @ Jul 26th 2007 12:29PM

Pretty much. It's funny to think that this game used to be a timed exclusive for Sony...how things have changed.

vidGuy @ Jul 26th 2007 12:30PM

Wow, Shaggi and manic made me a social commentator rather than a prognosticator. Bummer they were so quick with the predictable comments.

blooh @ Jul 26th 2007 12:31PM

10 year cycle 10 year cycle 10 year cycle

(lol)

though I'm in the same boat as most of you, the core game will probably be plenty of hours for me, and the episodes will probably cost more than I'm willing to part with (i'm cheap)

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 26th 2007 12:34PM

It really depends whats in them. Has it been confirmed that we'll have to pay for them?

Either way I don't mind. Just curious if we're assuming that its going to be a pay to see type of thing or whether for once we'll be getting something for *gasps* free from MS...lol.

And my last question is will the game be on one disc for the 360 or several you think like Blue Dragon? Once again I have no problems switching between disc but its something I'd like to know.

borland502 @ Jul 26th 2007 5:01PM

True, you will see a lot of pro-Sony comments akin to what you described. Hell, I posted a rebuttal earlier dismissing the importance of this content. I think I'm right, but that doesn't make it true.

However, comments like yours make me think of a man in a glass house throwing stones at another man in a glass house throwing stones. You fail to admit that 360 fans would go and behave the same way. I know that's true, or you wouldn't need to make the observation.

So join in the flames that swirl around geeks that love gadgets. But for the love of Bill Gates, you have no more moral superiority than any other console supporter. Of course we Sony folks will say extra content doesn't matter, and you will persist in the delusion that MSG4 doesn't matter, FFXIII doesn't matter, and that the RRoD doesn't matter, etc.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo faithful are like Christians that just realized that they aren't Lion-bait anymore.
"Heeeey, we're the in crowd now! Let's get our oppression on."

Brad Lee @ Jul 26th 2007 12:30PM

"A Rockstar representative tells GamesRadar that there is no advantage to owning the PS3 version of Grand Theft Auto IV over Xbox 360"

I guess Bluray really isn't necessary huh?

Ali @ Jul 26th 2007 12:32PM

WOW it is truly amazing what you can get for $50 million eh?

Waits as this turns into yet another fanboy war.

marcandrer @ Jul 26th 2007 12:33PM

OMG PS3 PWN!! yeah lets pay more money for a couple crappy quest !

machrc @ Jul 26th 2007 12:34PM

gosh if I was a ps3 pwnter I would be pretty pissed.

all the xtra money spent, staring at a machine = to the sexb0x360

all that blu-ray space that have enough storage to hold all region games(yeah like any developer would hold off and wait til they encode every regional language before release) and no extended missions/storyline after the initial experience is over.. makes you feel good today one the favorite console you own today buys out mofos with lots of moneys to keep the fanboism brewing.

Konny @ Jul 26th 2007 12:36PM

Its not like you are going to get this extra content for free. By the time you finish paying for the game and downloads it will be a $100 game.. basically, you get the option of buying more content.

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 26th 2007 12:38PM

And it drives you insane that I along with many others aren't cheap losers and will gladly buy it right?

Its a win win situation. Very few things in life are free.

Burritoclock @ Jul 26th 2007 12:48PM

Well I already paid off my preorder of the special edition, so I imagine it will cost quite a bit more than $100 when it's all said and done. Do I care? No.

If Rock Band delivers on their promise of DLC then that game alone could be in the multiple hundreds, and if they deliver on the experience I expect, then I will look forward to handing them my money.

vidGuy @ Jul 26th 2007 12:57PM

$100 is too much for a game that you will be playing for god-knows-how-many hours, yet $600 is perfectly fine for a console? It cracks me up when the main argument from PS3 owners was that everyone else was too poor to buy one.

Konny @ Jul 26th 2007 1:29PM

I never said $100 was too much for a game.. but, people are acting as if the 360 version contains the content from the get go for the same price.

You have to (1) wait 6 months and (2) pay for it.. which negates a lot of the value in having an exclusive; esp. one in which MS paid $50 million for.

This would have FAR more impact if the content was ready at launch and was available for free. All they can do in terms of marketing is put a sticker on it saying: (buy) EXTRA CONTENT! ... (available in approximately 6 months)

Heck, they could have created their own GTA clone for $50 million.

License to ill @ Jul 26th 2007 1:52PM

Jonnyboyu you may not be cheap, but you are most definitely a LOSER...

xx JPRacer xx @ Jul 26th 2007 12:36PM

At $50 millions for 2 episodes I'm sure they are not timed exclusive. If they are this will be for at least 3 years.

dsub @ Jul 26th 2007 12:36PM

I will gladly pay money for the extra content, only because I have a pretty good feeling that for $50 Million it will be well worth it. $50 million is more than it cost to develop the entire game, so I'm sure any extra content that we will see will at AT LEAST another 40 hours of gameplay, not to mention probably new areas, cars, etc.

Autopsy15 @ Jul 26th 2007 1:34PM

40 hours? Yeah right. Most GAMES don't even last 12 hours. With that "episodic" content you will probably get some new cars, 5 new missions, and a new suit for him to wear. 40 hours...that's just ludicrous.

baef @ Jul 26th 2007 1:42PM

Autopsy15, you obviously have never played a GTA game...

Autopsy15 @ Jul 26th 2007 1:58PM

And, you have obviously never downloaded extra content.
It's never that great. It's some extra cars, suits, missions, and maybe an extra hooker or two.

Jack of No Trades @ Jul 26th 2007 12:37PM

We all should just smash our PS3's into the ground? Those yeller belly son's of bitchs at Rockstar are fiddlin with ours emothions.

CocoButta @ Jul 26th 2007 1:57PM

HAHAHAHAHA
SONY = OWNED!!!

REUYL @ Jul 26th 2007 1:58PM

Fiddling? Naw, they took the Emotion engine out already.

k0sm0s @ Jul 26th 2007 12:38PM

and thus, another war is sparked by this post

Nando @ Jul 27th 2007 3:35AM

I don't see no war, just a bunch of kids arguing over a stupid thing.

Digi Smalls @ Jul 26th 2007 12:39PM

will the brandboy cheerleaders on both sides please go away.

a cheaper, and better way to play GTAIV and all the multiplatform games is going to be a very uphill battle for PS3's handful of exclusives to compete with this year.

Sony gave up two years to microsoft, not one.

but we know what Sony has planned for 08, but suspiciously we don't know what microsoft has in store.

.

FM @ Jul 26th 2007 3:01PM

I agree 100%. Everyone should be celebrating anyway.

alexy @ Jul 26th 2007 12:41PM

hahaha check this out...

www.n4g.com/NewsCom-54522.aspx

salt on wounds anyone?!

N-Zero @ Jul 26th 2007 12:44PM

Dang thats a slap. But really people bag on the PS3 alot and I want it to do good. I admit that I am a nintendo fanboy but I also have a PS3 and an Xbox and since I have all three I want them to do good. Of course I want the Wii to do better than the other systems and to come out on top, but I also want the other consoles to do good as well. Competition makes better games come from companies to win our hearts folks and to make us buy their systems. And I want this to continue because without competition I don't think we would be where we are today. I hope the PS3 picks up some pace this holiday though to at leastgive the other consoles a run for their money.

chenry @ Jul 26th 2007 12:44PM

I won't laugh at PS3 until I know what the content is, and how much it costs. Could be we end up paying for a new radio station, or a new car. Whoopie.

razer @ Jul 26th 2007 12:47PM

Has this whole $50 mil thing ever been really confirmed? Even from your own article Joystiq you say...

"Many news outlets are reporting that this revenue came from Microsoft to secure exclusive rights to these content packs, but this is not explicitly confirmed in the conference call or any other sources we could find."

I wonder.. But then again who needs facts right?

JonnyBoy2U @ Jul 26th 2007 12:51PM

It was in some article a while back. I dunno if its a "fact" persay but it did happen.

MS gave Rockstar 50 mil...for what no one honestly knows except for the good execs at Rockstar and MS.

However even IF its true I don't care. Money makes things happen. MS understands this and they did what they felt they had to do. And I think it was a great business move.

So in this case Joystiq actually acted right.