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.
