GTA IV freezing up; PS3 fix suggests deleting data, starting over [update]

218 Comments by James Ransom-Wiley Apr 29th 2008 1:45PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360

Numerous reports of a game-freezing bug in the PlayStation 3 version of Grand Theft Auto IV have been appearing on websites and forum threads today. (Anecdotal evidence suggests that only 60GB units have been affected.) While Rockstar has yet to release an official statement addressing the potential defect, at least one PlayStation.com Forums poster has reported a successful fix:

"I had this same [lockup] problem so I called Rockstar. The lady on the phone told me to erase the game data (the original install and the game saves) and then start over. I did what she told me to do and the freezing problem went away."

Anyone reading experience this problem? Any luck fixing it?

Update: There are also reports that the Xbox 360 version is locking up, t~~hough we have yet to find a conclusive source (e.g., forum thread)~~ [here's a source!] -- or any suggestions for a fix (no game data to delete!). Any leads?

[Via PS3 Fanboy]

Check out all our coverage of Grand Theft Auto IV!

Tags: freezing, grand-theft-auto-iv, gtaiv, rockstar

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(Page 1) Reader Comments

peteH: Apr 29th 2008; 1:49PM

I'm sorry, but lol.

Platinum_Skeet: Apr 29th 2008; 2:23PM

So it was your fault for the delays PS3...

Interesting.... Interesting indeed...

Bleu: Apr 29th 2008; 2:46PM

Mines didn't freeze so I haven't experienced what others have. And the ps3 was not the cause it was that RROD death of 360. (I still got love for it though I wont completely bash it>)

dakkon08: Apr 29th 2008; 7:02PM

I've tried the alleged "fix" with my freezing 60GB PS3--no cigar...it freezes no matter how many times I reinstall.

dakkon08: Apr 29th 2008; 7:09PM

I've tried the alleged "fix" with my freezing 60GB PS3--no cigar...it freezes no matter how many times I reinstall.

Lp47PS3: Apr 29th 2008; 11:29PM

I played GTA 4 for about 7 hours today on my 60gb PS3. There have been noe problems what so ever. My friend Ryan, also told me his 60gb was running superb. So I dont think this problem is affecting everyone.

superaktieboy: Apr 30th 2008; 4:16AM

yesterday finally got back from college and played bout 1 hour.. no problems.. then my little brother played it (don't ask why!!!) for 30 mins, no problems .. then i played from 9 to 11 (both online and offline) and had no problems at all.. this all on 60GB version!!

james silky baws: Apr 30th 2008; 4:14PM

i have 60gb no problems with freezing or anything absolutely perfect game again from rockstars woooohoooo 10/10

Ninjakamster: Apr 29th 2008; 1:49PM

Damn, and the 60gb is the one I really want to get! : (

Guess I'll have to wait until the new reprinted copies are available, not like I can play it for two weeks anyways, damn finals.

Eric: Apr 29th 2008; 1:49PM

Boy thats a joke. Imagine if you where like 95% though the game.

Phranctoast: Apr 29th 2008; 2:14PM

game data is different than save data.

John McPoop: Apr 29th 2008; 2:20PM

yeah from what I have seen you delete the install not the actual save data

Go White Sox and Go other Team: Apr 29th 2008; 2:26PM

The freezing issue that is popping up on BOTH the 360 and 60GB are ONLY around the 1st cutscene, so if you are 95% done, you will be WAY past the 1st cutscene.

FOXHOUND: Apr 30th 2008; 7:54AM

It only seemed to be at the very beginning(opening credits)when it occurs on most of the 60GB versions. The freezing is more of an approximate "1.5sec pause" at most; but still easily noticible.

Deleting the GAME file *does* work, you don't need to delete the SAVE file; and lastly -- after roughly 2-3 missions in the game(if you opt to play through without deleting the game file), the random 'freezing' ceases.

Might've been a bad burn/pressing to disc or odd video codec trouble... who knows. I'd love to hear from RockStar eventually about the fix for it though and if anything else has come up on either version. I'd hate to progress through the entire thing, only to lose a save file or worse -- the whole damned hard drive getting corrupted.

Chris: Apr 29th 2008; 1:51PM

I have a 60gb PS3 and haven't encountered this issue.

Matt B: Apr 29th 2008; 8:20PM

Me too and no issues. I feel bad for the few having issues.

March 07 60GB PS3 here.

Chris: Apr 30th 2008; 7:41PM

Hey look, another Chris w/ a 60GB PS3 w/ no freezing issues. Makes me think of the multi-verse. One of our doubles is having a lot of trouble, I'll bet.

hans: May 1st 2008; 7:55PM

i have freezing problems too :( even when i started the game "in the first minute" my game blocked and i had to restart my ps3...

Kyle: Apr 29th 2008; 1:51PM

If in 12 hours you were 95% through I feel like you would deserve a parade of sorts.

Marty: Apr 29th 2008; 1:54PM

I'd cal lit a waste of money! Take your time and enjoy the damn game already!

LaughingTarget: Apr 29th 2008; 1:55PM

I'd just commend him for not killing a single hooker or going on a single rampage, those two bastards take up most of the time.

By the way, why you not playing? For that matter, why am I not playing?

Marty: Apr 29th 2008; 2:42PM

...because I'm at work. :(

Kyle: Apr 29th 2008; 2:43PM

me too....

And I did the midnight release so I got a solid 2 hours of game play in.....I need to leave work now!

Mr.ESC: Apr 29th 2008; 4:30PM

I have a ton of work too.

Hey but I rather have a ton of work than don't having any work at all.

Raikage (LDF CRAB BATTLE!!!): Apr 29th 2008; 8:38PM

I'm not playing now because I'm a loser and bought a Wii. While I don't really mean that... I kinda do...

Also, Have you ever been so sick you can't even play a video game? Yeah me neither, but I am, and that's the biggest reason I'm not at a friend's house playing it right now.

Russell: Apr 29th 2008; 1:54PM

you think rockstar would have tested it to make sure it worked... but no

Marty: Apr 29th 2008; 1:54PM

If all those rumors about the PS3 version being the cause for the game's delay are true, this kinda makes you wonder what the heck they spent all that time doing, huh?

When I read the first half of the title, I just assumed it would be a 360 problem... and I'm glad it's not. The last thing the 360 needs is a technical issue with a major release like GTA4.

HighFiveJesus: Apr 29th 2008; 1:57PM

http://kotaku.com/385183/rockstar-support-no-gta-freeze-fix-in-sight

They are. They just neglected to mention it in this article.
"problems with the game on both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360"
"The man told me that the problem is apparently only effecting the 60 GB version of the Playstation 3"
"He also said that the Xbox 360 is having the "exact same problem," which has further stumped their tech folks."

mietha CAG: Apr 29th 2008; 2:06PM

And yet the only person to supposedly claim that is a R* csr. Since they, admittedly, have no fucking clue what they are talking about, I'm going to guess this is a PS3 only problem. NO ONE is quicker to bitch than 360 fanboys (well, ok, MMO players, but still). IF there were a problem, ANY problem, with the 360 version, it would be all over the interweb by now, unless it is late in the game, and no one has gotten to it yet.

HighFiveJesus: Apr 29th 2008; 2:12PM

That, and the plenty of people on the forums who bought the 360 version of the game.

E.J.: Apr 29th 2008; 2:33PM

Yep, I have the 360 version. The game freezes while playing multiplayer and single. The freezing actually made me go to bed instead of continuing with helicopter wars with my friends.

Zoesch: Apr 29th 2008; 3:18PM

The issue is not the PS3 since the 360 is also exhibiting the same bug.

Gavin: Apr 29th 2008; 1:54PM

It wouldn't surprise me if the 60GB model is the culprit here. That's what happened with Assassin's creed (at least amongst my group of friends). more anti-early adopter antics... yay for me :(

LaughingTarget: Apr 29th 2008; 1:57PM

I don't think it is a 60gb isolation, Assassin's Creed froze regularly on my 40gb before the patch.

gates: Apr 29th 2008; 1:55PM

I love how fing biased joystiq is. PS3 has a small bug and you make a headline about it.

I have yet to see you report on how the PS3 version is the one with better graphics.

Of course if the 360 had better graphics, you would've already reported it. I'm sick of your antiSony bias...get the f over it.

Fernando Rocker: Apr 29th 2008; 1:56PM

Well, the 360 version has better resolution (720p).

HighFiveJesus: Apr 29th 2008; 1:58PM

and yet everyone pretty much agreed it is the better looking/performing of the two.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo): Apr 29th 2008; 1:59PM

baaaaw stop crying.

And I'm sure you'd have no problem with the article if it was bashing the 360 instead of the ps3.

Fernando Rocker: Apr 29th 2008; 1:59PM

Well... it should perform better. It has less raw data to process.

Joe: Apr 29th 2008; 2:00PM

If PS3 were the version with the better graphics I'm sure they would have stated so.

Chase: Apr 29th 2008; 2:01PM

Waa waa! Does baby want his bottle?

DangerMouse: Apr 29th 2008; 2:02PM

whaaaaaaa, u made fun of my fwavowite system whaaaaaaaa

Seriously though, this post helps people having problems, and you're bitching at them? The fact you're in denial because a post such as this puts your system that mommy bought you in a bad light over the fact that there's actual problems with this game is amazing. See a shrink. Now.

HighFiveJesus: Apr 29th 2008; 2:02PM

but the 360 version doesn't, and i am not sure why. the article i read said they went through other measures to get the ps3 looking fabulous and it didn't require as many lines of resolution apparently. less is more i guess.

FrankTheCrank: Apr 29th 2008; 2:03PM

Pop-ups! *cough*

Fernando Rocker: Apr 29th 2008; 2:05PM

Frank

"Less" pop-ups... PS3 version has pop up too. Just like every other GTA in the series.

FrankTheCrank: Apr 29th 2008; 2:09PM

why haz 360 pop ups more than pS3? inferior hardware?

U know what's coming next;
"Slew of RROD's reported due to heavy GTA IV usage."

Go White Sox and Go other Team: Apr 29th 2008; 2:10PM

What I find funny is Joystiq failed to mention that this freezing issue exists with the 360 as well as the PS3, ironic that Joystiq can bitch about fanboys yet consistently issues fanboyish comments or purposely leaves out the SAME issues with the 360.

60GB here, and no freezing.

John McPoop: Apr 29th 2008; 2:12PM

@Fernando

Actually the PS3 version does not have any pop in issues at all ... At least from a anecdotal evidence stand point I can say this ... The 360 version has a few more graphical hiccups than the PS3 version ... It would appear the PS3 version has a freezing bug the 360 version doesn't though ... Oh well ... BTW 640p & 720p are identical to the naked eye

Go White Sox and Go other Team: Apr 29th 2008; 2:13PM

"Well, the 360 version has better resolution (720p)."

So when a building pops up out of nowhere you can see more detail right?

HighFiveJesus: Apr 29th 2008; 2:13PM

thats what i tried to explain, but i think fanboys are just writing me off, or covering their ears and going lalalala because this article didn't mention it, and its a chance to act stupid.

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