GTA IV multiplayer hit by viral zombie outbreak

by Randy Nelson { Oct 23rd 2008 at 8:22PM }

Today's earlier rumor about a viral outbreak in Grand Theft Auto IV has borne fruit – icky, decaying, zombie fruit. It turns out that the zombie apocalypse has come to Liberty City, but not in the form of DLC. It's a tweak that's been made to the game's multiplayer modes just in time for Halloween.

According to a news update on the Rockstar Social Club site, a virus introduced into the game world turns players into zombies (or at least bestows them with the zombie skin) and "can be contracted in any and all multiplayer modes and is spread when an unsuspecting player kills someone who has the infection." The post also mentions that signs of infection include gaining access to the zombie skin in multiplayer or earning the "Let Sleeping Rockstars Lie" Achievement (on 360).

The Social Club site has been updated with a new community feature that lets registered users check to see if they've been "infected," as well as access US and world maps displaying the spread of the "disease." We've contacted Rockstar on the off chance they're willing to spill some details on how long we'll be riding out this outbreak.

Tags: breakingnews, grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-iv, gta, gta4, gtaiv, multiplayer, zombies

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

syrik zero @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:31PM

That's awesome! If I wasn't surrounded by the walking/crawling dead in Dead Space I would go check it out

Titanium_Orchid @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:32PM

Wow, this is definitely not what I thought it would be. Hopefully the DLC will still have some kind of massive zombie outbreak.

Also, I thought the zombie skin was one of the first unlock able things in multi player.

I am a machineee @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:19PM

It is, it was the only skin I would use for awhile.

Makes me wonder if citizens get infected too? Or else it's just lame.

WoW did this yesterday with better success I'd say.

Conor @ Oct 24th 2008 7:55AM

Yeah,I've had a zombie skin in GTA IV for a while now?

Anyways...I never really got into the multiplayer aspect of the game....I never thought it was that good to be honest.

j.howlett @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:40PM

i can never sign into the social club, i hit log in and the thing just spins forever.

forestofdeath @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:43PM

ugh, no more undead banana hammocks. -__-

I am a machineee @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:20PM

Dude! That's the best, you and a Speedo buddy hop on a scooter and take out people up and down the street, it's an awesome site to behold.

I am a machineee @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:20PM

*sight

Solid Warri0r @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:56PM

Hmm.. my standing says "infected"

peepoop @ Oct 23rd 2008 8:59PM

Weren't there some "infected" right when the game came out? I remember reading stories about it...

SuperGayParade @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:07PM

yup. it is not new. i had the skin since day 1

Seroth @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:21PM

...so this isn't a new gametype or anything is it? Just some zombie skins? Lame...though I guess it's good news since I won't be needing to renew my Xbox Live subscription...

Malkara @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:37PM

We just want to eat your brains!

Ben @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:37PM

Heya, Tom' it’s Bob from the office down the hall
Good to see you, buddy; how’ve you been?
Thing have been OK for me except that I’m a zombie now
I really wish you’d let us in
I think I speak for all of us when I say I understand
Why you folks might hesitate to submit to our demand
But here’s an FYI: you’re all gonna die screaming

All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re not unreasonable; I mean, no one’s gonna eat your eyes
All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re at an impasse here; maybe we should compromise:
If you open up the doors
We’ll all come inside and eat your brains

I don’t want to nitpick, Tom, but is this really your plan?
To spend your whole life locked inside a mall?
Maybe that’s OK for now but someday you’ll be out of food and guns
And then you’ll have to make the call
I’m not surprised to see you haven’t thought it through enough
You never had the head for all that bigger picture stuff
But, Tom, that’s what I do, and I plan on eating you slowly

All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re not unreasonable; I mean, no one’s gonna eat your eyes
All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re at an impasse here; maybe we should compromise:
If you open up the doors
We’ll all come inside and eat your brains

I’d like to help you, Tom, in any way I can
I sure appreciate the way you’re working with me
I’m not a monster, Tom...well, technically, I am
I guess I am

I’ve got another meeting, Tom; maybe we could wrap it up
I know we’ll get to common ground somehow
Meanwhile I’ll report back to my colleagues who were chewing on the doors
I guess we’ll table this for now
I’m glad to see you take constructive criticism well
Thank you for your time; I know we’re all busy as hell
And we’ll put this thing to bed
When I bash your head open

All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re not unreasonable; I mean, no one’s gonna eat your eyes
All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re at an impasse here; maybe we should compromise:
If you open up the doors
We’ll all come inside and eat your brains

MowDownJoe @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:55PM

I think Ben wins this one.

Just Mr ESC. @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:58PM

Beat me to it although I have been posting the same exact thing in every zombie related story.

Bravo sir.

"All you gonna die Screaming"

"ALL we want to DO is EAT your BRAAIIINS!!"

deaftly @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:32PM

yup, internets over for tonight guys

Paulmichael @ Oct 24th 2008 3:45PM

Where is this coming from? I am confused.

dievel01 @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:33PM

Heya, Tom' it’s Bob from the office down the hall

Amoveo @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:06PM

Good to see you buddy, how’ve you been?
Thing have been OK for me except that I’m a zombie now

Just Mr ESC. @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:00PM

I really wish you’d let us in
I think I speak for all of us when I say...

Cccoooommboooo breeeaaakkeeer.

Jay900 @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:34PM

brains!!!!!!!

Mixaboy @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:38PM

All we want to do is eat your brains
We’re not unreasonable; I mean, no one’s gonna eat your eyes.

Michael Baran @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:35PM

BRAINS!

Michael Baran @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:36PM

Were at an impasse here

hoodoo @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:35PM

All we wanna do is eat your brains
Were not unreasonable,
I mean no-one's gonna eat your eyes
All we wanna do is eat your brains
Were at an impasse here,
Maybe we should compromise.
If you open up the door,
We'll all come inside and eat your brains.

matt @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:37PM

Heya Tom, it’s Bob from the office down the hall
Good to see you buddy, how’ve you been?
Thing have been OK for me except that I’m a zombie now
I really wish you’d let us in
I think I speak for all of us when I say I understand
Why you folks might hesitate to submit to our demand
But here’s an FYI: you’re all gonna die screaming

caserb @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:47PM

So wait, when I go to Rockstar Social Club it claims that I'm infected (That's why the icon shows up saying "INFECTED" right?!) - but when I go to multiplayer mode...do I just not have a zombie skin? I've gotten the Rockstar achievement, so I guess I must be a non-naked-able zombie, right?

Monkeydog @ Oct 23rd 2008 9:56PM

Anyone else realizing how serious this is?

First WoW, now GTA IV? What is next, Spore? Miis? Scrabble?

I'm afraid this may spread into the real world. God help us.

Wei @ Oct 24th 2008 10:02AM

The zombies have been around for a while, I thought. I have not played GTA4 online in a while, but I know I had the zombie skin with-in a couple weeks of the game coming out...

FSK405K @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:38PM

So since I already have the Rockstars Lie achievement, I'm likely to already be infected? .....oh ya, I've had the zombie skin available for multiplayer practically since I got the game. So how is this different on Halloween than the rest of the year?

j.howlett @ Oct 23rd 2008 10:44PM

last year in resistance multiplayer there were skeletons around halloween instead of humans. i heard other games had similar themes with character skins and game types

Just Mr ESC. @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:04PM

Guildwars season events are just plain awesome.

The game story might be meh but the seasonal events kick ass.

Eric @ Oct 23rd 2008 11:13PM

That's awesome, they should change to name to GTZVI for the time being.

Snowblind @ Oct 24th 2008 5:59AM

Is it worth pointing out that Saints Row already did this? What are they going to steal next? ;)

While I was very impressed with the story of GTA IV, I found the gameplay to be very lackluster, I haven't touched the game since finishing the main story, and I don't really care to go back. The DLC is going to have to be mighty impressive to win me over.