Tuesday 17 February 2009

Is GTA 4 PC Lost and Damned?

So with the release of GTA 4: The Lost and Damned just passed on the 13th February 2009 I wonder whether the content will stay exclusive or whether it will eventually pass onto the PS3 and PC. Recently Microsoft seem to be buying up these exclusive DLCs which is basically a huge tactical marketing tool. They say you get all this extra content by having a 360 and then get the extra money through the sale of the consoles. However it seems a little harsh to leave the PS3 and PC out from the DLC. After all we bought the game just as everyone else did (well apart from the pirates that is). So is it really fair to presume that by Microsoft limiting the DLC to only one console they are in effect tunneling people to their one console. The PS3 is still in it's early stages rather much comparable to a baby at the minute. It is just starting to learn how to walk and pick up its pace in the gaming industry.

We PC Gamers do seem to get the DLC occasionally that the consoles get however not all the time. Again what is it that makes us as a platform different to the PS3 or the 360? After all we all pay for the game in the first place and we all would pay for the DLC if they were to provide it.

This all actually leads onto whether the Lost and Damned would be released on the PC and PS3. I read that GTA 4 is getting sold and traded in by people due to having finished it and the lack of things to do round Liberty City once it is complete. Sure you could go on the multiplayer but even that has only a certain amount of time before that too gets a little tedious. So reading from people's posts on the Computer and Video Games (CVG) website it seems that people would be willing to go back to Liberty City if they had the Lost and Damned DLC. After all it adds a fair few hours to the game and changes a few aspects such as the style and story, guns etc. Surely this move would create even more revenue for Rockstar and also increase the second hand market with people buying back their copies of GTA 4 having sold them on due to finishing them.

In all a good move by Microsoft for snapping up the exclusive content but as I said it is not overly fair on the thousands of other gamers and it could seem like Microsoft and Rockstar are punishing for not owning a Xbox 360. I would contact Rockstar to see if they could comment as to whether the Lost and Damned will be coming to the PS3 and PC in the future but I do not have any direct contact details for them. Thus meaning I would just get through to customer support.

You can read the review produced by CVG for the Lost and Damned out now on the Xbox 360 here.

The lengthy post: You might ask as to why I did a huge post today. This is largely due to not posting yesterday. Something which I am deeply sorry about. I had a Parish Council meeting to attend and by the time I got back and had dinner there was little time left for me to write to the blog.

Other news:

Last night Criterion Games, developers of the brilliant Burnout Paradise announced that they will be releasing the Legendary Cars DLC for the PS3 on Thursday 19th February 2009. As you might be able to tell only two days time! They also announced the following:

"PC players will need to be a little more patient. We'll announce the release data for PC Legendary Cars in the near future."

Once company then that will not be ignoring the PC for DLC!

AJ

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I still haven't got around to buying GTA IV. I keep saying 'next time we go to Morrisons', but still haven't been there yet.

As for the DLC, I can see the PC getting it eventually. They didn't announce that the PC version was coming at all, for quite a long time. They probably want to make as much money as they can before giving it us for free. :D
PS3 is another matter though...

AJB123644 said...

Ahh well depending on your rig I would suggest not getting it unless you are at least running the recommended specs. I am just above the required and it refuses to run properly to the extent I have given up and left it until I get a new rig.

Haha good point! Rate things are going though sounds like we PC Gamers might finally have to start paying to DLC. A shame it is not free yes but I suppose at the end of the day if it is cheaper and you want it then I would get it anyway.

Anonymous said...

Don't worry, I've been paying close attention. ;)

My PC is just over the recommended. I know it won't look brilliant, bit I think I'll be fine.

AJB123644 said...

Ahh awesome. It should look alright. My version did not look too bad on the bits you could see so yours should be pretty damn good!