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Take-Two: GTA IV DLC "May" be Delayed
Microsoft reportedly paid a $50 million advance to secure Xbox 360-exclusive downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV, but months after the game's April release, its status is still foggy.
Take-Two chair Strauss Zelnick said during BMO Capital Markets' Interactive Entertainment Conference in New York on Thursday, "We have it planned for the end of the first [fiscal] quarter. It's close to being completed. That said, it may move into the second quarter depending on its completion date."
Rockstar Games' Dan Houser recently said that he's "not sure" if the DLC would arrive this year.
Zelnick added that the downloadable content is a "big undertaking. ... We're setting incredibly high standards for it."
Take-Two has high hopes for online distribution, which would create a direct relationship with consumers.
"Looking ahead, the biggest opportunity that we see for the industry as well as for us is downloadable content," Zelnick said. "We're excited about the creative opportunity, we're very excited about the profit potential."
Take-Two will be releasing downloadable content for BioShock PS3 next week. The company intends to actively explore digital distribution further, as well as focus on multiplayer networked gameplay.
In addition to the potential GTA IV DLC delay, Zelnick said GTA Chinatown Wars for DS was moved out of the first quarter "in order to provide a better launch and marketing window." It will ship in the first fiscal half."
The PC version of GTA IV is still on track for release early next month.
That’s fair enough; delays are sometimes part of the process.
Does anyone find in more worrying that Microsoft can pay Rockstar a lorry load of cash to get exclusive rights and make themselves a lorry cash when everyone snaps it up on Xbox Live. This only benefits Microsoft and it shouldn't I bought the PS3 GTA bundle in the summer, and it was one of the best purchase of the year. It saddens me that we won't be getting the DLC straight away.
I don't know how many units sold per console and to be honest I don't really care. What really concerns me is the fact that both Xbox and PS consumers have equally fronted the cash in terms of getting GTA4 to where it is now and in also in that, it has aloud Rockstar to continue developing the games.
Xbox actually came late to this party. Back in the day it was DOS4GW then moved to Sony where is stayed until the GTA SA where the Xbox got its own version. So with all this in minds I would say that it's Rockstar duty to act as impartially as they can.
Considering Sony has "bought up" developers and made exclusive deals for years, there is no room to say that it is unfair for microsoft to do the same. Platform loyalty should have nothing to do with it. Microsoft paid for a product and they should get it. It is that simple. Gamers bought GTA 4. The didn't buy GTA 4 + DLC. The eventual DLC was incentive. The DLC will eventually come to ps3, just later. I don't think there is any room to complain.