Did Microsoft Blow $50 Million?

JhawkFootball06 - 338 days 9 hours ago

This DLC is not worth 50 million

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chaosatom - 338 days 8 hours ago

/

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PimpHandHappy - 338 days 8 hours ago

your wrong

it was worth every penny to have EVERY magazine and website saying the 360 GTA was the one to get because of DLC!

THATS A FACT

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f789790 - 338 days 6 hours ago

I'll take the game any day over DLC.

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tatotiburon - 338 days 6 hours ago

according to IGN: "Downloadable content is about to get a major kick in the ass. The release of GTA IV: The Lost and Damned on February 17 is going to change the way people think about DLC"

"While The Lost & Damned features the same gameplay mechanics and storytelling style of GTA IV, it is as close to a full new game as I've seen for "add-on content." "

The game will have huge sales and probably outsold any full retail game this firts semester...so yes it worth it.

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IzKyD1331 - 338 days 6 hours ago

Everyone with an Arcade 360 can't buy it anyway cause they're missing a hard drive, everyone lacking an Xbox Live Gold membership can't buy it, all the casual GTA fans won't buy it, even a large number of hardcore GTA fans won't shell out 20 bucks for 10 hours of gameplay.......case and point, one of the stupidest moves Microsoft made in 2008.
50 million can get you like 3 exclusives, but no, spend it on DLC for a game everyone stopped playing a freaking year ago

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Rhoic - 338 days 5 hours ago

Why did tato get so many disagrees? No one responded to him or even told him why. Are people seriously that biased? This is more than just DLC. In fact, this is what DLC should be. This adds 10-20 hours of a new story, new weapons, vehicles, etc. for $19.99. That's more than what you get from a retail game. In every category.

Also, there's still another DLC in the works for the Xbox 360.

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navyguy21 - 338 days 5 hours ago

For the last time, it that 50 million was a LOAN that MS made to Rockstar!!!! and conditions of that LOAN were to provided the 2 expansions as form of repayment. if the 2 expansions combined dont make 50million, then rockstar has to REPAY microsoft the difference, if it exceeds 50million (which it will) then after the 50million, the standard fee (70% developer/30% Microsoft) applies. Microsoft didnt blow anything because they didnt stand to lose a dime!!!

http://www.edge-online.com/...

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Fat Bastard - 338 days 4 hours ago

They did stand to lose a dime. I read the article you posted and basically Microsoft paid $50 million to make the DLC exclusive. Microsoft will start making 30% of whatever DLC sells, but that won't even come close to making up for what they spent. Rockstar isn't giving Microsoft the first $50 million they make. Basically Rockstar may end up with close to $80 million dollars because of this deal, and Microsoft will have lost like $40 million.

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navyguy21 - 338 days 4 hours ago

read the article again, it clearly states "If revenues don't meet that figure, Take-Two will have to return some of the advance" then it goes on to say "What Microsoft did was pay a $50 million advance," he said, much in the same way a big-name author receives a payment in advance of his or her next book.

In other words, Microsoft is confident that Take-Two's portion of the revenue generated by GTA IV content downloads will surpass the $50 million advance paid.

"Microsoft basically said that it's happy to pay [Take-Two] in advance $50 million in revenue that [Take-Two] is going to receive from GTA IV downloads," he said.

Microsoft takes about a 30 percent cut from Xbox Live Marketplace content sales, according to Pachter.

Taking that 70/30 split (publisher/Microsoft) and the $50 million advance into account, Microsoft is apparently confident that GTA IV download revenues over Xbox Live will be at least $70 million." So AFTER the 50mil, the regular fee applies.

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BattleAxe - 338 days 3 hours ago

Microsoft Blows.................50 million dollars

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JOEdANGEL - 338 days 3 hours ago

You keep saying DLC like its a piddly little thing. The truth is, these days, most game "expansions" are arriving via download. This isn't an extra map or some horse armor for crying out loud, its a full fledged expansion. Just because you obtain it by downloading it, doesn't change that fact.

As for $50 million being worth it? I guess we'll have to wait and see.

Personally, I wish Microsoft hadn't done that, seeing as how i have the PS3 version.

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jammy_70 - 337 days 22 hours ago

the fact is its boring and i cant really see anybody wanting to go back to it and for ps3 owners killzone 2 just kills it!

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barom - 337 days 22 hours ago

I believe the 50$ million is not just for the DLC but to make it go multiplatform. A wise move from MS even if it doesn't seem so atm. GTA IV would've been a huge system seller for Sony had it been a PS3 exclusive. Even if most of us think it was disappointing, it was with no doubt one of the most anticpated if not the most anticpated game for all consoles. MS paying even 50$ million dollars for DLC would even give consumers a big incentive to buy their version, thereby neutralizing any potential PS3 buyers.

Of course it turned out (in the US anyway) that GTA IV was not the system seller everyone thought it was (either that or people who wanted it already bought a console). Nevertheless I think MS was successful in neutralizing PS3 sales, I mean how many 360 owners would've bought a PS3 to play GTA IV (before knowing how the actual product was). I think quite a few especially if Sony would've bundled them like they did MGS4 (which on a sidenote proved to be a big system seller).

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gaffyh - 337 days 22 hours ago

Completely not worth it, I don't want to buy and play DLC for a sh*t game. MS could have used that money to fund a game at Killzone 2's level, but no they got rid of Ensemble instead.

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Saint Sony - 337 days 22 hours ago

Can't wait for this. Lucky I have both consoles, I can laugh to people at Killzone2 multiplayer (and story, thanks to mediocre AI) and relax with GTA4 DLC. Good to be gamer.

ps. This DLC will easily bring the 50 million back. 360 userbase and GTA4 player base is enormous.

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gaffyh - 337 days 21 hours ago

@Saint Sony - Welcome to 2 years ago, KZ2 had bad AI because it was in Pre-Beta, all journalists have now said that the AI is fantastic. Also everyone who's played KZ1 say it had a very good story, so I don't see how KZ2 can be worse?

Are you TheMart's bastard Child?

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YonasJonas - 337 days 21 hours ago

@Saint Sony- Just from a quick read back of your fanboyish comments I'd say you don't own a Ps3. I do however own both, and I could care less about GTA4 let alone dlc. Killzone 2 however is most likely going to take up a lot of my time this year.

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Saint Sony - 337 days 20 hours ago

Again you Gaffyh know what all the media in this world writes.

How about:

Cons:
- no co-op
- sometimes not natural scripts (again :)
- mediocre AI

One of the first reviews that has come so far states already mediocre AI.

Denial is bad for you.

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skimming - 337 days 19 hours ago

My understanding is that the $50 mil is guarentee money that MS put up for delivering DLC.

Proceeds from DLC sales will go first to MS until the $50 mil is "repaid" and then any leftovers will go to R*. This spans both episodes.

This arrangement minimizes risk for R* and maximizes value for MS.

MS did not give free money to R*. They did provide a free loan and some risk assumption though; it does mean that MS will promote the hell out of it so they can get their money back. A $1 in marketing will directly net them $x (hopefully x>1) in return meaning that they'll do their best.

And it ends up being a great deal for R* and MS as they don't have to cut the retailers and other distribution costs in the revenue stream (saving to estimate about 35%).

More indication of future game distribution patterns.

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Nineball2112 - 337 days 18 hours ago

This might have been a way for Microsoft to try and "push" the concept of digital downloads.

That's what this is basically. A full game that people are buying and they only way to get it is with a DD.

Maybe this wasn't the entire purpose of this, but it does help get more people accustom to the idea of buying games without having the hard copy of it.

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s droid - 337 days 18 hours ago

although the money could've funded a new i.p, i think microsoft were more concerned with the game going ps3 exclusive, hence the large sum for mere expansions.

if it had gone sony exclusive, it would've cost microsoft alot more than $50 mil in the long run. if some of the members on here looked at it that way, instead of looking at it from the usual fanboy perspective, there would be no need for these silly non-news threads.

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gaffyh - 337 days 17 hours ago

@Saint Sony - Ok lol I'll admit I'm a little too liberal with the use of the word "everyone", but that's just because of where I grew up, the word is used pretty liberally and means "most people", but I don't expect you to understand this dialectical difference, so I apologise. But you constantly go on about having a PS3, so why don't you wait and play KZ2 before you judge it.

Personally i'd rather have the game earlier than wait until they implement co-op, which could easily be implemented via downloadable patch (but i doubt they will bother). Anyway i don't see how anyone could compare having GTA4 DLC, with having a new exclusive for 360 with KZ2 production qualities? There's something seriously wrong with you if you don't want more great games to play, but rather play an old crappy game. BTW I have the 360 version of GTA4, but I will not be buying the DLC, for a couple of reasons

1. It's too expensive, $20 for DLC?
2. GTA4 was one of the biggest disappointments ever, why would I go back to playing that POS, but all the xbox fanboys will disagree with this statement because the game has DLC on their console. The same way if KZ2 was on their console exclusively they would be singing it's praises endlessly. Gotta love that hypocrisy. But PS3 fanboys do it as well, so I don't blame you.

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lessthanmarcus - 337 days 15 hours ago

interesting situation. I bought GTAIV for PS3 knowing it would get DLC on the 360. I also bought Fallout 3 but for the 360 knowing it would get DLC. Probably did that knowing GTA DLC would suck

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KRUSSIDULL - 337 days 14 hours ago

Well they will make about 5 million back by sales so they only wasted 45 million ;)

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JHUX - 337 days 12 hours ago

Personally Microsoft should have used that money for another exclusive game, seeing how a lot of the hardcore gtafans (or exhardcore gtafans I should say), probably won't be as interested as they were after playing the game itself. I personally have no interest, and not because I'm a fanboy, due to the fact that GTAIV was the biggest disappointment in 08(for me). And no, I am not a fanboy, that is my opinion, and think the money would of been very well spent elsewhere (new exclusive game), especially now looking at the line up this year for Microsoft compared to Sony. There are so many other games coming out this year (many is actually an understatement) that I would much rather play than DLC.

And Saint Sony If you read that stuff about the "mediocre AI", then you would know it was a bad translation and was "average AI", talking about your friendly's, not the enemy AI. Also the developer played it on Normal. It amazes me how biased you are, yet have that many bubbles, then the fact you call other people fanboys is laughable. When you state other people are jealous, look how you come off about KZ2, very funny.

^^My Opinion^^.

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jessupj - 337 days 8 hours ago

A lot of sources say Killzone 2's budget is around the 40 - 45 million mark.

Would you rather and completely new IP in the same calibur of quality as Killzonw 2

OR

So my question to you guys. Would you rather this add on for an old game?

Hit agree for killzone 2 and disagree for the add on. (but anyone that disagrees in my opinion has no sense of reality and has the worst taste in gaming or just a fanboy)

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 9 hours ago

They paid $50,000,000 for DLC. Stop and think for a moment. Okay now what did Sony do with $50,000,000

Protip: It starts with K ends with 2.

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rucky - 338 days 8 hours ago

How hard it is to click at the link man. There's actually two sides arguing and giving their well thought out insights in the article.

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pwnsause - 338 days 8 hours ago

$50,000,000 could of kept studios like Ensemble and Bungie as Microsoft First party my friend, heck they could of opened a new studio, or make a 1/2nd party game.

$50,000,000. think about that... Games such as KZ2 and MGS4 costed almost this much to make.

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Nick212004 - 338 days 8 hours ago

Thank You

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njr - 338 days 8 hours ago

GOOD point. Why invest 50 million over DLC when you can have a studio create a whole game? 2.5 million people would have to buy it just for it to reach a revenue of 50 million. No wonder the expansion is $20.

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Homicide - 338 days 7 hours ago

They paid for extra content for one of the biggest franchies in gaming today. That's not a waste.

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Rhoic - 338 days 5 hours ago

@njr

GTA IV: The Lost & Damned is twice as long as Killzone 2's story and comes with a LOT of add-ons.

@pwnsauce

MS hired about 70% of Ensemble Studios into their own in-house dev teams. They also created about 3 other Halo dev teams from members of Bungie.

@everyone

They didn't pay $50 million for 1 DLC, they paid for 2. Which equates to 20-40 hours of extra story, a LOT of content, and possibly an entire new area to explore. These DLC add-ons (which could be considered full games for that matter) are on the level of WoW expansions in offering content. Not ONLY that, but Microsoft payed for ALL of this. Meaning? Rockstar probably knows that Microsoft will heavily support any major title they release and will possibly lean more towards the 360 for DLC, exclusives, etc.

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 4 hours ago

Haha Rhoic, how gullable are you. Rockstar also stated GTA4 would be 100 hours long. Learn to read between the lines.

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BRG9000 - 338 days 8 hours ago

Agreeing with your first paragraph Nathan, not the second.

As the article discusses, it's important to consider a lot more than how much revenue these two DLCs is going to make Microsoft. Even if they make $10 per sale, it's unlikely they'll take in 50 mil from this. But the exclusivity probably swayed a lot of people to buy the game for 360 over PS3. It probably even played a factor in some people's minds when they were deciding which console to buy for GTA4. Whether it was worth it could be debated into the ground, but it's about far more than just selling these two DLC episodes.

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BrianC6234 - 338 days 8 hours ago

This isn't a good time to say $50 million is nothing to Microsoft. Sure it's something. They're laying off thousands of employees. If they could get that money back maybe they could save at least some of those jobs.

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rko_kero - 338 days 8 hours ago

@ BRG9000,

You dont have to own GTA4 to buy the DLC.

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StayHigh - 338 days 8 hours ago

"50 Million Dollars is literally nothing to Microsoft"

wow such a stupid statement you xboxfanboys dont know the value of a dollar that why you guys end up with an poorly made system.

I don't care how much money Microsoft have because if you dont spend it wisely it be gone in a blink of a eye..The rich stay richer by being smart with the money..

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Clopsy - 338 days 7 hours ago

@StayHigh

Actually look at the person's name and history. Notice his name is Nathan Drake. That first gives a sign that he is not a 360 fanboy. He actually isn't even a ps3 fanboy either. He is simply stating that Microsoft has thrown away tons of money before. Such as his examples.

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IronAva - 338 days 7 hours ago

I do not think the 50 million was just for DLC. I think part of that was to sweeten the deal to get the game on the system. If you take a step back and think about it, Take 2 needs money and what better way to get it then to agree to a small(large) donation from Microsoft.

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Harryhit4 - 338 days 8 hours ago

Don't forget about the second DLC pack.

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SynGamer - 338 days 8 hours ago

I surprisingly think the DLC will sell well over time. Castle Crashers sold over a million i believe and it cost 1200 MS points ($15) and it only took a few hours to beat. The GTA IV DLC is adding roughly 12+ hours of story to play through...so i could see this selling well, over a million, but perhaps not quite the 2.5 that MS needs for it to break even. And that's assuming MS gets 100% of the profits from the DLC, which i don't think it is...

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NewZealander - 338 days 8 hours ago

i agree they blew alot of money on GTA, i would have liked to see that money go into getting some quality exclusive titles for 2009.

but there are people who still play GTA and are looking forward to the DLC, my brother is going to get it when it comes out, hes verry old skool when it comes to gameing, he plays what he wants and doesnt care if its AAA and he has absolutley no idea about fanboys or the crazy console wars that go on on the internet.

so i guess some people will be interested in the DLC, i was never a fan of the game so in my eyes it really is alot of cash thats mostly gone down the drain.

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GiantEnemyLobster - 338 days 6 hours ago

That $50 million helped secure the winning number of copies sold per console. Xbox 360 sold way more than ps3 (as usual).

People think that they are going to make up this money from the DLC. WRONG. The downloadable content could be free for all Microsoft cares, Rockstar are the ones who will be profiting from it.

The Lost and Damned: EXCLUSIVELY on Xbox 360.

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lokiroo420 - 338 days 4 hours ago

Your wrong gotscrabs, gamestop will be profiting of this dlc not MS, took too long sorry.

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Stubacca - 337 days 17 hours ago

I loved GTA. It was the very definition of log-lasting appeal. I was so excited I bought GTAIV at midnight ans enjoyed the hell outta it for about a week. Then it got weak. It lacked any longevity and that's what sucks.

Even this DLC couldn't save what anyone can see is a limited game. It's got some great ideas but for all the stuff they took out from San Andreas (customisation, jets, number of vehicles etc.), they shoulda made up for it with more things to do. I'm much more excited in a next-gen version of Vice City.

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GiantEnemyLobster - 337 days 12 hours ago

FAIL. Gamestop will be profiting from this? How so? Because they're selling the Lost and Damned download keys? That is pretty much just like a 1600 point MS card. I could go to walmart and buy that and then download it from Xbox Live. So explain to me again how Gamestop is profiting? idiot

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lokiroo420 - 334 days 15 hours ago

You need a disc to play the game you fvcking loser, how about keeping the name calling down when your lost in the dark.

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 8 hours ago

If they're doing it all, where are the 09 games Mart? Present them.

$50,000,000 Killzone 2

$50,000,000 GTA4 DLC.

Hmm.. I wonder. Who made the better investment.

$50,000,000 MAKES a game. Arrogant business move.

Good to see you're not in the Gamer Zone, you're just where you belong.

By the way, look at Microsoft's stocks, they're lower than Sony's, every company is losing money, you fool.

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SmokingMonkey - 338 days 7 hours ago

bitter sweet eh mart?

while we are playin KZ2 you have GTA4 dlc and a halo strategy game.

32 players online to boot, and Free and with NO FEAR of hardware failure

sales mean nothing unless you make the money right?

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Deadman64 - 338 days 6 hours ago

smoking Xbox 360 owners have been playing awesome games since 2005. The PS3 has basically been spotting this entire generation. It's not even funny how bad they need Killzone 2 to be a success, but it's not a gaurenteed hit like gears/halo.

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souljah - 338 days ago

people like you makes microsoft not losin money.for me , the xbotz means only one thing : DON`T DO LIKE THEM IN UR LIFE ! stop wastin money for a company that only thinks in profit and not even a damn bit in their gamers. peace out

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Patchstation 3 - 337 days 19 hours ago

And you think Sony cares more about gamers than profit? GET A CLUE!!!

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Monolith - 337 days 14 hours ago

lol you make me laugh, yea sony is in it for profit but atleast they put out tons of new IPs and outstanding games every year like killzone 2 with its incredible graphics, Microsoft is making a profit on halo, Gears and Halo and more DLC, sounds to me atleast Sony is looking out for its fans and not just spending money on Dumb sh1t like DLC, and putting out a faulty system expecting you to by another one because your Dumb @ss will, because mommy will spend that money on you, thanks MOMMY. Have fun gaming on the same games through out 2009 and 2010, While i play KIllzone, Heavy Rain, God of War, Infamous, Uncharted, and Damn theres just so many i cant even think of all of them becasue i keep laughing at you. loloolokoolijoihfgluerbluigeah rg

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Patchstation 3 - 337 days 11 hours ago

Hahahhaaaaa You are a moron. There is no need for me to argue with you. LOL.

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 8 hours ago

So you think fifty million dollars is justified when they could have made another halo, or a new IP instead of some DLC?

I think you want to replace everything you said with stupid Xbox fanboys.

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Deadman64 - 338 days 2 hours ago

Honestly if you hate microsoft/xbox whatever so much why do you care what they spend their money on? Get a life honestly.

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 2 hours ago

I never said I don't like Microsoft, I even own an Xbox 360, but stupidity is not justifiable.

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Obama - 338 days 7 hours ago

lol blur111 is a xbot,a big one at that. Nice to see xbots attacking each other.

And no, no one really cares about this crappy dlc really. Stop pretending that you are excited about this game XD.

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BLUR111 - 338 days 7 hours ago

Little N4G obama is mad at me
\
No guy I'm a gamer not a troll like you :)

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Obama - 338 days 7 hours ago

if you had voted for me I would consider giving you a chance to convert to a ps3 fan.

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vega75 - 338 days 7 hours ago

dude. i've leard don't waste your time and energy on jealous fanboys. you don't hear 360 owners complaining why? because we are getting DLC to extend the life of a game. yet they will spend money for idiotic DLC for LBP and it's ok, they will spend money in "Home" just to spruce up their virtual appartment and it's ok. but come here and complain because they aren't getting it. let them feel good for a while since KZ2 is coming out next month. i mean they will be the only ones buying it. if you know what i mean ;)

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Xbots play games - 338 days 7 hours ago

DAMN..Air1 aired the Gwhore out..LMAO!

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karlostomy - 338 days 5 hours ago

yep

gwhore:

It just ain't fair to be so reliably pwned by AIR.

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Graphics Whore - 338 days 5 hours ago

Haha, too bad I'm not a fanboy, I'll save your argument so when I smoke I can laugh at it with my buddies.

I don't care which system sells the best, and guess what the majority of people excluding Xbox Fanboy's don't care either, people go where the games go.

GTA4 DLC is not a game, and it will not make people buy an Xbox 360 for DLC.

Enjoy your "Ninja Blade" and "HALO:ODST" Xbox 360 only owners. I'm sure it will keep you more than occupied.

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Xbots play games - 338 days 7 hours ago

To be honest..I'm honestly honest when I keep it honest and say honest people don't like DLC..dishonest people attempting to be honest..end up proving they are dishonest fanboys attempting to prove their point by adding the word 'honest' into their post

Sposored by www.thehonesttruth.com

We'll see how excited people are when they buy the sh-t out of that boring DLC for $20 a pop...

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PoSTedUP - 338 days 4 hours ago

kilzone2 is going to be bananas!

but i still want to play L4d... so all i need now is a cheap graphics card : D

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