Rockstar: New 'GTA' Episode Is A Full Game, Not A 'Magic Hole'

Not calling it a "Grand Theft Auto" expansion; they're calling it a whole new game.

Rockstar Games gave MTV News a hands-on demonstration with "Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned" at the development studio's New York City headquarters yesterday.

"The Lost and Damned" is a $20 downloadable episode add-on to "GTA IV" - coming exclusively to the Xbox 360 on February 17 - that requires ownership of the "GTA IV" game disc.

How can they even suggest that it's a full game? Simple. Rockstar's vice president of product development, Jeronimo Barrera, told MTV News that the adventure could run some players as much as 20 hours and will have to be played over "several marathon sessions." It's not like other video game add-ons, he said. "This isn't a magic hole that opens up that's got some sh-- in it."

[thebudgetgamer]

while GTA IV lacked the fun factor of San Andreas its still from a technical standpoint one of the tightest playing games i have ever played in my 20 years as a gamer.

:)

[InMyOpinion]

Anyone who knows something about game programming realizes what an incredible achievement GTA IV is from a technical point of view.

[vhero]

From the sounds of it you have to repeat it several times over for longevity?? I have repetitive in games like GTA ruins it completly thats why it's open world. The missions after 1 playthrough are boring and the only fun thing is the open world.. honestly though they aint gonna come out and say its gonna be an extra few missions and a mini island. Best expansion dev is Criterion they won't ever be beaten after what they have done for Burnout Paradise all devs including Rockstar should learn from them how to make an expansion!

[Marquis_de_Sade]

Vhero, writing a whole new narrative that links in and overlaps with an existing one is totally different, and a lot more time consuming, than simply adding in the option to ride around on a bike. I'm not slating Criterion here, far from it, they are a quality development team, but it's not the same and not up for comparison.

[Graphics Whore]

Seems like alot of Fanboy's seem to think so, hopefully this will set them straight.

[Hiruma Youchi]

N4G fanboys dont think its a full game tho because its only On the X But Wipeout and other PSN titles are full game tho even if you gotta download them also.

[Graphics Whore]

1 fanboy down 999,999 to go.

[Bathyj]

How is Wipeout not a full game?

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

Good point... But I dont think expansion packs count as full games... Thats basically what this DLC is... An expansion pack

[Cajun Chicken]

GTAIV DLC is an expansion pack. Wipeout HD is a real game, you don't need any other disc you already own for Wipeout HD.

GTAIV DLC: LaD may be LIKE a full game, but its has more in common with the expansion pack for PC's Doom3: Ressurection of Evil; which requires the original game to play.

[Gantrfaxx]

I'm not buying it. I had enough of GTA4 last year.

[Danja]

So I guess...:

Socom : Confrontation
Burnout :Paradise City
Warhawk

aren't full games either because we can download them...

this DLC isn't a full game..it's an add-on..Expansion Pack...whether you wanna believe it or not....they are just saying this as pure PR stunt to get ppl interested in the game again since they know alot of ppl aren't too plz with GTA4 as a product

[Danja]

If this is a full game as R* says ..

Why do you need the original GTA4 game disc for it to be played..?

Expansion Pack...thats what it is....deal with it

[pippoppow]

So an expansion pack is on par with a full retail game now huh. It will probably be a good game especially for the price but please don't insult gamers intelligence. So I guess the next GTA game will be the same length, downloadable and require GTA4 to play it. Can't wait to hear the same nonsense from Bethesda. This has the stench of MS' marketing team all over it.

[callahan09]

Ridiculous comment, Haruchi. Of course WipeOut HD is a full game. It has full trophies including a platinum, which only "full games" get, other downloadable games like PixelJunk Eden don't get a platinum trophy, because they are not considered full games (although in my opinion Eden should've been considered a full game; even though it only costs 10 bucks, it is a meticulously designed game, wonderfully executed, sublime in presentation/graphics/music, has full leaderboards, online co-op, and a huge number of missions, it is actually significantly bigger a game than a lot of "full games" I have played). WipeOut HD has leaderboards, split-screen racing, online multiplayer, and a huge campaign.

GTA IV DLC is not a full game for one reason only: you have to own GTA IV in order to play it. Now, if you could download & play it without owning GTA IV, I'd say you can call it a full game. But that is not the case.

[Firstkn1ghT]

Being a GTA fan this puts a huge smile on my face!!!! :)

*awaits for jealous remarks*

[gambare]

I guess just you, many others traded the game a long time ago and will not buy it again for a DLC

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

*jealous remark*

o wait I have a 360 and GTA4 for it... Still not buying this PoS waste of money :-)

[Firstkn1ghT]

Yeah I guess you guys are right. I mean it only won the most GOTY awards and got an average of a ridiculous high 98% but other than, it sucks! :/

Seriously, what would of liked done better and what didn't you like about it? I thought the game was perfect in every way and loved every minute of it. Vice City is still my favorite but this is my second favorite.

[Bathyj]

If you really want to know knight, you can probably google lists with a couple thousand decent reasons.

GTA4 while it would be a good game if you were playing a sandbox game for the first time, its been fairly universally received as disappointing by gamers.

I dont give a damn what scores it got, the game was a regression for the series, not a progression which is what it should have been.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

ugh.. I didnt say I disliked GTA but DLC in general is not worth the asking price compared to what you get on the disc... Little Big Planet for example... £40 ish for the game and £10 for the DLC... So basically in theory I should get 1/4 of game worth of content... It doesnt work out like that... Instead you get a few outfits and a few levels... Hardly worth the asking price... (edit) oh and a paintball gun :-S

The same goes for this DLC... I dont see it offering anything that justifies the cost of the DLC... I just stick to the actual game :-)

Oh and the things wrong with GTA... Broken Cover system, lack of clothes in the store, no BF injection, planes?, no tanks,

matter of fact anything that wasnt in past games... It built upon past games (great engine the game was running on)... It was a good game... Just not a good GTA game

[Graphics Whore]

I doubt that firstknight plays games for more than 5 minutes at a time, why even try reasoning with him.

[Why dis]

You lucky SOB ;)

Improved graphics and game mechanics and all.

http://www.computerandvideo...
Dam you \o/

LOL AT *awaits for jealous remarks* for not caring about this as some say, it sure does get alot of attention and reaction for something no one cares about yet folks make it clear how dumb or pointless it is.

[Dark General]

I agree and disagree with you. The game certainly wasn't as bad as alot of people say it is. It was fun, the story was great (something i thought i'd never say about gta games period) and the cast of characters and voice acting was awesome. But as soon as i hit the missions for the mob the interest just dropped. It felt like a slag and the "same ole same ole". It damn there crippled the experience for me.

That and the few missions after you finally get to Darko damn there RUINED a excellent moment in gaming. I actually have to say having that meeting and subsequent decision on weather to kill him or not was one of the best moments i ever experienced in gaming. But adding on the standard "revenge" missions afterwards damn there killed that high point. It wasn't the best game and i have a hard time calling it a truly great game. But it definitely was NOT the "bad game" people call it.

[Danja]

Im wondering if you played the same GTA games last gen as I did..because..both Vice City and San Andreas had great stories..

not to mention ..really well done voice acting....

yes GTA4 was fun for about 2 weeks...but the online portion was what kept me playing after those 2 weeks...thanx mostly in part to GTA: Race.

Compared to what R* accomplished back on the PS2...GTA4 feels like a major step back in every way except Graphics....even the Soundtrack sucked ass...

and I dont see this Lost & Damned Expansion Pack...getting ne better

[Dark General]

The gta stories back in the day were "fun" stories. Not really thought provoking or anything like that. I didn't say they were bad, but they certainly wasn't mature. Mafia's storyline was mature and more thought out. GTA games back then was more like climbing the criminal ladder and dealing with a weird cast of characters. GTA4's story was more than just "climb the criminal ladder". The dialog was more than just "go smoke that fool for me and i'll pay you real good". Sure it had those type of missions but the other dialog and writing was so much more better. So much more mature.

Just think about when Niko talked to Faustines wife or conversations with Dwayne. Those types of scenes and dialog were never in previous gta's. Think about the subtly in which things was said. The situations. While i agree the depth in gameplay such as different fighting styles, additional side missions and missions wasn't as deep SA. But the story, the characters, the driving and dialog was incredible. The soundtrack wasn't as good but still had quite a few nice electronica songs (they had JUSTICE which is awesome).

It didn't have the replay value of the previous games as well. I didn't say it was the greatest game ever, but it still wasn't as bad as some people say.

[Danja]

ok I agree with you...GTA4 did have a more mature feel to it..and ur right....the story was more fleshed out in GTA4..but the game just didn't hold my attention like the other GTA games did

it's not a bad game by ne means , but this is the 1st GTA that many ppl have played that actually felt like a step back in s many ways..so you have to see why alot of ppl are so disappointed with the game..

and then when you had so many reviewers praising it like it was the second coming of Jesus only to play the game and ask urself what the hell were they smoking when they wrote there reviews..

The Soundtrack was a mess ..and overall the game is mediocre not good but not bad..

Edit: I wasn't the one who ignored yah....ur pretty cool in my book..and one of the best commenters on N4G...

[Dark General]

I can definitely agree with that sentiment. It wasn't as deep gameplay wise as San Andreas was and had quite the many features missing. But i don't think it wasn't as bad as some people say it was. Honestly i've never been a big gta fan. I usually would just play them at my friends house and do a few missions with them etc. I brought San Andreas and liked it alot. I honestly wasn't going to buy gta4 but i needed a game for my wait in between MGS4.

I was surprised by how good it turned out story wise and even some gameplay things (mostly the driving). But it was missing many a things that was in SA. Like you said a step back in features. And it lost most of it's replay value in lack of things to do in the city. I can definitely agree with those gripes. But i still don't think it was a bad or mediocre game. It surely wasn't that 98 average it has though.

And it seems i gained a new person who's ignoring me. Awesome *laughs*. Edit: I didn't think it was you. And thank you for the kind words, i didn't think anyone would i say was one of the best commentators on N4G. In fact i thought i was just one in the sea of many.

[I_LOVE_MYSELF]

I can not believe I have witnessed such a good debate on N4G with both sides taking in each others opinions and also being able to back up their own... You dont see that everyday on here

[Rhoic]

Vice City? Nuuu..

San Andreas? Yus. Plus it had a lot more content.

BUT. This doesn't mean that GTA IV is a bad game.. in fact, it's amazing. And yes, I expect this expansion/full game(since it has a completely different 10 hour story) to sell a lot.

[Unicron]

What I want to know is... if this DLC DOES have the much touted diversity in gameplay and options... why was none of that design sense placed into the highly repetitive and stifled GTA4 itself?

[DARK WITNESS]

well my thought on that would be this....

gta 4, they tried a new direction. in the end looking at the feedback from gamers i think its fair to say many didn't like the outcome of that so with the DLC they decided to add more and bring back a bit more of the old feel to it.

just my thoughts.

for me personally the game will not be complete till i can buy property. in gta 4, you just found yourself living in different places based off the story. you didn't really buy anywhere.

[Jazz4108]

My feeling is that the reason most ps3 owners dont like gta4 is that they feel the 360 version held the game back from what should have been a huge blueray game.

[Grandreaper9999]

It's a tacked on addition no matter what anyone says, compliments of Microsoft. Anyone in their right mind would've stopped playing GTA games after GTA 3. Yet somehow they reinvent the wheel with each beating of that tired old horse.

[ThatArtGuy]

Sorry, Vice City is my favorite. :P

[Danja]

yup..Vice City is my fave also....

edit: dis-agrees for stating my personal preference....lol

Lost & Damned will probably suck even more than GTA4 did...Happy now.??..lol...XD

[thebudgetgamer]

if you add the controls of IV in vice city i would pay 100$ for it

:)

[Grandreaper9999]

@Unicron

Because it was PROBABLY a part of the actual game until the dvd9 read "full". Easier to pack up the excess, and sell it for a hefty price. Can't remember the name of the game... but something like that happened already this gen.

[Johnny Jiron]

but Isn't GTA only like 6 gigs? Granted that only leave 3 gigs of space but with all the assets already in place this expansion (or whatever they wanna call it)could've easily fit in...tho probably only this one...

[Playa7970]

the game blows... i havent touched my copy since release...

[BrianC6234]

Yawn. They better rethink how you play GTA IV because that game was a yawner. It still is just DLC, not a full game though. Just hype. Hey, where's the media asking if this thing can save the 360?

[die_fiend]

The fact that the 360 is in 2nd is probably why the media aren't saying it needs saving.

[Helghast Slayer]

Can the GTA4 DLC save the xbox360?

Press "agree" if you disagree or

Press "disagree" if you agree

[Bathyj]

If anyone played this game right through and still loves it, by all means, get the DLC. Anyone else probably shouldn't/wont bother.

[die_fiend]

Wow, thanks for your wisdom. If I like something, buy more of it, if I don't, then don't buy it. Jesus, that's where all my money's gone! I kept buying loads of expensive things that I hated and just throwing them away! But now I know only to buy things that I like! Cheers mate, you've saved me a ton!

[Firstkn1ghT]

LMFAO!!!!!!

[Lord Shuhei Yoshida]

Riiight

Just like Crysis Warhead was not an expansion to Crysis.

It seems Rockstar is talking garbage after they made that garbage game GTA4.

Just like Devil May Cry 4 was garbage

Just like every other RPG released on the 360 is garbage

Notice this all happens when limited by the stagnant weakness of the 360

Coincidence? I think not

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Your so jealous it's like a blinking red light and siren, you are allways commenting in news about GTA IV dlc episodes.

[OSIRUSSS]

$20 hahaha !!!! damn, thats some funny Sh!t you got there R*.

[Dark General]

Ah i thought he was that crazy guy from the Dope deal gone wrong. I think playboy X referred to him as a skinhead. Sounds like a good deal of content.

[Cajun Chicken]

Oh yeah! Half those characters that died in GTAIV will probably be alive again!

[psiom]

hahaha...I love this.

They say it's a full game because it takes 20 hours? Man...that's what GTA is about! It's game where EVERYTHING takes longer than it should.

Want to travel accross town but not dump your sweet ride? No worries, spend 15 minutes driving there! Nevermind that all you really want to do is begin the mission, who cares? it's only 15 minutes...

And then it's an hour...

and then hours, and hours....and hours...of DEAD TIME.

I'm stuck at 40% in GTA. I just DO NOT HAVE THE TIME to continue any further into it. When I started playing it didn't matter because every bit of driving was fun and awesome. Then, not so much. After that, not at all. It's just a drag. Missions that start with a job interview at Mid Day that you have to arrange from an internet cafe.

WHY?!

I miss the days when games skipped the mundane and just gave you the good stuff. At least optionally FFS!

20 hours long in the expansion pack to me just smells of long distances, wasted time, and more of the same.

And no, taxis are not good enough.

/rant.

[JasonPC360PS3Wii]

Amazing how most of the time it's ^^^ PS3 fanboys in here, but none of them "care about this" :) Anyway I wanna see what the new grit is about.

[psiom]

oh sorry...I didn't realize I wasn't allowed to discuss upcoming games on this site. Care to share any thoughts on what I said? Or do you just want to stomp your feet about dissenting non 360 owners?

GTA4 is a game I want to love, but they have the change the way it's allowed to be played.

Would you feel better if I owned a 360? I will one day. Then maybe my opinion will be legitimate?

[princejb134]

how can you judge ps3 fanboys on this site from 360 fanboys
just because you liked this game and many others didn't, doesn't make it a great game
the game was very boring, at least for me it was

[YouNoob]

noobs wherever you look. yeah sure, one of the best selling videogames in history gets bashed by little kids who think they know everything about gaming. Well there were a few thousands complaining about GTA IV but what about those millions of gamers who didnt? exactly, we are the majority and know when we play a good game. It's technically a masterpiece and finally a sandbox game where it isnt all about behaving stupidly (like san andreas). the first GTA was great (most of you havent even been alive back then) but everything inbetween was just mediocre rubbish. GTA IV finally changed that.

btw i've been playing games for over 30 years now (started with Ataris Pong in 76), NOOBS!

Cant wait, great DLC (360 only obviously)!

[rimbreaker]

agent plang makes good points throughout his statement. I second his observations on the alleged gta game ( since it really wasn't at all up to standard....) :)

[nchizimbi]

This episodic GTA IV installment sounds good...I really want to be excited about it, but the problem is I am in the minority to access and get this content when it releases. There is no micro-transactions and Xbox LIVE in my location, which is Malawi, Africa. Being a developing country, the Internet here is still SLOW; therefore, no DLC. My hope is that maybe in the near future, probably after the second episode releases, Microsoft/Rockstar will do a DISC-based retail version of the episodic content; if they don’t then tough luck for me and others who are not privileged to get the GTA IV episode(s)

Simply put, being downloadable content, the number of people getting/playing this will be less than those were it a disc-based solution.

[peeps]

for a 'full game' its a shame you need the gta 4 disk to play else i'm sure it would sell a lot more. i mean some people will still have and play gta and want the dlc but i imagine some people could have got bored and traded it in at some point, but may now decide they want this dlc but don't wanna have to buy the game again. considering it is such a big component i don't understand why they couldn't make it a stand alone exclusive, and as mentioned even bringing out a disc version of it

[Jeebs]

Full game or not, I'd get it.
Being a PS3 owner, I'd have to buy an Xbox 360, then GTA IV again, then the Lost and Damned. And now that the Jasper chipset is starting to trickle out, it's never been a better time to buy a Xbox 360.

But funds are tight, and Hawaii sorta takes priority, so I'll wait till the next price drop to reassure best savings and more a chance of getting a Jasper.

Can't wait to play the game!!!

[poeo]

Rockstar getting c0cky? ("the word is not allowed: c0ck", LMAO)

they used to be classy :/

just call it what it is, DLC to a great game. there's no shame in that.

[pumpkinpunker]

what's up? why do they have to ruin ever 360 comments section? pretty lame. don't they have some games to play....oh wait, nevermind.

[Close_Second]

"don't they have some games to play....oh wait, nevermind."

That's right, there are no games to play on the PS3 just like 360 RROD is a myth.

[Close_Second]

...I would not download it anyway if it were on the PS3. I was extremely disappointed with how GTAIV looked. Sure it was an improvement over last gen but it still suffered from jaggies, noticeable draw distances and a framerate that did not remain a rock solid 30fps.

No doubt GTAIV looks best on a well spec'd PC but there is still one major factor that puts me off getting the DLC even if it were avaialble for PC and that is that GTAIV gameplay s**ked big hairy dogs balls.

Rockstar gets no more of my money until they can prove they can actually deliver next gen gameplay. I fell for the GTAIV hype and I won't fall for it again in the form of DLC or if and when GTAV emerges. The media may have directly resulted in GTAIV sales but it was word of mouth from gamers that provided the real low down on just how average GTAIV gameplay actually is.

[XDF]

Killzone 2 will be a great game (I will buy it day one), but what other Q1 PS3 exclusives are there?

X360 has Halo Wars, Star Ocean 4, Ninja Blade, Race Pro, Fallout 3 DLC and of course the GTA4 DLC.

Killzone will probably be my most anticipated game behinf SF4 and Resident Evil 5 but for the N4G PS3 fanboys that keep saying that 360 has no exclusive games in 2009 are smoking some good stuff.

Q1 Gaming Purchase:

X360: Halo Wars, FEAR 2, SF4, RE5, Star Ocean 4, GTA 4 DLC, Fallout 3 DLC, Afro Samurai

PS3: Killzone 2

Most Anticipated Games of 2009

1. COD 6
2. GOW3
3. Halo ODST
4. Mass Effect 2
5. Alan Wake

[Magic_The_Celt]

Lmfao, at least they can be honest

microsoft are calling the new Halo ODST a new game

bwahahahah its just a f*cking DLC, milking that cow dry :( let it die already

[Xbots play games]

'bwahahahah its just a f*cking DLC, milking that cow dry :( let it die already'

The irony of this statement..made by a guy who has sackboy in his avatar..but forgets that Litte big Planet is 'milking' every franchise it can for Downloadable content...statement should read:

'it's just f*cking DLC..like my favorite game LBP..milking that Metal Gear Solid cow dry : (let it die already)'

[kratos-i-am]

Pretty hyped about this as from what I gather, they will put some of the SA elements back into the series like gang warfare, weapon variety and maybe some more vehicles like cycles e.t.c? The only annoying part of the DLC is it's platform exclusive and I really wanted to get the PS3 version of GTA IV. Damn MS!

Mind you depending on the terms of the agreement which I believe allows MS to own the rights to "The Lost and Damned" pack itself. I wouldn't be surprised if MS decided to allow it to be multiplat to recoup the cost of the 50 million.

We are in a recession after all!

[Arsenal4Ever]

lol you need the GTAIV disc to play this. LOL expansion pack confirmed.

[XPC HARDonE]

if you liked GTA IV (a game that sold millions in record time that nobody on N4G seems to like) then you either can't wait for this to come out or don't care (some 360 and some PS3 owners) or are a little jealous (the apparently 5 PS3 owners who liked the game) I dont know if the PC is getting the content on Games for Windows. Which person are you? I liked GTAIV and I have a 360 so I will buy and play the game and most likely have fun. Something that many of you out there seem to have forgotten how to do.

[XPC HARDonE]

it's an add on or its not an add on

who cares

if you liked GTA IV (a game that sold millions in record time that nobody on N4G seems to like) then you either can't wait for this to come out or don't care (some 360 and some PS3 owners) or are a little jealous (the apparently 5 PS3 owners who liked the game) I dont know if the PC is getting the content on Games for Windows. Which person are you? I liked GTAIV and I have a 360 so I will buy and play the game and most likely have fun. Something that many of you out there seem to have forgotten how to do.

[LONEWOLF231]

There is a slight chance i wont buy it cause one i might still be playing the Fallout 3 DLC and two ill be eagerly wating for Killzone 2. So i wont have time for this and will only result in a waste of 1200 points.

[dustgavin]

It is nice for 360 owners that they have so much DLC to look forward to. Guess us Ps3 owners will have to stick to actual games.

[Rhoic]

How on Earth do you have so many bubbles? Every comment you post is just horribly fanboyish towards the 360.

[cruckel]

Liked "Sons of Anarchy". I wasn't going to get this, but since I love Motorcycles and Loved that tv, it caught my attention.

But i will admit, Micro$oft kills for this stuff, and will lead to their downfall, which should bother everyone. Even PS fanboys. Without Competition, there is no reason to improve.