GTA IV episodes delayed on PC/PS3

By Tom Bramwell Published 19 March, 2010

Sony asks for last-minute changes.

Rockstar has announced that The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony have been delayed on PC and PS3 due after Sony asked for some changes.

The two downloadable episodes, and the boxed Episodes from Liberty City version, will now be released on 13th April in North America and 16th April.

Related events, including Rockstar Social Club multiplayer sessions on PSN and Games for Windows Live, will now take place on 16th/17th April.

The official statement says the delay is "due to a last-minute game submission request from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to edit some of the in-game Liberty City radio station, television and internet content," although it doesn't say what specifically.

The tone of the post is a bit frustrated in places. "Unfortunately, with each round of changes comes fully re-testing the game and a full re-submission to PlayStation.

"This is the nature of the game submission process. Believe us, if we could expedite the turnaround any sooner - we would.

"We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans who've waited for it for so long in the first place."

Of course, the long wait was down to an exclusivity agreement with Microsoft that saw both episodes appear on Xbox 360 first - The Lost and Damned in February last year and Gay Tony in late October.

Check out our GTA IV: The Lost and Damned review, our Ballad of Gay Tony review and indeed our Episodes from Liberty City review to catch yourself up.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

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  • GamesConnoisseur #1 2 years ago

    Something to do with religious topical sensitivity perhaps?!

    Suprised but this is not the first time Sony had stepped in to change/remove content, thing to remember is that Sony may feels that they are either legally or morally required to do so.

  • iwantmynameuk #2 2 years ago

    God, Sony leaves things in their `To Do` pile longer than me...cripes
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 08:56

  • Darren #3 2 years ago

    Possibly a good thing anyway as I'd pre-ordered the PC version, mostly for the Ballad of Gay Tony, but I've so many games on the go at the moment that it would probably have been overlooked. Mid-April is a date that suits me much better as there's nothing much else out that month and by then hopefully I'll have a new graphics card that can finally max the game's draw distance out!

  • Aurain #4 2 years ago

    If they knew they were going to release these on PS3 and PC eventually anyway, why haven't they been doing the conversions and approvals during the 10 months between the 360 release?

    As for PS3 version delaying the PC one? That'll be due to licensing issues and potential deals with Sony about when it releases for PS3 and PC.

  • ChuckNorris #5 2 years ago

    Making it more presentable and thus less hilarious is a moronic thing to do with a game such as gta4! They surely won't be cutting and changin in-game content?

  • lucky_jim #6 2 years ago

    Whatever they're doing, it's unlikely to be an improvement (unless you're easily offended, in which case you'd have no business playing GTAIV anyway!)

  • nixc9 #7 2 years ago

    slightly off-topic: does anyone know if mid-mission checkpoints have been introduced in the original GTA IV PS3 version? I was kind of hoping they would introduce such a patch as a part of the DLC. I have been playing a bit of Lost-and-damned on the 360 and they were there... (only in the DLC missions though)

  • Zomoniac #8 2 years ago

    Probably removing the nudity from TLaD.

  • DonnieDarko333 #9 2 years ago

    Personally, i'm sick of Grand Theft Auto games now...unless Rockstar do something groundbreaking (again) with this series..i'll probably pass on future titles! Maybe leave the series on a high note or at least for a few years...

  • comissars_handgun #10 2 years ago

    @ Zomoniac

    No, it can't be the nudity, they said it was something to do with the TV and Radio Stations. I think the only new TV show in Gay Tony was Princess Robot Bubblegum, can't remember what was in Lost and the Damned. Maybe Princess Robot Bubblegum offended some anime fan at Sony?

  • bnazir #11 2 years ago

    Quite frankly R* can just feck off, it is they who sold out to MS and massively delayed their offering to the other platforms. I would not be surprised if this was Sony just being cynical and penalising them for being twats in the first place. So much disrespect to the fans, I hope very few buy the DLC on the PS3 at least!
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 09:16

  • macksed #12 2 years ago

    surely the discs are pressed?

  • thewool #13 2 years ago

    censorship is a m***********r

  • Moonprince #14 2 years ago

    "We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans who've waited for it for so long in the first place."

    oh do FO.

  • M_of_the_sys #15 2 years ago

    "We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans who've waited for it for so long in the first place."

    I've been waiting so long that I've lost interest. Don't blame Sony because you signed an exclusivity agreement.

  • X201 #16 2 years ago

    @macksed

    They'll probably patch out the content a la LBP, rather than recall any discs.

  • X201 #17 2 years ago

    Gives me an extra 15 days to finish Yakuza 3 \o/

  • markymark22 #18 2 years ago

    Ha the reason fans have been waiting so long is because microsoft got the cheque book out. No point in rockstar bitching about sony for the two weeks!

  • 00.00.01 #19 2 years ago

    Please CockStar, stop yer moaning and don't blame Sony. This is wot u get fer signin the deal with M$. If ye really wanted this oot for the fans the exclusivity deal should've been 30 days. Not 10 f%&*ng months. Greedy b@st@rds. Just.My.7.Cents.

    *spelling edit...*
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 09:47

  • StooMonster #20 2 years ago

    Sony Computer Entertainment Europe

    It's usually the Americans that go nuts over sex/nudity and drug references, or bad language, and are sensitive to religion.

    European censorship? It's bound to motivated by political correctness.

  • StooMonster #21 2 years ago

    thewool: censorship is a m***********r

    censorship is a melon-farmer

  • EugenesLair #22 2 years ago

    I hope it's not censorship, as Princess Robot Bubblegum is by far the funniest video I've ever seen.

    This is an episode on GTA Tony Gay's TV, worth the price of the game itself.

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=Xy-tH3Dh-hs
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=Xy-tH3Dh-hs
    [/link]
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 09:59

  • Murton #23 2 years ago

    "We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans who've waited for it for so long in the first place."

    Expansion packs to multiplatform games should never be exclusive in the first place. Nothing more to say really.

  • EugenesLair #24 2 years ago

    So if Microsoft gave you a lot of money, but you *shouldn't* take it ... you wouldn't?

  • mjlimpreza #25 2 years ago

    "due to a last-minute game submission request from Sony Computer Entertainment Europe to edit some of the in-game Liberty City radio station, television and internet content,"

    It doesn't actually say they're taking anything out, they may be even adding some content.

  • bad09 #26 2 years ago

    Oi! What's that got to do with PC?? Gits.

    Still no bother really got too much on already without the time sink of GTA. Episodes can wait a while.

  • Miths #27 2 years ago

    The radio stations were probably using pirated music from a Sony owned record label :p.

  • Mkwone #28 2 years ago

    in game sony advertising

  • oreillymj #29 2 years ago

    Epic MEH

  • alan_stealth #30 2 years ago

    its funny watching all the sony fans bitch and moan about exclusivity deals...when Sony did the same for GTA back in the PS2 days, and Xbox owners were left in the dark...and then the whole stupidity with the fact GTA4 was delayed by a whole year practically, but because there was a deal in place where they couldn't launch GTA on any other console before the Playstation, everyone else had to wait too.
    So don't cuss Rockstar for selling out - just when it doesn't suit your needs.
    So how about all you Playstation fanboys suck it.
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 10:27

  • tiny_Eggy #31 2 years ago

    "We are dying to get this game in the hands of fans who've waited for it for so long in the first place."

    The irony, it hurts.

  • laudy #32 2 years ago

    @ alan_stealth

    Many thanks for that, i needed cheering up this morning.

  • M_of_the_sys #33 2 years ago

    @EugenesLair

    "So if Microsoft gave you a lot of money, but you *shouldn't* take it ... you wouldn't?"

    Fair play to R* for taking the money. If it's helped them then great. Don't then go blaming someone else for a delayed release when the 10 months of not having the DLC will have cost them customers anyway. If the money MS paid them has covered the money they won't be making from the platforms this isn't released on then good on them.

    Like I said, personally I have lost interest. There are lots of games out at the moment that have my attention.
    Edited by 1 at 19/03/10 @ 11:04

  • sfp_noodle #34 2 years ago

    Rockstar need to stop getting frustrated at sony and instead look at themselves in thr mirror. sure MS paid them lots for the limited exclusivity, but did rockstar really need the extra cash in case sales ended up being bad? i think not. ive completed both episodes on 360 and all i can say to ps3 only owners is - ur in for a treat come april. at least it gives u mre time to finish all those amazing exclusives tht were released in march! :D

    *goes to play god of war 3*

  • infoxicated #35 2 years ago

    Wait? People are still playing GTA IV?

  • sneetch #36 2 years ago

    @EugenesLair
    I hope it's not censorship, as Princess Robot Bubblegum is by far the funniest video I've ever seen.

    This is an episode on GTA Tony Gay's TV, worth the price of the game itself.

    [link url=http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=Xy-tH3Dh-hs
    ]http://www .youtube.com/watch?v=Xy-tH3Dh-hs
    [/link]
    Edited 1 times, most recently on 19/03/10 @ 09:59

    Ok, I swore I wasn't going to bother with GTA IV any more but that is fantastic. :D

  • Slipstream #37 2 years ago

    I sure hope Sony aren't cutting content, if there was no issue with it previously I don't see why there would be now.
    and yes, even a sentence removal from one of the stations is cutting content, however menial.

  • laharl80 #38 2 years ago

    Please god let this mean custom soundtracks.

  • TheRankinator #39 2 years ago

    Amen to alan stealth, Sony Fanboys are the worst, they really do think ps3 > all and rate down anyone opposing. I don't know how much Microsoft offered rockstar, but I'm sure it was a lot and I (as many of you would) wouldve taken it! Perhaps the exclusivity was a little long, but im sure that was Microsofts choice...

  • nasanu #40 2 years ago

    As someone else said, it sounds like they are adding adds.

  • Duchessprozac #41 2 years ago

    I'm just glad I got these for the 360 if they're going to be censoring shit.

    And honestly,it was announced ages before the game came out there would be 2 360 exclusive DLCs. If you still went ahead and bought the game for the ps3 you have no right in moaning that you've had to wait, as it was you're own decision to skip the extra content.

  • thewool #42 2 years ago

    oh yes stoo, it farms melons...

    big juicy ripe ones - ones just like t**s :0)

  • Xeopuppy #43 2 years ago

    But why has it delayed the PC version, sony has no say in that...

  • laharl80 #44 2 years ago

    @alan_stealth
    The difference is Sony didn't bribe R*.Its a well known fact that Sony don't pay for exclusives.Now back to your masterchief love doll.

  • drxym #45 2 years ago

    Perhaps there is 360 advertising in the content that they want removed, or something denigrating their own platform. I doubt from previous games they give a toss about the actual content. Maybe someone who has the expansion knows what the problem might be.

  • alan_stealth #46 2 years ago

    microsoft didn't bribe them either.
    it's called a contract.
    the same type of contract sony had drawn up to guarantee the game wasn't released elsewhere until it was released on ps3 as well. and for libert city stories or whatever it was called on the PSP.
    And I guess Rockstar gave them that for free did they?
    The answer is no.

    So shut it you fool, I don't have no love for Microsoft but I do hate Sony.