E3: Rockstar Confirms GTA IV For PS3/Xbox 2007 Launch

Following today's Microsoft pre-E3 press conference, in which Peter Moore rolled up his sleeve to show a supposed Grand Theft Auto IV tattoo, and revealed that the game will be shipping for Xbox 360 "on day one" of its debut next year, Rockstar has released a short press release clarifying its release plans. According to the release: "Rockstar Games... is proud to announce Grand Theft Auto IV, the next-generation console debut of the genre-defining Grand Theft Auto franchise. Developed by world-class designers Rockstar North, Grand Theft Auto IV will be simultaneously available for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and is currently planned to be in stores in North America on October 16, 2007 and in Europe on October 19, 2007." Thus, the announcement is an important step for Microsoft, which has traditionally received conversions of Grand Theft Auto title some time after their PlayStation debut. But, contrary to some reports immediately following the press conference, Moore's phrasing did not mean that Grand Theft Auto IV is in any way Xbox 360 exclusive. However, separately, Microsoft and Rockstar Games have announced a strategic alliance to provide exclusive episodic content for Xbox Live, "giving the community ever-expanding gameplay experiences that simply aren't possible on other consoles." The nature of the alliance is currently unspecified. "Through Xbox Live, we have a unique opportunity to reach out to our audience in new ways," said Sam Houser, executive producer and founder of Rockstar Games. "This strategic alliance allows us to craft experiences that fully leverage the on-demand distribution power and sheer size of Xbox Live."