Rockstar Games, part of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., has announced the first episode of downloadable content (DLC) for Grand Theft Auto IV. The downloadable episode will be titled Grand Theft Auto IV: the Lost and the Damned, and will be available exclusively via Xbox Live on the Microsoft Xbox 360.
Coming on February 17, 2009, the Lost and the Damned will be the first of two episodes currently planned for release on the Xbox 360. The Lost and the Damned was developed by Rockstar North, the new expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV is set in Liberty City.
The Grand Theft Auto series, created by Dave Jones and Zachary Clarke in 1997, has helped shaped many aspects of the gaming world we see today. In addition to all of the legal accusations the game has faced from parents blaming their children’s delinquent behavior on games such as these (instead of taking credit for their own work), the Grand Theft Auto series has is one of the pioneering efforts, and now benchmarks to, the “sandbox” genre. The “sandbox” genre encompasses games that give the player as much freedom as possible within the game world they inhabit, allowing them to experience the game world in their own way; to have their own story.
One of the biggest surprises regarding the Lost and the Damned is the announcement that the episode will not center on Niko Bellic, the main character in Grand Theft Auto IV. Instead, players will assume the role of a new character involved in a completely different story, but one that will intersect with Niko’s plot in some way.
In addition to the new plot content, the Lost and the Damned will feature new vehicles, multiplayer modes, weapons, and additional music on the soundtrack. With so much content, one can only speculate at the cost of the new expansion for Grand Theft Auto IV, but one thing’s for sure: it will be good. Rockstar has put so much quality work into the Grand Theft Auto series, the new content is sure to please any and all fans of the series.
Keep in mind that Grand Theft Auto IV: the Lost and the Damned will require players to have the full version of Grand Theft Auto IV. Sadly, for Sony fans, there are currently no plans for The Lost and the Damned to be available for the Playstation 3.
For more information on the Grand Theft Auto IV saga, and to sign up to receive future updates, check out Rockstar Games website by clicking HERE. Also, check out the Take-Two Interactive Software, INC. website HERE.
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