GTA IV episodes delayed on PS3 and PC
Sony Europe submission process holds up new content; April 16 slated as new release date
The release of GTA IV episodes The Lost and the Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony on PlayStation 3 and PC has been delayed following last minute requests made by Sony.
Both games - to be made available as downloads and as a retail package - will now be released on April 13 in North America and and April 16 in Europe.
Related events, which include Rockstar Social Club multiplayer sessions on PSN and Games for Windows Live, will also be held back until April 16 and 17.
Rockstar's official statement said the delay was "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."
"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," the developer explained, via its website.
Content in the games is apparently only being edited for Europe - "There are different regional requirements for content – whether dictated by ratings boards like the ESRB and BBFC or by SCEE – this is pretty standard in the world of entertainment," Rockstar added.
It said that it had made the tough decision to hold back the PC and North American releases too in order to achieve a simultaneous release.
The extra content has been available on Xbox 360 since last year, due to an exclusivity agreement held between Rockstar and Microsoft.