GTA 4 Was the Xbox 360’s ‘We Mean Business’ Moment Against the PS3
I’d argue that GTA 4’s simultaneous release on Xbox 360 and subsequent exclusive DLC might’ve been where the Xbox brand peaked from a cultural perspective. You had to have an Xbox 360 – if not for the killer lineup of games it already had, then for the exclusive GTA 4 expansions. It was right up there with the release of Halo 3 in 2007. In fact, Fall of 2007 – which saw the release of Halo 3,…
In the run-up to Xbox's 25th anniversary, IGN contributor Ryan McCaffrey reflects on the pivotal moment when GTA 4 arrived on the Xbox 360 in 2008. The deal between Microsoft and Rockstar was monumental, with Microsoft paying $50 million for the privilege of the game's exclusive release on the Xbox 360. The expansion packs, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, were also timed exclusives for the Xbox 360.
McCaffrey fondly remembers playing GTA 4 alongside a close friend during a difficult time in their life, associating the game with fun, levity, and friendship. He argues that GTA 4's release on Xbox 360, along with its exclusive DLC, marked the peak of the Xbox brand from a cultural perspective.
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