USA Today: GTA IV DLC article (full)

[scourge]

GTA IV DLC announced: the lost and the damned 11.20.2008

GTA IV DLC: 'The Lost and the Damned'

'Grand Theft Auto' yields road to the 'Lost and Damned'

The upcoming episode of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV looks to be a wild one.

GTA IV, which was released in April for the Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, focused on former Eastern European soldier Niko Bellic and his escalating life of crime in the boroughs of Liberty City. This new episode, available Feb. 17 via download exclusively for those who own the Xbox 360 version (no price yet), stars Johnny Klebitz, a member of Liberty City biker gang The Lost.

"Johnny is a very different character than Niko, with a very different background," says Dan Houser, vice president of creative development for Rockstar Games. "I can't go into too much detail on the story, because we try not to give away too much plot before the game is released. But I can say that the story will show you a different side of Liberty City."

The episode, titled The Lost and Damned, requires players to have the full version of the Mature-rated GTA IV (ages 17 and older) and an Xbox Live membership to download. It's likely to carry an M rating, too. (Parents can use the Xbox 360's parental controls to prevent children from accessing inappropriate content.)

GTA IV is the top video game this year; nearly two-thirds of the 5 million copies sold have been for Xbox 360, according to The NPD Group.
In the original game, Niko crossed paths with The Lost several times. This time, Niko has only a bit part, Houser says. "The story is not directly impacted by decisions you took in the main game," he says. But "tons of details and mysteries from the main story get explained, so it will add a lot of color to the main story."

Rockstar Games has been fine-tuning its explorable 3-D virtual worlds since launching its first "sandbox" game with Grand Theft Auto III in 2001.
The new game will let you download more sandbox time. "We feel like we've only scratched the surface in terms of the depth and detail in" GTA IV's mythical Liberty City, says Houser.

Previous games have used downloads to add "new stages, weapons and costumes," says GamePro Media features editor Dave Rudden, "but GTA IV's content will reportedly add hours of gameplay."

Rudden hopes the episode costs $15 or less, but Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter expects a $20 price and says Rockstar could sell 2 million to 3 million downloads. "I see episodic content as a natural progression of the quality of downloadable content."

[DJbruce]

February ? I thought there was some coming in the fall. It's November now and I dont see any .

[jason86586]

ahhhh rockstar.....

always keep us waiting

but it always ends up for the better

cant wait for this

[Little Fat Hobo]

game was a complete pile of *you know what* anyway...

[scourge]

here are 3 screenshots from ign.com

[nightmare975]

looks good, but not going to buy it.

I gave up on this game, Godfather was a lot better.

[Masta Mylez]

So are they saying Niko won't be the playable character? That would suck, I like Niko

[syntax419]

It's about time we get a date for this

[05greene]

i still like this game but my xbox sratched the dics all up so im waiting for new dics to come the price is a bit steep but that mircosoft for you

[A Polish Panda]

Originally Posted by 05greene

i still like this game but my xbox sratched the dics all up so im waiting for new dics to come the price is a bit steep but that mircosoft for you

So because it scratched your dicks up you are waiting for new dicks? LMAO.

[exo-apollo]

Originally Posted by A Polish Panda

So because it scratched your dicks up you are waiting for new dicks? LMAO.

Hahaa, it's the same thing that happened when I put my dick in my xbox.

[jaSHUEah]

So basically this is the 2009 Liberty City Stories. And if thats the case I'll have to think long and hard before I decide to get it cuz the other ones IMO sucked...

[NewYorkJetsFAN]

I dont remember any missions with "The Lost". Who the hell are they?

[jaSHUEah]

Originally Posted by NewYorkJetsFAN

I dont remember any missions with "The Lost". Who the hell are they?

The only mission I can think of at the top of my head is the Faustin mission No Love Lost where you have to chase down his daughters boyfriend and end up in a shootout in the park.

[SpydaKat 17]

For Episode #2 I propose a Zombie Apocalypse. Well not Zombies in the strictest sense but maybe a virus outbreak. Just think, Grand Theft Auto, Liberty City....Zombies, you can't go wrong

[DarkSpur5]

Here's a video with all the appearances of the main character for the DLC. I was also just looking around in GTA today and found some news articles about the biker gangs in Liberty City. I'll post those later if anyone shows interest.

YouTube - GTA IV: Lost & Damned Character (Johnny Klebitz)

YouTube - GTA IV: Lost & Damned Character (Johnny Klebitz)

[Lebowski]

Nice finds, thankyou!

Does anyone know if this adds another island to the map, because otherwise Im a little funny wether Ill get it or not.
There was talk of another small island being added.

Any confirmation?

[Illution]

It just seems like a sandbox game shouldn't need to have extra downloadable content... i mean, wow..

[True I Skill]

Just hearing this has got me back on GTA.
Hopefully this add on will be Long.. i dont think it will tho.

Also does any1 have any idea at all about how you will
access to play as the other guy? Like a new save and when u
start you pick Nicko or that biker gang guy? Idk, but yeah im prob
gonna start saving.. atleast its out in feb i was getting worried
so much downloadable content was coming out and it was all in december D; Gta just gives me enough time to save up..

[DarkSpur5]

here's the first news report on the lost

BIKER GANG CHAOS
The Lost causse more problems

There's a war going on right here on our doorsteps.
Everyone thinks that members of motorcycle gangs are
friendly bearded rebels who want to take you for a ride.
But there's more to that beard then meets the eye.

Recently, Billy Grey, leader of the Alderney chapter of
The Lost biker gang, was released from a rehabilitation
center. Members of the community were shocked that
Mr. Grey got off with such a light sentence after his
period inside, biker crime in Liberty City had dwindled to
almost nothing. However, in recent days, new
skirmishes have broken out making police think that old
scores are being settled. Reports have come in of
shootouts and bike chases through the metropolitan
area. The bodies of several suspected members of both
The Lost and their arch rivals the Angels of Death have
been recovered.

Was Judge Barry Griffin's sentence too lenient for this
hardened drug trafficker? If anyone deserved to be put
into a maximum security correctional facility, it was Billy
Grey. His sentencing to a country club rehabilitation
center is an insult to all of us on the side of law and
order.

[DarkSpur5]

2nd news report on the lost

HELL FOR LEATHER
More biker gang violence on the streets of LC

A gas, leather, and crystal meth-fueled war is raging on
the streets of Liberty City. It isn't nations fighting but
rival motorcycle gangs battling for control of the streets.
Men have died in this war, like The Lost biker Jason
Michaels who was killed in Broker recently. How long is
it going to be before innocent civilians are killed as well?
Mainly thinks to the Angels of Death and their public
relations efforts, biker gangs have taken on a much
more friendly image in recent years. They appear in
family-friendly movies and are romanticized in video
games and TV showes. They are thought to stand for a
nobel rebellion against the norms of society. Be warned,
this image is just a smokescreen used to cover up their
real criminal agenda - sleeping with your wife and selling
meth to your kids.

[DarkSpur5]

3rd news report on the Lost

BIKER LAWLESSNESS CONTINUES
The Lost causing more trouble on LC's streets

The Police Commissioner has stated that, besides
terrorists and peaceful political protest we don't approve
of, the next biggest threat to civic order within LIberty
City is motorcycle gangs. A recent barroom shootout
resulted in several young Asian men dead at the hands
of leather-clad, bike-riding harbingers of death.

We could not reach a member of The Lost Motorcycle
Club for comment but a spokesperson for the Angels of
Death denied any member involvement in this
altercation. He claimed that they are, "just a bunch of
guys who like to get together, get drunk and then ride
choppers. We keep our noses clean." If likes of
methamphetamine have a sanitizing effect, then this guy
might be right.

[ethanl2k7]

pretty funny we hear there is going to be DLC in like May and we dont get it until February. We see theres going to be a game add on for the Game of the Year 2007 (halo 3) and we dont get it till almost 2010!

why do we always have to wait?!!?!

[I Crackaa I]

It's funny how people say GTA 4 was bad. Good graphics, some not bad achievements for dedicated and casual gamers, improved gameplay from the other GTA's. What more can u expect? The game is excellent and anyone who denies that is just a fanboy or a noob.

[Gaagie]

Seems awesome goin' to buy it for sure

[Dr Popodopolus]

Originally Posted by I Crackaa I

It's funny how people say GTA 4 was bad. Good graphics, some not bad achievements for dedicated and casual gamers, improved gameplay from the other GTA's. What more can u expect? The game is excellent and anyone who denies that is just a fanboy or a noob.

I'm not sure how not liking this game is supposed to make anybody or myself a fanboy or noob. Surely if I was a fanboy I would just say that all GTA's are the most amazing things ever and nothing even touches them... or something like that. Anyway, I've played every single GTA (completed most of them) and I much preferred playing both Vice City and San Andreas as opposed to IV. For me, there was a much greater playable and enjoyable sense about those two. Yes, of course, IV has top notch graphics and a beautiful City to look at but for I'd prefer to just run and gun like I could on the older GTA's (including both the PSP GTA's which I also still have). Well that's just my opinion anyway. As for whether the new DLC will get me back into GTA IV, I doubt it. I haven't seen anybody on my friends list play GTA IV for months. I also much prefer playing Saints Row 2, the first of which I couldn't get into at all. That's about all I wanted to say really lol.

[gt realist]

nice. but why until feb. i need that now.

[SynysterMonkey]

Whoohoo! 4 days away from meh birthday! Can't wait for this.

[Bio-Strike]

Were those cutscenes, or should I say the second one, from the actual DLC? Or was it just a cutscene from the game?

I'm actually kind of looking forward to this. I swore that I would never play this game again after my attempt at getting AWP but this game seems to get more appealing as the DLC nears closer. Oh well, lets see.

[KING CRUZ 777]

Originally Posted by SpydaKat 17

For Episode #2 I propose a Zombie Apocalypse. Well not Zombies in the strictest sense but maybe a virus outbreak. Just think, Grand Theft Auto, Liberty City....Zombies, you can't go wrong

that would make the game/online so much fun
like Dead Rising except better