Grand Theft Auto 4 Ruined My Faith in Everything

Editor’s note: I don’t mind exclusives so much, and I tend to think that they give flavor to the different consoles available. I also don’t see a problem with exclusives later moving to another console, though, I understand Michael’s anguish. Long ago, I felt the sting of betrayal when Square moved from the Super Nintendo to Sony’s PlayStation. But more than anything, I’m annoyed by timed exclusivity — a practice which Microsoft employs frequently. -Rob

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Since the PlayStation’s initial release, I’ve counted myself as a loyal Sony fan. Sure, I flirted with the Xbox a bit in my youth, but only to keep up appearances with my Halo 2 friends.

At the tender age of 11, my PlayStation 2 found meaning when my copy of Grand Theft Auto 3 popped its M-rated cherry. The sand-box gameplay (a term that means next-to-nothing nowadays) kept me hooked, and I stood by the franchise. I bought each installment of GTA that would follow, and the first game I ever pre-ordered would be Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

I felt an odd sense of loyalty to the series, as GTA seemed to share a mutual monogamy with fellow Sony fanboys. I was a kid who still took things at face value. If Rockstar claimed to stick with the people who made the developer what it is — in terms of exclusivity — I believed them. And Sony did, too — for a while.

Things began to change when I heard rumors swirling of Rockstar looking to broaden its horizons with plans to port GTA3 — and, subsequently Grand Theft Auto: Vice City — to the Microsoft Whorebox.

OK — I didn’t want to believe those rumors, so I disregarded them. And due to licensing agreements between Take Two and Sony, I didn’t have to witness Rockstar’s infidelity until late 2003 — the year I started waking up to reality.

I couldn’t believe my eyes, and the timing was impeccable — that holiday season, I would discover that Rockstar broke my trust, my heart, and my soul. This was ridiculous. How could this happen to such a loyal partner as me? To fellow fans? To dear Sony?

Just as many loyal partners do when they discover their significant other has been philandering with the console next door, I pretended nothing had happened. Doing so was easy.

In under a year’s time, the next masterpiece in the GTA trilogy, San Andreas, would sweep me off my disillusioned feet. I was hooked again; at a time when I dabbled in hip-hop (more precisely, west-coast flavored gangster rap), I lived and breathed the orange sky and Los Angeles inspired Los Santos.

As any smart man would do when plagued by demons of extra-marital affairs, Rockstar gave me more. San Andreas was the most epic piece of dual-layered heaven that had — and would ever — grace my PS2.

But just like any sick and perverse addiction’s control over one’s self, the GTA series would go back to old habits. Before I knew it, San Andreas was cuddling with the Xbox.

Not only was Rockstar going back to old ways, but the developer gave the Xbox version what it gave me — more, such as new and custom radio stations that would play user imported MP3s.

I lost it. I felt used — ashamed, even. I wanted to crawl into a hole and wait out this generation of console gaming, and I did.

2008 came along, and GTA stood just as I remembered her — no, better than I remembered. Liberty City had witnessed a renaissance, and it invited me back into its euphoria powered arms. I had dressed my best for this occasion, donning the PlayStation 3 necessary to revel and bask in nostalgia and to create new memories together.

I was ready, and I was naïve. I actually thought GTA wanted me — just me. In a sickening display of neo-free love, the Xbox 360 was also invited. That bastard had the gall to attempt a ménage à trois, and I reverted back to my foolish ways. I was game.

I would go along with this but under one condition: I would receive every right the same as my 360 counterparts. Rockstar held up this promise for some time, and I was impressed. My trust grew back, and I mistakenly let my guard down.

The downloadable content promised to me was a sham. And to add insult to injury, I watched as The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony took away my dreams of equality.

I was 18 and fresh out of high school when GTA4 came out. I am a sophomore in college now. Just before I exit my second year of college, I catch wind of news with my old flame.

Apparently, both episodic expansion packs will be coming to PS3. I was awestruck when I heard of this. How could the content come now? How could Rockstar? I have so many questions…none of which have any straightforward answer. My thoughts and feelings on this are so abstract that not even I can express them fully in spoken or written word.

Now, I am faced with a dilemma — fall into old ways or say enough is enough. Sure, Sam Houser claims he is grateful for us PS3 GTA4 fans and our patience, but do I believe him? No. I don’t. I lost my faith in everything before I was even an adult.

But will I go back?

I will. I will because this is true love.