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Grand Theft Auto 4 Ruined My Faith in Everything
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Friday, January 29, 2010

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


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.

 
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Comments (24)
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February 09, 2010
Really. A story about fanboyism? Why should a company not see that people also buy games on another console and decide that they can get two markets instead of one?

Yes the 360 had the exclusive content. But they paid for it.

Grow up and learn that it's better to be console agnostic. It's less stressful this way.
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February 09, 2010
This song has never been more appropriate.
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February 09, 2010
As someone who owns all three platforms I empathize with Michael's dilemma.
Demian_-_bitmobbio
February 09, 2010
haha I'd never heard that song, thanks, Craig.
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February 09, 2010
Isn't the GTA franchise about cheating... in all of everything? Just an observation.
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February 09, 2010
Why do you hold such a ridiculous blood oath to Sony? You felt used and ashamed when more gamers were given the opportunity to play the same games you've enjoyed?

This is an interesting look into the mind of a fanboy but a bizarre opinion to hold.
Normal_f3c8726ca7d523c031f09eb7d4e54430
February 09, 2010
You came off as a blatant fanboy. Your life isn't ending because more people are enjoying games that you love. If anything you should be happy because your favorite developer is getting more money.
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February 09, 2010
Fanboyism is naivety. I realized that when I stopped hating the original XBox.
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February 09, 2010
I hesitate to call this a fanboy's article. He merely explains what it's like when you prefer (and cherish) one specific console. I would consider it a fanboy problem if he was throwing negative comments to anyone who uses an xbox but that doesn't seem to be the case. I enjoyed this story and had many of the same feelings when I was younger. I gave in and bought an xbox when Halo 2 came out and haven't looked back. Would I like a PS3? Sure. But I want backwards-compatability more and right now they don't seem to care about that.
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February 09, 2010
It's strange that this is well written because the argument is truly bizarre.

@Tom He calls the Xbox the "Microsoft Whorebox," and the 360 a "bastard."

"Preferring" a console is not the problem. "Cherishing" one over another is precisely fanboyism. This isn't an article about how much he likes Sony consoles, but how much he likes them compared to Microsoft's. Better yet, it's an attempt to strip rights away from Xboxes that Playstations deserve, or something strange and awful like that.
Franksmall
February 09, 2010
While I can see why some people are getting upset about this being put on the front page, I have to also say that it was a well written and funny piece.

We may hate fanboys like this, but there are a ton of them out there. I would rather have him proclaim how he feels than act like he is unbiased... which he clearly is not.
February 09, 2010
Well this just came off as self-indulgent entitlement.

What can start as the greatest bit of writing on the Internets can be turned into so much dog doo when the ego and it's sense of "should" takes over and ruins something like this.
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February 09, 2010
@Chris Apparently it was just me but I sensed an over-dramatic air to this that felt like he was being facetious. I thought it was based on honesty but embellished with exaggeration to make it more humorous.
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February 09, 2010
We see many aspects of fanboyism here, the "love" and the belief that the object of such "love" "should" do things in one particular way, also note how his relationship with M-rated Grand Theft Auto series began at the age of 11.
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February 10, 2010
I feel bad that Michael is getting dogpiled on this, but the topic is more something you'd see on the 1up or Gamefaqs messageboards. It's doesn't have anything to say, and I'm surprised it made it to the mobfeed.

That said, Michael, even though I didn't like the subject matter, I thought it was fairly well written and I wouldn't let the negative comments chafe you too much. I didn't start skimming over after the first few paragraphs or hit the back button, so take that for what it's worth. :)
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February 10, 2010
Great read, Michael. I like how you turned a typical fanboy story into a fun allegory to "love."
Franksmall
February 10, 2010
I'm with you Luke.

I think the only real problem with this piece is that he does a good job establishing his thougts on Rockstar and GTA, but doesn't do a great job explaining why he feels the way he does about the PlayStation brand. I would love to have gotten more explination on that.

I would never want to see this site go the way of the 1up boards, which are nearly impossible for me to visit now, but I do think the Bitmob community can be more inviting to people willing to state that they are a fanboy.

I took the slights on MS as humorous in this piece. As long as we stay away from that thing as serious statements then we will be fine.

As long as there is more building up the brand you like than there is bashing the company you don't like then I can see a useful dialog existing for that kind of discussion.
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February 10, 2010
Oh give me a break.
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February 10, 2010
Whether you agree or not, I think it's pretty unanimous that console makers buying exclusive content for third party games is kind of shitty.
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February 10, 2010
I'm glad a simple, little, fun article of mine could garner such reactions. You guys are awesome. All of you. Thanks for taking the time to read this b.s. of mine, everyone! :)
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February 10, 2010
@ Craig: that song is awesome.
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February 11, 2010
@ Chris, I was unaware of my agenda to "strip rights away" from anybody, but that's pretty cool that you got that from this. I kind of just wanted to make this funny, and to make it apparen, (or attempt to) my facetiousness through a litany of stereotypical and melodramatic diction. Tom was a little more on the ball than you, and Carlos seemed to get what I was aiming for... but maybe I am just really convincing as a creepy fanboy.-- which is also pretty gnarly to me.

And to clear this up for those of you who unfortunately take things for face value: I'm not really a fanboy. I don't really care that the content for GTA was released on the 360 first; I understand business is business. I love all the systems equally.
... except for the Wii.
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February 11, 2010
@Michael If none of what you wrote is true, then I misunderstood. See, the stereotypical and melodramatic diction in the article is exactly what we games journalism enthusiasts can't avoid reading no matter where we go throughout the internet. It would've been riskier to assume you were joking than to assume you were not; therefore I took you seriously. That, and apparently facetious fanboyist humor isn't my bag.

I have never ever been able to comprehend console loyalty. To this day I can't understand what creates a fanboy.

That is, if there is any truth in this post, I can't understand your love for Sony exclusives. No disrespect of course. I just have little experience with people who actively acknowledge or argue the differences between consoles.

The lack of humor in the editor's note also lent to my treating this as serious.

So, are you just imitating a fanboy? Or are you exaggerating emotions you actually felt? I can't tell if there's an argument in here, or if it's a total satire.
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February 11, 2010
@ Chris, I gotcha man.
I think I understand completely what you meant now.
I know loads of folks who have a weird loyalty to a particular console maker or game developer, and I know loads of people that think said bizarre loyalty is... well, bizarre.
This was more for the people that don't understand this phenomenon of conole loyalty, like you.
I wanted to exaggerate and make the fanboyism seem a little more understandable, and I thought that making it more of a relationship between lovers, as opposed to producers and consumers, would resonate with people more, seeing as everyone has some experience with love and broken hearts.

As a last footnote to kinda/sorta/try to explain, in my observations, think that the console loyalty is a result of something everyone in the U.S. understands: money-- or lack thereof.
And since many people feel stuck in a corner once they purchase a console, they think it to be more efficient, economically, to focus their attentions on their chosen console. Somewhere along the way towards this decision of theirs, they grow a loyalty to their Sony, Microsoft, or Nintendo, and if completely sucked into the whole "not being able to play games they think should be on their console first" thing, they develop a very real anger, frustration, and loyalty. I have many friends who take sides and defend Sony or Microsoft to the point of verbal assaults, and this is what spurred my interest in what makes them have such a hard-on for their respective brand.
@ Chris, once again, thanks for taking the time to read my piece. I really appreciate it, and I sensed no disrespect on your part-- I sensed that you legitimately didn't "get" my writing at first, and that only shows fault on my part for not making it clearer in my writing.
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