GTA4 episodes only available for Xbox

TAKE TWO games, publisher of the Grand Theft Auto series, has shocked gamers by announcing that additional downloadable content for GTA part 4 will only be available on the Xbox 360, shunning the PlayStation platform that made the series a hit.

Additional game levels and missions will be available to download over Xbox Live. Given the cross-platform nature of the game, it was also assumed that the same would be true for downloads on the PlayStation Network, but now it seems that this isn't going to be the case. There are all sorts of suggestions about how much Microsoft paid for this exclusivity, but no confirmed numbers.

GTA4 is out on October 19, and the episodic content is undated, but don't expect it to hit until the new year.

Microsoft scored a coup obtaining a simultaneous release for the game across the Xbox and PlayStation, and further securing exclusivity for downloadable content has got to be one in the eye for Sony. However, the firm could yet have the last laugh, as livid PS3 gamers cause a very public stink that could be embarrassing to Take Two. We'll just have to wait and see. µ