'GTA IV: Meant to Be Played on the PS3' says amazon.com [Update]

by Andrew Yoon { Apr 22nd 2008 at 4:15PM }

Online retailer amazon.com is playing console favorites, it seems. On its video games page, it headlines that GTA IV is "meant to be played on the PS3." Strangely, no mention of the Xbox 360 version is made.

Could the retailer be biased? Or, did Sony shell out a little extra dough for this bit of text? Either way, we wonder if this will ever-so-slightly help the PS3 version with its sales.

Update: Fun observation: You can't play it on your PlayStation, but you can play it on your PlaySation.
Update 2: Looks like the recommendation will change, seemingly at random.
Update 3: Amazon PR Manager Tammy Hovey confirmed to Joystiq that the Sony wording was in fact "a campaign paid for by Sony" and that Microsoft will be "doing something similar next week."

[Thanks, Paul!]

Tags: amazon, grand-theft-auto-iv, gta, gtaiv

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

maxdense @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:20PM

I guess the extra DLC isn't meant to be played on the PS3.

Devin @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:22PM

Isn't PS3 suppose to get its own DLC?

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:31PM

Nothing has been announced.

Rowdehaj @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:36PM

Which thankfully does not rule it out.

x silence x @ Apr 22nd 2008 7:10PM

Tranando,

That's a fairly large assumption...

Assumption being the word of the day!

Kabapu @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:34PM

Anyone know where Tranando's coming up with that information?

benny boy @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:55PM

This is the article that I read that info on but I don't know if it is the same source as Tranando:

http://www.gamerevolver.com/articlenav-112-page-2.html

ChodalBerryWagon @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:53PM

They have a poll showing the percentage of people who have bought it for PS3/360:

http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-SE-Xbox-360-vs-PS3/meters/A1F83G8C2ARO7P/ref=pd_zg_lm_w_2p_c?pf_rd_p=384966401&pf_rd_s=right-8&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_i=14210751&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=132M3HZKRAGKN86V3A4J

ChodalBerryWagon @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:56PM

wait, that was special edition GTA4

Here's the standard game poll:

http://www.amazon.com/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-Xbox-360-vs-PS3/meters/A1PA6795UKMFR9/ref=pd_zg_lm_lp_rlc

SamuraiD @ Apr 23rd 2008 9:02AM

"PS3 has it's own DLC coming, and it's not just home integration, it's proper DLC apparently.

Either way, PS3 is the way to go, better framrates, more realtic (less cartoony) graphics, more populated enviroments, and multi-player splitscreen."

The game was developed on Xbox 360 so how on Earth do you work that fanboy-infused assumption out?

Devin @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:22PM

PlaySation? Someone at Amazon needs to go back to school and learn to type/spell!

Andrew Yoon @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:24PM

At least it wasn't PayStation!

Twinturbo120 @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:23PM

cant argue with that!

Elliott @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:39PM

Maybe it periodically switches between the two versions. When I clicked the read link it said:

Get Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and download exclusive episodes on Xbox Live Marketplace starting fall 2008. Plus, for a limited time, if you order the special edition you'll not only get the special-edition contents but the Amazon-exclusive license plate as well. Offer good while limited supplies last.

farfisa @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:42PM

It's random though. If you hit refresh a few times, you do get a 360 promo too:
"Experience Grand Theft Auto on Xbox 360
Get Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and download exclusive episodes on Xbox Live Marketplace starting fall 2008..."

Maybe the "meant to be played" line was just to fill in the blank where they can't talk about DLC? But really, GTA has always been a PlayStation title.

Devin @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:47PM

That is true, but sadly 360 came out first and Rockstar has had more time to develop for it. I hope the rumors are true that the PS3 version looks/runs better as that will only show that Rockstar has put some time/effort into utilizing the PS3 rather than just porting it.....

I wonder when 3rd party developers are going to start developing for PS3 first and then port to 360....that's probably the thing that most annoys me....

Iced_Eagle @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:28PM

Hmm, for me I'm getting the Xbox 360 advertisement.

http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h110/Iced_Eagle/Capture.jpg

Perhaps it's just going off of the platforms you look for the most on Amazon (if you look at 360 stuff the most, you get 360 GTA IV, vice versa for PS3).

It's probably just the Amazon AI doing it's work to tailor each person's page to what they like the most ;)

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:32PM

Yeah, the PS3 Fanboy bloggers probably buy more PS3 stuff than 360 stuff so their recommendations come up for PS3 games.

BrokenMonkey @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:37PM

Actually I logged out of my account and it did come up as the PS3 thing.

matthew_neitzer @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:42PM

For me it is a random ad on the video games main page. Almost every time I refresh it switches between the 360 and PS3.

stacy daniels @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:31PM

who the F??? is amazon!!lol
gonna be near e nuff extact same game!!
apart from DownLoad content!!when it arrives, in what form it will be???

Ed @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:44PM

You can speak the english, yes?

adolson @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:45PM

Bah, by the time the 360 gets it's DLC, there will be tons of other PS3 games out that I want to play, so I'm not bothered at all. GTA itself is traditionally a huge game to begin with, it's not like I'd have finished it in 10 hours and go "dang, I really wish I had DLC!" Bring on the Resistance and Killzone 2s, and everything else that I've got on my To Buy list..! Maybe that's Microsoft's plan.. "Hey, don't look at those good PS3 games, look here, we have DLC for a game from 6 months ago!"

Popfrogs @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:11PM

English teacher = spinning in grave.

Mike @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:37PM

lol you don't know who Amazon.com is? wow..talk about living under a damn rock.

I just went to the site and i NEVER bought anything from amazon, and its showing the, "meant to be played on the ps3"

jonneyt @ Apr 24th 2008 5:11PM

This is living (under a damn rock).

Rowdehaj @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:48PM

What a strange way to advertise.

Effective though, I could imagine...

Fraser JK @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:44PM

I'd hate to sound like a Fanboy, but I can only imagine playing GTAIV on the PS3. Never played GTA on any other platform but the PlayStation and as for the Episodic Content, unless they actually say what it is (which they haven't) there's no point to go all crazy.

Devin @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:51PM

Only the hardcore (who I would think already own a 360 or Only care about getting the "best" GTAIV experience) are really going to care about the DLC. The game is supposedly going to take 100's of hours to beat, maybe even a 1000 (idk), but just beating the game alone (from what I've heard/read) will be a feat in itself, so like a lot of people are saying this exclusive DLC thing really (to me) isn't/shouldn't be a reason to go with the 360 especially since the 360 DLC hasn't been reveiled and DLC for PS3 hasn't been ruled out.....that's my opinion on it.....

Fraser JK @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:10PM

Everyone's making a big deal about this... RELAX. I don't want a crappy Home... give the developers time to fix this. It's the first time Sony has attempted anything like this and in-order to make it work, they need time!

leiwei @ Apr 23rd 2008 2:05AM

The interview w/ Lazlo had a segment of him talking about how he prefered the 360 because of DLC, there'd be new characters and new missions.

TJ @ Apr 22nd 2008 7:35PM

its a cycle add, if you keep hitting refresh you get another add, one for xbox 360 and one for gran turistmo

davebo @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:53PM

I'm hoping by the time the PC version comes out (you know, the format GTA ORIGINALLY came out on first,) the DLC from xbox will just be integrated into the release. Wishful thinking, but either way I'll do what I always do and sell the PS3 version once PC comes out and I can play for real.

Jove @ Apr 22nd 2008 4:55PM

lol, this post was a little rushed with little info i should say. nice job bloggers.

Tranando @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:15PM

LOL...

http://img238.imageshack.us/my.php?image=79582439ds6.png

Tranando @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:24PM

Or perhaps this one..

http://img238.imageshack.us/img238/7611/37650287jf8.png

2Perfect @ Apr 22nd 2008 5:45PM

Wouldn't be a bad idea to get GTA4 advertised on the PS3 more than the X360. Would probably get the sales up by a lot, since people will believe anything.

I'll probably get it for the only system I have :P (PS3). I wonder what Amazon will show me, seeing as I haven't bought anything from them...

lol the license plate sounds cool too.

Killswitch On @ Apr 23rd 2008 7:00AM

Wow, if Amazon says it, well then....it must be true.

LOL

Id be surprised if the PS3 version gets its own exclusive DLC. I think the only way they get any DLC is if all platforms get it.
Sure the install rate is higher on the 360s right now, but I still think even if it wasnt, with the exclusive DLC youd see higher sales on the 360 version. People love extra content, especially if its worth it. And coming from Rockstar, Im sure itll be very worth it.

Kraill @ Apr 22nd 2008 6:44PM

Iced_Eagle what you posted said experience Grand Theft Auto on xbox 360. That doesn't convey the same message as meant to be played on ps3. I have never bought a game from amazon and it said the same thing it did for ps3fanboy so this is the main display on there site anyway.

boltu222 @ Apr 22nd 2008 8:09PM

I've never shopped on Amazon.com and I'm getting
Experience Grand Theft Auto on Xbox 360
Meant to Be Played on PS3
GTA IV Available for PlayStation 3
and
GTA IV for PlayStation 3

The hypes sucked me in and I ended up orderin the special edition for £24.49 from GAME but I don't really know why >_<

I've played GTA (never brought one) in the past and I always enjoy it for a little while then I just get bored and never really do much in the story as I can never get into it. I'm just glad I got it cheap so I can resell it early assuming the Special Edition is OOP by the time the game comes out.

Valr @ Apr 22nd 2008 8:28PM

Funny, how every time I see GTAIV ads on Amazon, it's for the 360. The only time I see the PS3 ad is in the PS3 game section, not Game General.

Kspraydad @ Apr 22nd 2008 8:46PM

Actually it is PLAYSTATION 3 not PlayStation.

;)

Nick @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:02PM

I have a 360 and a ps3 and i`m buying GTA4 on ps3 for one big reason.I don`t want to worry about my console dying on me from playing grand theft auto for hours simple as.And i think achievements will take away alot of enjoyment of playing gta4 on 360.Also the dualshock is a way better controller for grand theft auto and its what i`m used to using from previous installments.Plus i`m confident ps3 will get its own downloadable content at some point.

Draco @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:18PM

I get a different message when I visit.

it no longer says ~meant to be played on PS3~ it says ~experience it on PS3~

BowserUSC @ Apr 24th 2008 1:34AM

Yeah I'm getting that too. They must have taken it down. Maybe it was confusing people.

Marrvia @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:25PM

It IS meant to be played on PS3, and also it is meant to be played on Xbox 360... What systems did you think it was coming out for?

Phantom24_95 @ Apr 22nd 2008 9:33PM

I bet that the 260 DLC is just stuff that fit on the PS3's Blu-Ray , but didn't fit on the 360's DVD(s)

Dre180 @ Apr 22nd 2008 10:47PM

well as far as i'm concerned both games will be almost identical as rockstar has stated. i'm a little more biased towards ps3, however i do own both systems. I haven't decided which version i will be getting yet, but for everyone out there clamoring for proof of dlc for the ps3 version maybe this will help: http://www.joystiq.com/2006/10/17/inconceivable-ps3-to-get-its-own-exclusive-gta-iv-episodes/

As for the validity of this article we shall wait and see. it's just plain annoying to see all this bickering about which version is better, which system is better etc. they are both great. 360 is peaking right NOW whereas the ps3 is just picking up its head of steam. just enjoy what you have people....