Rockstar has just released the awaited patch for Grand Theft Auto IV for PC. The patch weighs in at 32.6 MB and updates your game to version 1.0.1.0. The patch has 8 improvements and fixes such as:

• A fix to the crash after legal screen that some German customers were reporting.
• Numerous improvements to the video editor: Smarter naming of videos, improved rendering quality, better fx during replays
• Fix to bowling while using certain sensitive mice
• Fix for ATI 1900 shadows
• Overall savings to memory
• Graphic improvements to particle systems and mirrors
• Multiplayer character settings are preserved
• Support for DirectInput controllers

To download the patch, simply login to Games for Windows. Alternatively, you can download the patch from us.

Download: GTAIV PC Patch 1.0.1.0

Rockstar has announced that they are finished with a patch for the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV and are waiting for Microsoft to approve the patch. The change log for the patch includes:

• A fix to the crash after legal screen that some German customers were reporting.
• Numerous improvements to the video editor: Smarter naming of videos, improved rendering quality, better fx during replays
• Fix to bowling while using certain sensitive mice
• Fix for ATI 1900 shadows
• Overall savings to memory
• Graphic improvements to particle systems and mirrors
• Multiplayer character settings are preserved
• Support for DirectInput controllers

Rockstar just fired off an email to us letting us know that some people are experiencing some issues with Grand Theft Auto IV for PC. Rockstar wants you to know that they are aware of the problems and are working as quickly as possible to get a patch ready. If you are having problems, simply take a look at Rockstar support page with fixes for common problems. If you don't see a fix for your issue or the fix isn't working, simply call the support number in the back of your manual.

Support: Grand Theft Auto IV for PC

So this is the PC version, eh?

I've just recieved a tip from our good friends at GTA4HQ that the first copies of GTA IV are being played (Even if some stores dont have it). We wish you all a happy PC gaming experience and enjoy GTA IV.

In the first second third Rockstar game GameStop has screwed up on, Grand Theft Auto IV for PC will NOT be at GameStop and EB Game stores tomorrow. The stores will not be getting their copies until Wednesday.

Edit: This is interesting. I just got a call from GameStop's automated system stating that the game will be in tomorrow (Dec 2). We'll report back tomorrow to update you if they do have it.

It was only a matter of time, a blogger today informs that the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV has today been leaked onto the internet via a large amount of Torrent and Peer-2-Peer websites hosting it for download, and it has already had 15000 leechers. The games two DVD disks have been put-up for download by an unknown source, the download size is 13.8GB in total and is apparently a Multi-language version of the game, comprising of English, French, German, Italian and Spanish language files. The uploader also put some effort into proving it's legitimacy, including screenshots of the game folders as well as the games setup.

The game is untouched, it has not been modified to play without a disk or without an activation. So at the moment downloaders have been caught out, being prevented from playing the game due to the SecuROM DRM protection. The protection is doing it's job already. Only issue here is that SecurROM DRM protections have been cracked numerous times before by online groups, and no doubt there are groups wanting to crack GTA IV's protection already. For the moment all downloaders are being locked out from playing due to the protection, lets just hope the protection is more powerful than previous ones used on cracked games.

Please do the right thing and support Rockstar, purchase the game this week from a store, do not illegally download the game. Especially when it's 13.8GB's of data that is currently useless without a crack that does not exist, thats a little pointless.

In a shock decision by the OFLC, Australia's very strict rating board, this week, the PC version of Grand Theft Auto IV will in-fact be uncensored. It was announced by Rockstar before the original release of the game on the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles that Australia was receiving a modified game, which meant the removement of the prostitution options from the game. The OFLC is well known for being extremely strict when it comes to the rating of games, this year alone a total of 5 games, and high-profile games at that, have been denied a release. With the PC version of GTA IV being uncensored, it means PC gamers will have the prostitution options that the console versions don't, however it's unclear at this time why the OFLC has changed their mind on the games content since April. Rockstar sent this statement to GameSpot earlier today:

“Grand Theft Auto IV PC has been rated MA15+ strong violence, sex scenes, coarse language, and drug references by the Australian Classification Office. The PC game is unedited in any way and identical in content to the international version,”

The rating laws for games in Australia also state that, if a game is re-rated for another platform and receive a different rating on this platform covering different content, that rating and content is then the classification the game comes under for all the consoles it is on. This means that Grand Theft Auto IV has now been cleared for an MA 15+ rating as an uncensored game, which means future copies of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 released in Australia are allowed to be uncensored also, that is, if Rockstar decides to take that line.

Source: GameSpot

Some people have noticed that this week Driect2Drive had listed the controversial SecuROM as the copy protection used for Grand Theft Auto IV. This immediately set off alarms for people as most people think that SecuROM is a very limiting copy protection program because of it's use in EA's games such as Spore. What most people don't understand is that it's actually up to the publisher to define what the terms are of the copy protection and not SecuROM it's self. In an attempt to quell people's fears, Rockstar has released an FAQ about the copy protection and it's terms. We have summed up the terms below. If you would like to read Rockstar's full FAQ, hit the link below.

• Activation via Internet (1 activation per system, no limits on activations(retail only), Alternative way to activate for people with out web access)
• The original disc is required for playing (Retail)
• The Direct2Drive version will have limited activations. Rockstar does mention that they will have an application in place for people who want to disallow an activation
• The Steam version will NOT have limited installs
• Special downloadable content will be coming for people that have legit copies
• If you uninstall the game and then decide to reinstall, you will not have to reactivate
• If you change two major pieces of hardware, you will have to reactivate
• GTAIV will have more than one disk
• SecuROM will not limit your ability to resell the game later (Retail)

Source: PC Games Hardware

Last week we reported that Steam was offering GTA: Vice City for free when you pre-order Grand Theft Auto IV for PC. Today, Direct2Drive has presented an identical offer for anyone who pre-purchases GTA IV at their online store. It's odd that both stores have offered the same game. Why are they both offering Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is something we're not sure about. Ideally, Grand Theft Auto 3 would have been the best to offer, since GTA IV is based off it's location. Despite Direct2Drive saying that they decided to offer Vice City, we are inclined to think that the offer is coming from Rockstar, and not something both online stores has decided to offer themselves, to us it seems like the best reason for why both are offering exactly the same thing.

Needless to say, if you don't currently have GTA: Vice City for PC, we would highly recommend pre-ordering Grand Theft Auto IV from Direct2Drive or Steam so you can get Vice City for free. Hit the streets of modern day New York and shoot the place up, then take a relaxing cruise in 1980's Miami. What more could you ask for?