GTA IV will be back on Steam soon

Last month, Grand Theft Auto 4 disappeared quite suddenly and by surprise from Steam. The game page is still available on the platform from Valve but since January it is no longer possible to buy it there. Rockstar quickly published a press release to clarify the situation, explaining that this withdrawal was caused by the fact that Games for Windows Live no longer exists. The current version of the game had been designed for it so it was no longer possible to generate new keys.

Rockstar wanted to reassure the players, stating that they were looking for a solution. Well, it's finally done now and GTA IV will be back on Steam on March 19. But when it returns, the game will not be quite the same as before, and there will be a new version available: Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition. This new version of GTA IV will include the base game, as well as the stand-alone pack Episodes from Liberty City, which contain two episodes: The Lost and Damned, and The Ballad of Gay Tony. The good news is that if you own either the base game or the pack, you will have free access to GTA IV: Complete Edition. Of course, all your saves will be maintained.

 

The bad news, however, is that this new version comes with the end of multiplayer and online leaderboards on PC. This is a direct result of the removal of Games for Windows Live. The Three radios included in Episodes From Liberty City (Vice-City FM, RamJam and Self-Actualization FM) will also be unavailable, but only temporarily.

Finally, Rockstar also clarified that if you have a physical edition of the game and you had not previously activated it on Games for Windows Live, you can use your key on Steam.

The fans of Nico Bellic will be delighted to know that GTA IV will not disappear from Steam, but, if you are a fan of multiplayer, you will now have to turn to Grand Theft Auto V and GTA Online.