IV Song Removal Due to Licenses expiring.

[T0X1C]

So I loaded up IV on PS3 expecting the worst, but as some have mentioned here, my disc version is untouched. I just sat in an online lobby with Edge of Seventeen playing, words cannot describe how happy I felt and it's probably my least favourite LRR song.

 

It makes sense, I bought the disc while the songs were still licenced. I'm still confused, though. Can anyone explain why digital copies downloaded years ago are having songs cut? The same logic should apply, surely.

[EpsilonProgram]

So I loaded up IV on PS3 expecting the worst, but as some have mentioned here, my disc version is untouched. I just sat in an online lobby with Edge of Seventeen playing, words cannot describe how happy I felt and it's probably my least favourite LRR song.

 

It makes sense, I bought the disc while the songs were still licenced. I'm still confused, though. Can anyone explain why digital copies downloaded years ago are having songs cut? The same logic should apply, surely.

What happens is that Rockstar can't continue to sell the game with the expired licenses, so what they do in order to continue selling it, is replace the version that they are selling with the removed music. So in the case of last gen consoles, they are updated on the PSN and Xbox Live. But the discs are unaffected as they are no longer officially selling those. You can buy the old copies from resellers and that is OK as those are old copies and the publisher is not breaking the law let's say. If you were to lose your digital copy on either console and you redownload, you will get the new digital version, so I would recommend backing that up. That is the "great" things about digital. And in the case of Xbox One and Steam, the update is forced, I assume that is some sort of store policy or DRM things, but it's a pretty dickish move

Edited April 27, 2018 by EpsilonProgram

[BeTheOne]

Could someone please tell me what songs have been removed from Vladivostok FM, The Vibe & Electro Choc from The Ballad of Gay Tony?

[DuduLima]

So .... the sh*t is real ... they removed some of the most iconic songs of this game and to gets things worst, they only added songs to ONLY one radio and didn't fixed any of the current bugs and performances issues. HAPPY f*ckING BIRTHDAY GTA IV !!!

I don't think this is about licensing songs, some other great games didn't had the same issue as the Rockstar had with their games, c'mon it is laziness and some greedy pals making bad decisions, they hitted everyone, the ones which had praise, the ones which had complains .... and only to remember .... they didn't make a SINGLE POST to the newswire .... because they pretty much expected this kind of reaction.

C'mon .... they made A LOT of money, GTA V is the most profitable product in the world of entertainment ..... they could re-licensing the songs without problems, yet they don't want to waste/invest a single money ...

They could make a special edition, some kind of special event, something to make people buy this game again ... but ...

Man .... they pretty much destroyed part of the game and people yet have the balls to defend the company.

 

 

Everyone knows .... IV will get re-launched in the future ... like they've made with all former GTAs and people will still forget this case ... which is sad.

 

Edited April 27, 2018 by DuduLima

[logoutgames1]

 

https://mega.nz/#!gkERXSaQ!HnEEwSGzbv6MkjhdnyVAXgZRT0OQ1A4pE8mJyYU3i3I

Untested downgrader (since my IV is broken, it black screened after logos even before update)

Over writes the updated gxts and dat files with the old one, binary patches the radio RPFs to old one. Doesnt touch the paul.dll (launcher?), since it should do much difference.

Just extract to your IV folder and run intall.bat

 

Please any feedback.

 

Finally got all GTAs to work, and checked the radio myself. It just works

IV radio "downgrader"

EFLC radio "downgrader"

 

Just unpack to your IV or EFLC root directory and run the install.bat, wait till the command line disappears and play!

 

 

The IV radio downgrader download link doesn't seem to work any more.

Edited April 27, 2018 by lazygamer3210

[A Munna]

If I buy a new disc copy for GTA IV & EFLC. Would this affect me?

[xInfamousRYANx]

I like how they nuked half of lrr and replaced jack sh*t. Some of the best songs too. So dumb

[Maibatsu545]

Stupid, cheap ass Rockstar too lazy, stupid and cheap to renew the licenses for these songs. What’s new? Like they can’t afford it. Pathetic.

[EpsilonProgram]

If I buy a new disc copy for GTA IV & EFLC. Would this affect me?

No it won't , Rockstar has not issued discs for console or PC for a long time now. The most recent was a reissue of GTA IV: The Complete Edition for Xbox 360/ Xbox One but that was last year on March, so soundtrack is good. However since Xbox One compatibility is a download even if you use disc, you will get the removed songs versions. This is the one I'm talking about.

Edited April 28, 2018 by EpsilonProgram

[Fuzz_ball]

 

 

@Fuzz_ball: Yes this is completely Rockstar fault because of their lazy attitude to patching. Rockstar seems to be the ONLY developer out there who are scared of branching builds, they could've easily created a new stub which has the songs removed and then sold that from this date, leaving all of us alone with a full music copy if we purchased it within the past decade.

 

No Licenced content out there says you HAVE to remove songs from already sold copies, it only forbids further copies sold with the content past the point of expiration. This is 100% down to Rockstar's own laziness resulting in EVERYONE getting punished. Rather than deal with the branching on each store front, submitting that build, and changing future printed copies of the game, Rockstar have just shrugged it all off and nuked the content in a basic lazy patch.

 

To compare this to other developers is easy, let's take Alan Wake, they can't sell the game anymore because of the expiration of the music licence. Now if Remedy/Microsoft did what Rockstar did, that would mean they'd revoke all game licences and forbid ANYONE from playing the game at all, including those who purchased it before the expiration, sounds completely stupid right? Instead, like every other sane developer out there, they branched it and in Alan Wakes case, removed the game from store fronts so no one else can buy it after they lost the rights.

 

The best part us, Rockstar seems to have TRIED to do branching on PC before, but somehow failed badly each time. How can a developer rolling in money be so inept when it comes to the handling of its legacy titles? Rockstar always find a way though and it punishes us, the buyers, each time.

Salty much?

Again, it could be part of contract the music studio put in if they want to. Forcing R* to remove the songs after the contract expires. So it isn't 100% R*'s fault on this. As I said three times already, we don't know how the contract is written and what was said behind close doors. So instant blaming R* for this is just silly and childish.

 

 

"The best part us, Rockstar seems to have TRIED to do branching on PC before, but somehow failed badly each time. How can a developer rolling in money be so inept when it comes to the handling of its legacy titles? Rockstar always find a way though and it punishes us, the buyers, each time." <- Again salty, are you? Things happen

 

Then again, I have the disk version of both IV and Episodes, so.

 

What's next, people just do videos of them breaking their GTA:IV disks in 'protest' over something that is sooooo tiny that doesn't affect the game play nor the story telling of a game?

You know what? Yes, I am salty because people like you are defending this because you don't seem to want to criticize Rockstar's actions. If you even take a minute to look at how previous games have handled this then you'll see Rockstar keep making mistakes in the SAME places, and it always falls down to branching. Ask yourself, why can every other developer do this? If your answer is "well maybe Rockstar's contracts are different" then go further and ask yourself, why do Rockstar keep making sh*tty contract deals where as other developers come out fine?

"People like me."

You sir is wrong. I'm not defending anyone in this, but opening your eyes to the other possibilities that could of went one. You and many others are throwing your hate completely at R* instead of thinking. If you don't like how they do stuff, then delete their game, don't buy their products and jump off of these forums. I'm sad some songs that I liked were removed, but unlike you, I know how things happen. People like you is what makes gaming bad for us who enjoy the work some studios put in their work.

 

There are other game studios out there that does the same stuff, so yeh.

 

Let me explain you how some contracts are made. Game studio goes to record company and fourms a contact. In that contract, it states how long a song(s) stay in the game, what song(s) and how much money they receive. After it expires, they work on either extending it or say no. If they wish to extend it, they work on the new terms. If it fails, song gets removed. Now you know

[JimFitzgeraldBiker]

Man this is sad, without those LRR songs, the station sucks compared to K-DST. And since TBOGT's San Juan Sounds only has 4 songs left, Rockstar did sh*tted on that station by not adding atleast 2 new songs. Well i guess this is what the future of gaming has came into. Turning the old games into trash so we can play the new games and buy microtransactions/ DLC content. I think i'm done with gaming, looks like I have to find myself a new hobby to do.

[Gnocchi Flip Flops]

I'm glad my Xbone is in good working condition because god forbid I ever have to reinstalled iv and tbogt.

 

One question, when I go from offline to online to play other games, is it fine? As long as I go back offline before turning on IV/EFLC?

Edited April 28, 2018 by Scaglietti

[EpsilonProgram]

I'm glad my Xbone is in good working condition because god forbid I ever have to reinstalled iv and tbogt.

 

One question, when I go from offline to online to play other games, is it fine? As long as I go back offline before turning on IV/EFLC?

Yes, as long as you're not online, the game will not update. You can't play multiplayer though but you have your soundtrack intact. And make sure it doesn't update when playing other games online. I believe there is a feature to turn that off on the Xbox One.

Edited April 28, 2018 by EpsilonProgram

[Gnocchi Flip Flops]

 

I'm glad my Xbone is in good working condition because god forbid I ever have to reinstalled iv and tbogt.

 

One question, when I go from offline to online to play other games, is it fine? As long as I go back offline before turning on IV/EFLC?

Yes, as long as you're not online, the game will not update. You can't play multiplayer though but you have your soundtrack intact. And make sure it doesn't update when playing other games online. I believe there is a feature to turn that off on the Xbox One.

 

Okay good. And auto-update right? I've got that off already thankfully.

[JimFitzgeraldBiker]

 

 

I'm glad my Xbone is in good working condition because god forbid I ever have to reinstalled iv and tbogt.

 

One question, when I go from offline to online to play other games, is it fine? As long as I go back offline before turning on IV/EFLC?

Yes, as long as you're not online, the game will not update. You can't play multiplayer though but you have your soundtrack intact. And make sure it doesn't update when playing other games online. I believe there is a feature to turn that off on the Xbox One.

 

Okay good. And auto-update right? I've got that off already thankfully.What would you do if you accidentally updated GTA 4 by mistake?

[Gnocchi Flip Flops]

 

 

 

I'm glad my Xbone is in good working condition because god forbid I ever have to reinstalled iv and tbogt.

 

One question, when I go from offline to online to play other games, is it fine? As long as I go back offline before turning on IV/EFLC?

Yes, as long as you're not online, the game will not update. You can't play multiplayer though but you have your soundtrack intact. And make sure it doesn't update when playing other games online. I believe there is a feature to turn that off on the Xbox One.

 

Okay good. And auto-update right? I've got that off already thankfully.

What would you do if you accidentally updated GTA 4 by mistake?

 

I'm pretty extra-cautious about that stuff tbh. OCD. I doubt it would happen but if I did I'd be done.

 

The only other game I play on Xbox One is Horizon 3 so I know that when I'm done, I'll just turn online off and be good to go I guess.

Edited April 28, 2018 by Scaglietti

[A Munna]

It's f*cking bullsh*t how R* is literally FORCING this change on us, and there's barely anything we can do about it.

[MeatSafeMurderer]

 

 

 

 

@Fuzz_ball: Yes this is completely Rockstar fault because of their lazy attitude to patching. Rockstar seems to be the ONLY developer out there who are scared of branching builds, they could've easily created a new stub which has the songs removed and then sold that from this date, leaving all of us alone with a full music copy if we purchased it within the past decade.

 

No Licenced content out there says you HAVE to remove songs from already sold copies, it only forbids further copies sold with the content past the point of expiration. This is 100% down to Rockstar's own laziness resulting in EVERYONE getting punished. Rather than deal with the branching on each store front, submitting that build, and changing future printed copies of the game, Rockstar have just shrugged it all off and nuked the content in a basic lazy patch.

 

To compare this to other developers is easy, let's take Alan Wake, they can't sell the game anymore because of the expiration of the music licence. Now if Remedy/Microsoft did what Rockstar did, that would mean they'd revoke all game licences and forbid ANYONE from playing the game at all, including those who purchased it before the expiration, sounds completely stupid right? Instead, like every other sane developer out there, they branched it and in Alan Wakes case, removed the game from store fronts so no one else can buy it after they lost the rights.

 

The best part us, Rockstar seems to have TRIED to do branching on PC before, but somehow failed badly each time. How can a developer rolling in money be so inept when it comes to the handling of its legacy titles? Rockstar always find a way though and it punishes us, the buyers, each time.

Salty much?

Again, it could be part of contract the music studio put in if they want to. Forcing R* to remove the songs after the contract expires. So it isn't 100% R*'s fault on this. As I said three times already, we don't know how the contract is written and what was said behind close doors. So instant blaming R* for this is just silly and childish.

 

 

"The best part us, Rockstar seems to have TRIED to do branching on PC before, but somehow failed badly each time. How can a developer rolling in money be so inept when it comes to the handling of its legacy titles? Rockstar always find a way though and it punishes us, the buyers, each time." <- Again salty, are you? Things happen

 

Then again, I have the disk version of both IV and Episodes, so.

 

What's next, people just do videos of them breaking their GTA:IV disks in 'protest' over something that is sooooo tiny that doesn't affect the game play nor the story telling of a game?

 

You know what? Yes, I am salty because people like you are defending this because you don't seem to want to criticize Rockstar's actions. If you even take a minute to look at how previous games have handled this then you'll see Rockstar keep making mistakes in the SAME places, and it always falls down to branching. Ask yourself, why can every other developer do this? If your answer is "well maybe Rockstar's contracts are different" then go further and ask yourself, why do Rockstar keep making sh*tty contract deals where as other developers come out fine?

 

 

 

"People like me."

You sir is wrong. I'm not defending anyone in this, but opening your eyes to the other possibilities that could of went one. You and many others are throwing your hate completely at R* instead of thinking. If you don't like how they do stuff, then delete their game, don't buy their products and jump off of these forums. I'm sad some songs that I liked were removed, but unlike you, I know how things happen. People like you is what makes gaming bad for us who enjoy the work some studios put in their work.

 

There are other game studios out there that does the same stuff, so yeh.

 

Let me explain you how some contracts are made. Game studio goes to record company and fourms a contact. In that contract, it states how long a song(s) stay in the game, what song(s) and how much money they receive. After it expires, they work on either extending it or say no. If they wish to extend it, they work on the new terms. If it fails, song gets removed. Now you know

 

Do you even know who you're quoting? No offense but Ash is far more likely to know about this than you...and if anyone here knew exactly what was said behind those closed doors it'd be him. I honestly wouldn't be surprised anymore. Bottom line is...no. They didn't need to remove the songs from existing installs. Contracts prohibit further sales after the expiry date ONLY. There has never been, and likely never will be, a clause in such a contract that states it must be removed from already purchased copies...and the fact that R* has not released patches for the retail versions, which they would have to do, is yet more proof of this.

[xInfamousRYANx]

I just think its f*cking bullsh*t how they only replaced music for one station and left the others butchered

[JimFitzgeraldBiker]

I just think its f*cking bullsh*t how they only replaced music for one station and left the others butchered

I know right, TBOGT's San Juan Sounds only has 4 songs right now and Rockstar added nothing new to that station. Poor EFLC, Liberty City must feel empty in that pack.

[Lucasddst]

Ironically enough, those who have physical copies of GTA IV and EFLC for PS3 and 360 means the songs remain there so they're completely unaffected by R*'s "patch". Downloads, however, are a different story so you'd likely be out of luck unless stated otherwise.

 

Still wishing that R* could ditch DRM and GFWL. Honestly, who even uses Games for Windows Live anymore?

I think it's time now to buy a new copy of GTA IV Complete Edition for my Xbox 360 to use like a backup in case of my current game broke up because damages for scratchs (since my current copy its from 2012)

[ChiroVette]

"People like me."

You sir is wrong. I'm not defending anyone in this, but opening your eyes to the other possibilities that could of went one. You and many others are throwing your hate completely at R* instead of thinking. If you don't like how they do stuff, then delete their game, don't buy their products and jump off of these forums. I'm sad some songs that I liked were removed, but unlike you, I know how things happen. People like you is what makes gaming bad for us who enjoy the work some studios put in their work.

 

There are other game studios out there that does the same stuff, so yeh.

 

Let me explain you how some contracts are made. Game studio goes to record company and fourms a contact. In that contract, it states how long a song(s) stay in the game, what song(s) and how much money they receive. After it expires, they work on either extending it or say no. If they wish to extend it, they work on the new terms. If it fails, song gets removed. Now you know

 

Except the fatal flaw in your reasoning can be found in the parts I underlined above in your post. Rockstar sold their customers a game with a musical expiration date. nobody is disputing that. But the reason people are pissed at Rockstar is because it is 100% their fault.

 

Here's why:

 

1. If, as you assert, negotiations broke down, between Rockstar and the record companies that own the music, then the onus was on Rockstar to simply pay the fees to renew the licensure. They sold us a game in one form. Now, because either their alleged negotiations, which you are 100% speculating upon, broke down, they...what, just gave up? So then they start carving the game up and removing chunks of the musical content, when that is not the product we were all sold, and in your world of magic and wonder this is somehow NOT their fault? Here is a hot newsflash for you: With the billions in revenue that GTA IV generated for them, combined with the even more bilions V generated, how is it NOT their fault for not upping the bucks and paying, even full price, for the licensure if they had to?

 

2. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Rockstar had to REMOVE the songs from versions of the game purchased and downloaded before the expiration. They may certainly have had to remove them from future downloads, but certainly NOT from people who purchased the game years ago. Tell me, is it your position that when you purchase the license to have songs today on your PC, iPod, iPhone, iPad, and other MP3 players, that Apple will come and steal them from your devices with an update in ten years? Of course not! Rockstar did NOT have to remove the songs from past downloaded versions of the game. The ONLY reason they did was to not have to support multiple versions of the game. This has NOTHING to do with licensure, by the way, and everything to do with laziness.

 

3. If anything you are saying were true and not pure, cheeleader defense of Rockstar, then tell me, why has Rockstar NOT explained the situation in detail? Other than some perfunctory explanation lacking in anything that is an actual explanation, they simply said, "Taking your songs, sorry, buh-bye" (okay my words, not theirs). Is it honestly your position that when they RAPED and pillaged the games they sold us YEARS AGO, and which we purchased in good faith, as they summarily carved up the in game music, that they shouldn't bear the blame 100% for not even so much as discussing it with their customers through their MANY media sources, who would certainly love to publish such discourse?

 

Bottom line is Rockstar CHOSE not to renew the licensure and let it expire. That is not about some nuanced negotiations between Rockstar and the record companies. It is about them being too cheap to pay for the continued support of the product we bought in good faith AND about them being too lazy to have two different versions of the downloaded game, one post expiration and the other maintaining the integrity of the pre-expiration game.

Edited April 28, 2018 by ChiroVette

[CreepShow]

 

P.S: Money ain't an issue to me so don't ask me why I bought both versions

 

 

You can get the disc version for 5$, and the dlc's for other 5$ each on discount days. Without discout they're like 10 - 15. Don't talk like gta4 is made for rich assholes.

[JimFitzgeraldBiker]

 

P.S: Money ain't an issue to me so don't ask me why I bought both versions

 

You can get the disc version for 5$, and the dlc's for other 5$ each on discount days. Without discout they're like 10 - 15. Don't talk like gta4 is made for rich assholes.

Oh really,

 

On PSN:

TLAD costs 10$

TBOGT costs 20$

 

This makes both DLC's cost 30$ if you buy both of them. And when the hell was I assuming that GTA 4 was for rich assholes? I was telling people to not ask me why I bought both TLAD and TBOGT as DLC and Disc since all of them find this ironic.

[Lucasddst]

Hey guys, if you go to rockstargames.com/manuals, if you look the digitaly manuals of GTA IV and GTA EFLC, they update too the list of songs on there. So if you still in doubt of what songs are added and what are removed, you can check it the list there. It seens that all the new songs of Vladivostok are a courtesy of Moon Records (I think the old musics are owned to another producer record) and it's a great shame that San Juan Sounds had just 4 musics in EFLC

Edited April 28, 2018 by Lucasddst

[HigorSM]

Weird, they update the manuals but not the game's site.

This update must have been made in a rush for them to forget basic things like this. I'm surprised they even remembered of Zit.

 

 

 

[Lucasddst]

Weird, they update the manuals but not the game's site.

 

 

This update must have been made in a rush for them to forget basic things like this. I'm surprised they even remembered of Zit.

 

 

 

The game's site are a place completely forgot by rockstar. If you go to the mobile wallpapers area on this site, you can see that the wallpapers are for the 2008' mobile phones, that if with d-pad and square screen

[Big_Smiley]

 

I just think its f*cking bullsh*t how they only replaced music for one station and left the others butchered

I know right, TBOGT's San Juan Sounds only has 4 songs right now and Rockstar added nothing new to that station. Poor EFLC, Liberty City must feel empty in that pack. It's sad to see IV and It's episodes go out this way. I swear V better get the same f*cking treatment. It's going to be bullsh*t when V's anniversary comes in and R* going to work thier asses off to keep every single added tracks from both Last and Next Gen just because it's "Gta V". Bullsh*t. It better get the same treatment. It's bad enough they did the same with VC and SA now they totally ruined IV's anniversary. Thank goodness I didn't bother with this update.

[ChiroVette]

It's sad to see IV and It's episodes go out this way. I swear V better get the same f*cking treatment. It's going to be bullsh*t when V's anniversary comes in and R* going to work thier asses off to keep every single added tracks from both Last and Next Gen just because it's "Gta V". Bullsh*t. It better get the same treatment. It's bad enough they did the same with VC and SA now they totally ruined IV's anniversary. Thank goodness I didn't bother with this update.

I hadn't thought of it until the second I finished reading your post, but you may be predicting precisely how things will unfold in 5 years time. The fact of the matter is that V is a cash cow for shark card sales, and GTAO shows absolutely no sign of slowing down at all. I can definitely see Online going another few years, maybe even forcing Rockstar to continue rolling out the updates and milking the shark card sales, perhaps even up until GTA VI launches. If so, they would feel obliged to pay for the renewal of the music licensure. They should do it for IV and the Episodes just out of cusomtomer loyalty, BUT I am thinking now, after reading your post, that they will renew the music for V out of necessity.

Edited April 28, 2018 by ChiroVette

[Big_Smiley]

I hadn't thought of it until the second I finished reading your post, but you may be predicting precisely how things will unfold in 5 years time. The fact of the matter is that V is a cash cow for shark card sales, and GTAO shows absolutely no sign of slowing down at all. I can definitely see Online going another few years, maybe even forcing Rockstar to continue rolling out the updates and milking the shark card sales, perhaps even up until GTA VI launches. If so, they would feel obliged to pay for the renewal of the music licensure. They should do it for IV and the Episodes just out of cusomtomer loyalty, BUT I am thinking now, after reading your post, that they will renew the music for V out of necessity.

Exactly my point. Funny to see you in the IV section since you've been replying here for a while. I thought you hated IV's guts I mean, lmao your signature. Edited April 28, 2018 by Big_Smiley