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GTA IV to Feature Downloadable Music Service Provided by Amazon.com

Rockstar Games and Amazon.com have teamed up to create a new digital music distribution model that has been designed exclusively for Grand Theft Auto IV. The digital music distribution model will allow you to buy real-world MP3s of tracks heard over GTA IV’s radio stations while you are playing the game.

This service called “ZiT” will be advertised throughout GTA IV and works with the in-game mobile phone interface. While driving around Liberty City if you like a particular song on the in-game radio station you will be able to use the in-game mobile phone to call ZIT-555-01000 and “mark” the song. You will then receive a text message on your in-game mobile phone with the song and artist names.

Also, if you are a registered member of the forthcoming Rockstar Games Social Club community website, then you will receive a real-life email from them with the direct link to a custom playlist on Amazon.com made from the songs you have marked in GTA IV. All songs tagged “ZiT” will be stored in the playlist and be available for preview and purchase at Amazon’s going rate of $0.89-$0.99 per track.

All of the MP3s purchased from Amazon.com through this method are also free of the Digital Rights Management (DRM) limitations imposed on files downloaded through Apple’s iTunes store and thus can be imported into any computer or digital device with no constraints.

EMI Music is excited about this new service and Ron Werre, EVP, EMI Music’s Sales, Licensing and Synchronization Unit, had this to say: “Music has long played an integral part of the game playing experience. We think giving players the ability to identify and buy their favorite tracks from Grand Theft Auto IV’s popular radio stations is a great new music discovery tool for fans and an innovative new revenue stream for artists.”

Grand Theft Auto IV’s soundtrack is “the biggest in the history of entertainment,” and features over 150 tracks from such artists as Electrick Funk, Elton John, Greenskeepers, iconic rapper Nas, and more.

Grand Theft Auto IV is coming to PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on April 29, 2008.

For more information about the game visit www.rockstargames.com/IV/.

Comments [2]

  • Redeema - March 28th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
    Redeema Avatar

    So, no custom soundtrack I’m guessing? This way they can milk us for a few bucks here and there?

  • cnc137 - March 28th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
    cnc137 Avatar

    Games are becoming more and more marketing/advertising tools. I guess they have to go this route, since supposedly less and less people are watching TV and more and more people are playing games and surfing the web for entertainment these days.

    My friend and I were talking about this and he said “Maybe with all this extra income from advertising and micro-transactions they can lower the price of the games.” I proceeded to reply with “Yeah right!” and he agreed after thinking about it for a minute or two.

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Related Information

Posted by: cnc137
Date: March 28, 2008
Source: Yahoo! Games

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