Grand Theft Auto 4 will return to Steam on March 19th. You might remember that it was abruptly pulled from the digital storefront last month due to an issue with Microsoft’s defunct Games for Windows Live service. Rockstar Games will rerelease the game, as well as its Episodes from Liberty City DLC, as a single package titled Grand Theft Auto 4: Complete Edition. Complete Edition won’t include online multiplayer or leaderboards though.
The version of GTA4 PC owners could buy previously depended on Games for Windows Live for its multiplayer. Rockstar also used the service to make new game keys. When the game was pulled from Steam, the studio said it was “no longer” possible to create the new keys it needed to sell the game. This new version of the game is launching next month on Steam and the Rockstar Games Launcher removes that dependence but it means we don’t have multiplayer support.
This isn’t the first time a developer has had to remove Games for Windows Live from their game. In 2014, From Software updated Dark Souls to migrate the game from the service to Valve’s Steamworks backend. Other games like the Batman: Arkham series have also had to migrate away from Microsoft’s platform.
If you already own GTA 4 on PC, you can update to the new version of the game once it becomes available next month.
Source Engadget