Future Publishing have just released their CVG GTA IV special. The whole magazine is dedicated to the biggest videogame franchise of the 21st Century. What stands out is their blatant lust for the Xbox 360 version over the PlayStation 3 version. Why? Because of the Downloadable Content of course. CVG compares the Xbox 360 exclusive DLC to the Vice City & San Andreas games in space and scope, and claims the DLC will feature a brand new city.

We’ve included the whole quote here so the comments can be viewed in their full context.

“Of course, to call games as vastly ambitious as Vice City or San Andreas mere ‘expansion packs’ seems childish, but nevertheless, the downloadable content (DLC) coming for the Xbox 360 version of IV has repositioned those games in just this way. DLC so far has meant the odd new car, jumper of bit of horse armour, but GTA IV is set to completely redefine the idea with expansions that are to GTA IV what Vice City or San Andreas were GTA III. Yes, Rockstar is clearly hinting at new downloadable cities; and the chances of them being London, Vice City or SA again are slim to none. So that’s new as in brand new. GTA IV’s Liberty City is the beginning. Think about that and be excited.”

What should be noted is that this special edition magazine has been sponsored by Microsoft. There are advertisements for the Xbox 360 edition of GTA IV (with DLC) as well as other 360 games including Ninja Gaiden II and Lost Odyssey. In this context the comments by CVG sound suspiciously like advertorial - e.g. paid for editorial. If this is the case than CVG really should follow proper journalistic standards and clearly label the piece as such.

Nevertheless a full new GTA city coming to Xbox 360 in Autumn? Those Houser brothers better get their skates on.