Looks like thousands of people who their consoles modded to play backups will be able to get a head start on the game six days before everyone else can.

What makes consumers download games illegally is anyones guess when they can buy it in a weeks time.

The downloads are happening for the 360 and not the PS3 via torrent.

At approximately 1:45AM EST the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV was leaked onto the internet. According to our X3F tipsters, who better plan on actually buying the game, thousands of users are leeching the 6.36 GB potential game of the year candidate. The release is a rip of the PAL version, specifically from the Asian market, and comes a mere six days before retailers place the game on store shelves.

We don't want to get on our soapbox here but we hope our readers would shy away from downloading a full version of the game, especially considering the team at Rockstar North have garnered near-perfect review scores for the release. Why? Well, it's illegal kids ... actually come to think of it, this leak is deliciously ironic. Isn't it?
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Most recently commented on by on Apr 25, 2008
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  • 0
    kik36 Apr 23, 08
    I'm not surprised at people stealing it.....but it's only 6.36 gigs?!
  • 0
    Jak66 Apr 23, 08
    Yeah, this isn't surprising at all. Too bad people just can't have respect and wait a few more days.
  • 0
    Dio Apr 24, 08
    Dumb. Very dumb.

    Just wait until Tuesday.
  • 0
    Twisted Apr 24, 08
    Lol. Of course people would be downloading it, it's one of the biggest games of 2008.
  • 3
    iLLmatic Apr 24, 08
    It doesn't matter how close we are to the release you fools. Downloading is free. People will be downloading after its in stores too.
    • 0
      InnerDemon Apr 25, 08
      Yeah, but I'm sure there might be stuff missing in it that you can only get from buying the game itself.
  • 0
    theundertakergonzo Apr 24, 08
    Well there goes a massive spoil for a lot of people.
  • 0
    TurMoiL911 Apr 24, 08
    Holy shit, it's only one more week. Hell, it's less than a week.

    Impatient bastards.
  • 0
    kspiess Apr 24, 08
    Grand Theft Video Game. (yeah I made that up myself.)
  • 0
    LordMaChao Apr 24, 08
    Haha, Jesus.

    Any telling what actions Microsoft will take against the morons that go through with this? I mean, I'm all excited for the game. Moreso than most, but I won't be able to touch it until late May due to finals in college. I'm willing to wait that EXTRA month - but there are people out there taking such a huge risk to play five days early? HUH?
    • -3
      blazeboy11 Apr 24, 08
      I doubt Microsoft has any idea who has an illegal version. The police won't start barging into peoples homes and checking if they have an illegal GTA on their computers. Its hardly a "huge risk" as you put it. Also I doubt anyone downloaded it to play it 5 days earlier, they just are too cheap to pay for the real thing. Not that I am downloading it myself, but your logic is *bleep*ed.
      • 2
        LordMaChao Apr 24, 08
        The game isn't out yet. If they're online, it isn't that impossible to see. You don't even need to call the cops and have them break into someone's house to see that, like in your brilliantly relevant analogy. If they're seen, they'll be banned until 9999. Yeah. That's worth it, right? No risk involved.

        If people are just downloading it because it's free, why not wait five days and lower the risk of being caught? Thinking that hardcore fans of one of the most anticipated games ever wouldn't do anything to play it early is *bleep*ed logic? k.
  • 0
    tekmosis Apr 24, 08
    Those people who connect to XBL while playing will most likely be caught by Microsoft and have their LIVE account banned.

    Aside from that, MS can't do a thing. Also, at 6.36gb it'll take about a day to download anyways depending on seeds, your connection and so forth so really you're only getting to play the game 5 days ahead of schedule.

    Then again MS could pull a "EVE Online" and host a torrent themselves then ban all IP's connecting to the tracker.
    • 0
      Seproth Apr 24, 08
      Holy shit they did that!! That's pretty funny...especially cause outside P2P the game is free now.
      • 0
        tekmosis Apr 24, 08
        oh, it wasn't a torrent for the game; The EVE source code was leaked.
        • 0
          Seproth Apr 24, 08
          OH, OK I see.

          So they set up their own torrent and whoever connected was banned? Pretty good plan actually.
  • 0
    Dance Floor Killah Apr 24, 08
    A lot of them will get banned... just like the people who downloaded Halo 3 and played online... banned until 9999.
    • 0
      StabWound Apr 24, 08
      Thats why you don't connect to live while playing it...
  • 0
    Seproth Apr 24, 08
    I'm more surprised by the fact it took this long...most games leak a good 2 weeks in advance.
  • 1
    Pyrazor Apr 24, 08
    I'm surprised this article doesn't violate GG's terms of service.
    • -1
      Seproth Apr 24, 08
      Says the guy with Pedobear avatar.
  • 0
    Synergized Apr 24, 08
    Wow, nice. If I was going to get the game, I probably wouldn't download it, but buy it so I wouldn't risk anything. Also, the leaked version could be ripped and you wouldn't enjoy the game to the full extent.
    • 0
      InnerDemon Apr 24, 08
      I think I heard something about no online on it or something. o_0

      Anyways, I'm sure Microsoft will get a lot of the kids that a lot of people usually don't want online. 8D
  • 1
    Shadow of Death Apr 24, 08
    Even if I wanted to DL it and get it early, and could actually play it, by the time I was done, it probably would have been out for a while anyway >_>

    I just can't get good DL speed most of the time, on torrent downloads >_>
  • -1
    StarJet Apr 24, 08
    Poor Micro$oft.
    I don't know about the 360, but can you just burn it to a DVD and play? I don't think so.
    Oh, well. Hackers FTW, I guess.
  • 0
    Final Blade Apr 24, 08
    No surprise. besides i already paid for it, might as well wait for it ya know. Besides still playing other games
  • 0
    Euphoric Apr 24, 08
    This shits me off immensely when this sort of rubbish happens. People need to realise that paying for the game is what gives the companies money to make more games and to make better games. By not supporting the developers these dickheads are stunting the growth of the gaming industry.
  • 0
    RikuNova27 Apr 24, 08
    Lol, those people are so impatient, though I'm not surprised.

    But...6.36 GB?
    • -1
      BradSK Apr 24, 08
      IIRC, GTA IV was compressed a *bleep* load to fit on the 360.
  • 2
    Supernouva Apr 24, 08
    What, did you think the game would be like 15GB or something? Whereas the PS3 version could easily be that large (Blu-ray), the Xbox 360 version can't because DVD-9, as the name implies, only hold about 9 or so gigs of memory.
  • 1
    BANDITO ATTACK Apr 24, 08
    "What makes consumers download games illegally is anyones guess"

    SFAWESGIHERS LOL WTF R U SRS?!!?
  • 1
    Deadman Rules Apr 24, 08
    LOL I had the chance to steal some copies from work today but I let it go because I'd rather wait a few days then get in a shitload of trouble.
  • 0
    Deathsythe Apr 24, 08
    Oh man, I wish my roommate would have let me mod his 360, no matter though, we are picking it up in a week anyway.
  • -1
    J Bro Apr 24, 08
    Guys, people don't download it because they are "impatient bastards". They buy it because it is free. Even weeks after GTA IV comes out, people will still be downloading it. Think.
  • 1
    Xenctuary Apr 24, 08
    Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was leaked two weeks before release, if I recall correctly. Six days is nothing.

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