GTA IV includes one-month Xbox Live Gold trial [Update]

by Xav de Matos { Apr 29th 2008 at 12:30PM }

Update: According to some of our readers not all copies of Grand Theft Auto IV include the one-month free trial card. This does not seem to be based on which version you purchase (regular or special edition) or which region you live in. We're awaiting a comment from Microsoft.

Aside from securing exclusive downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV and being the primary promoter of the game in ongoing advertisements is there anything else Microsoft can do to make GTA IV standout? How about give away a month of Xbox Live service to everyone who purchases the game? According to THEBBPS, and verified when we all cracked open our retail copies, GTA IV includes a one-month free trail for Xbox Live Gold service which allows players to take their experience online.

Ordinarily Microsoft packages 48-hour trial cards with select titles to entice gamers to go online but with the popularity of GTA IV and the potential increase of membership activations this looks like a smart strategic move on their part. Maybe this is what they meant by future growth of the service the last time they did system maintenance?

Tags: grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-iv, gtaiv, rockstar, take-two, xbox-live

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Paulypies @ Apr 29th 2008 12:38PM

Zavvi (previously Virgin Megastores) in the UK gave away 3 months of xbox live with pre-orders of the 360 version too, so i got 4 months altogether. very happy about that:D

Tony @ Apr 29th 2008 12:40PM

Are these actually gold trials or just online play trials?

For example, the previous trial cards let you play online for 48 hours... but you'd not be counted as a gold user. You'd not get access to the early demos, etc. I always found that kind of annoying.

Paulypies @ Apr 29th 2008 12:42PM

they're full whack gold trials.

Ample Salty @ Apr 29th 2008 12:46PM

On the back of the card in the T&C it says 'only availible for new Xbox LIVE Gold subscriptions'. I was hoping to tack on a free month to my existing subscription but I guess not.

Coffinfeeder @ Apr 29th 2008 1:30PM

It will add it on to your existing account, trust me I've used these before. If your console breaks down microsoft will give you 1 month live cards that are basically the same thing- you put the redeem code in and it adds 1 month to your service.

DjDATZ @ Apr 29th 2008 3:20PM

Yea, too bad on the front it says "If you have an existing Xbox Live membership, skip to step 4."

xenocidic @ Apr 30th 2008 8:40AM

It worked for me. Tacked on an extra month.

vidGuy @ Apr 29th 2008 12:56PM

Really? Is this only the special edition or whatever, cause my $60 copy didn't come with the card. No bother, since I already have two years of LIVE paid for, but unless it went flying behind the couch when I opened up the map for the first time I didn't get one.

Dadidito @ Apr 29th 2008 1:00PM

Came out to be a good deal for me.. bought my GTAIV at circuit city.. got a 10 gift card with it.. plus this..its a good discount

vidGuy @ Apr 29th 2008 1:48PM

Maybe they put them in a limited number of copies? Looks YMMV.

Got my copy at a Gamestop in Davenport, IA, no Live trial.

dylan @ Apr 29th 2008 2:06PM

Gamestop opens all their game packages, most likely the employee took out the cards to use for him/her self. This is one of many reasons I don't shop there.

Jim Halpert DM @ Apr 29th 2008 2:44PM

Me and my roommate went and bought our copies today. He got a free month, and I didn't. :( I should have let him get in line before me. Karma.

vidGuy @ Apr 29th 2008 2:53PM

Doubt my copy was opened, it had the original MS seal stickers and wrap.

John @ Apr 30th 2008 2:32AM

Yeah, it seems to be random, or at least weighted. I got one with my copy purchased at Best Buy, but my friend didn't get one with the copy he got from GameStop. Don't know why; either way it blows.

Perno @ Apr 29th 2008 1:22PM

Xav, you might want to mark this YMMV. I just bought my copy at Best Buy here in Tampa, FL and there's no free LIVE card in it.

Perno @ Apr 29th 2008 2:04PM

I did notice my copy had something like "Disc Manufactured in Mexico" stamped on the shrink wrap, so maybe that's why mine didn't have it?

Raheem @ Apr 29th 2008 1:31PM

Can I activate this and will it just continue after my 12months into this free 13month?

Jared Brown @ Apr 29th 2008 1:47PM

I bought a special edition and earned a free regular edition in a door prize and both had the free 1 month trials.

Location: Gamestop in Pueblo, CO

D Boy Flex @ Apr 29th 2008 2:02PM

Got mine at GS, had the card. Added the code and it extended my existing account by a month. Sweet, a get to post pone paying BGates his yearly stipend for an extra month. Sucka!!!

blank964 @ Apr 29th 2008 2:04PM

Sucks that when I get this I'm still going to be at school and I'm leaving soon. I'll just use the two day one that I have from Halo 3.

RedSonRising @ Apr 29th 2008 2:06PM

i dunno what everyones talkin about.. i bought a standard edition and theres no trial card in my box.. i need that month too, running dangerously low on 48hr trials..

kastonie @ Apr 29th 2008 2:15PM

good...now even more people can get on xbox live and break it and its gonna take microsoft another 2 months to fix it again

matty @ Apr 29th 2008 2:18PM

i got a free month and extended my account with it no problem

DarkNightRJ @ Apr 29th 2008 2:23PM

What? Theres nothing like that in my case.

Raheem @ Apr 29th 2008 2:28PM

Are you sure you bought the 360 version? :P All of them were supposed to have it.

DarkNightRJ @ Apr 29th 2008 2:37PM

Lol im sure its the 360 version. But theres nothing inside. Doesnt have to be special edition does it?

Raheem @ Apr 29th 2008 2:51PM

Nah dude, standard edition. Take it back to where you got it and tell them everyone else got it!

digitarius @ Apr 29th 2008 2:49PM

Does this make anyone else cringe? I remember when cheating in Halo 2 skyrocketed thanks to easily available free trial cards.

kyle @ Apr 29th 2008 3:12PM

ehhh im getting gta iv no matter what, i have about another 10 months before my live xpires, but i doubt ill play multiplayer much

DjDATZ @ Apr 29th 2008 3:30PM

Xav, pic here if you want to use it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daking240/2451244587/

vidGuy @ Apr 29th 2008 4:18PM

Most definitely did not get that in my game... now I'm bummed :(

Flakundenga @ Apr 29th 2008 4:11PM

YES!!!!!!!! I got one, well make that two since i had to send my xbox 2 get it fix and got another one!!!

Josh @ Apr 29th 2008 8:39PM

I had to take back my first copy because it had somehow gotten half of the CD label printed on the back (imagine laser etching on an iPod or laptop with only Nico and the Xbox Live at the top. The 360 was missing) and my 360 couldn't read it. This copy had the one month. My new copy does not. Me, being afraid they wouldn't accept an exchange without all of the materials, returned the original card thinking I would still end up with a 1 month from the new game anyways. Damn this sucks.

Sean @ Apr 30th 2008 4:04PM

My copy from Best Buy didn't come with the Live either. But I called up Xbox and they said to go back to the store and tell them that it din't come with it. They'll either give you a free one or you'll have to call Xbox Live and get a reference # and give it to the retailer.

nizzy1115 @ Apr 30th 2008 2:23AM

Mine has it. Got it from best buy (regular edition)

Devinant @ May 5th 2008 2:00PM

I got this aswell. I bought the game in sweden (Mediamarkt).

chaostheory0982 @ Apr 30th 2008 8:01PM

I got my standard edition GTA IV from EB games in an Ontario, Canada store and didn't get any free trial card. I feel ripped off.

MDJ2010 @ May 1st 2008 6:09AM

Well mine didnt come with the free month, but its worth like 5 bucks so i think ill be okay. Im from the UK but am feeling more like a Russian in New York right now so i'm using 'bucks' today!!!!

Modeps @ May 1st 2008 12:02PM

Any update yet? I did not receive the free card. Purchased at Gamestop.

HazyCloud @ May 1st 2008 9:04PM

A friend and I bought ours at a midnight release at Hasting's. His had one, mine didn't. Sorta weird. Oh well. I paid 60 and couldn't be happier. The deathmatch f'n rox.

evilJaze @ May 2nd 2008 9:59AM

Anyone else hear anything more on this?

I went back to the retailer and they told me that they have heard of the issue but to contact xbox.

I called xbox who seemed oblivious to the problem (??) and they gave me a runaround for about 40 minutes and then told me to contact the retailer!!!

FU*K!!