Nobody is entirely sure why, but it seems that you can no longer download Grand Theft Auto 4 via Steam.
While GTA 4‘s Steam Page still exists, you may notice that it no longer offers the option to actually download the game. This change was seemingly made over the weekend when fans noticed that the download button had been removed without notice or explanation.
So what happened? That’s a fantastic question that everyone seems to be trying to figure out at this time. However, there are several theories that may explain this sudden change.
The first such theory involves the GTA 4 soundtrack. Rockstar has struggled to preserve the GTA 4 soundtrack over the years and has had to remove songs from the game in accordance with aging copyright and license agreements. It’s entirely possible that they were forced to remove GTA 4 from Steam (at least temporarily) while they sort out problems related to the game’s music.
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It’s also been noted that GTA 4 on Steam is still dependent on that frustrating (and largely outdated) Microsoft Games for Windows system which infamously forced GTA 4 players on Steam to utilize an extra key and login in order to actually be able to play the game. It’s been suggested that Rockstar may either be altering this system or were otherwise forced to make changes to it due to some kind of problem with the Games for Windows key generation program.
The final (and perhaps most likely) theory argues that Rockstar is preparing to make GTA 4 (and maybe other GTA titles) exclusively available on PC via their own games launcher. While that would be frustrating for anyone who (somehow) hasn’t purchased GTA 4 via Steam over the years, it does make a lot of sense when you consider the ever-changing nature of the modern PC gaming marketplace.
Matthew Byrd is a staff writer for Den of Geek. He spends most of his days trying to pitch deep-dive analytical pieces about Killer Klowns From Outer Space to an increasingly perturbed series of editors. You can read more of his work here or find him on Twitter at @SilverTuna014.
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