GTAIV: Ballad of Gay Tony trailer debuts, details drop

First look at final Xbox 360-exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episode is loaded with San Andreas-style mayhem; plot information surfaces in USA Today.

Over three years after it was first mentioned at Microsoft's E3 2006 press event, the final Xbox 360-exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episode has been fully revealed. Today, Rockstar Games released the first trailer for the Ballad of Gay Tony, due out October 29 as both an Xbox Live download and part of the compilation Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City.

The Ballad of Gay Tony is the GTAIV's storyline's over-the-top finale.

Episodes from Liberty City will also include the first GTAIV episode, the grungy biker-gang saga The Lost and Damned. The Ballad of Gay Tony will take a more glamorous tack than its predecessor, profiling the right-hand man, Luis Lopez, of Liberty City's biggest night-club impresario, Anthony "Gay Tony" Prince. The trailer also shows a packed dance floor and Prince talking about owning the "hottest gay and straight clubs" in Liberty City.

However, it's the action of the Ballad of Gay Tony that is most eye-catching. Rockstar has apparently decided to end GTAIV with the sort of over-the-top action featured in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Lopez is seen climbing the equivalent of the Empire State Building while being chased by four military helicopters. In another scene, San Andreas' skydiving makes a return, with Lopez using a parachute to quickly exit another helicopter. In another, an attack helicopter tears up a street with rocket fire.

Today also saw some new Ballad of Gay Tony details surface via an article in USA Today. Apparently, an increasingly unstable Prince has developed a drug addiction, and Lopez must help him quickly earn money to pay off a mountain of debt. As a result, Lopez rises higher in Liberty City's social circles, in which he finds as many problems as he did at the street level.

One mission briefly glimpsed in the trailer has Lopez unhitching a subway car so a rich collector can take it away--with a helicopter crane. According to Rockstar cofounder Dan Houser, who was the Ballad of Gay Tony's lead writer, such scenes are meant to be the grand finale of the GTAIV story arc, which began with a penniless immigrant committing small-time crime.

"We definitely wanted it to feel more like the way action films are when they get ridiculous," Houser told USA Today. "Suddenly you're lifting up train cars with helicopters and it looks amazing and ridiculous, and after what you've gone through in the past, you're like, 'Wow, this is a really good payoff for completing this journey.' "

158 Comments

  • azyzy

    Posted Oct 24, 2009 3:09 am PT

    why take so long to release

  • plm3d_basic

    Posted Sep 7, 2009 9:44 pm PT

    I hope all these dlc will be made available at some later date bundled for the pc. It'll be stupid if they didn't.

  • NikoIcon66

    Posted Sep 6, 2009 6:20 pm PT

    awesome! i hope they add cars not bikes this time

  • mohammad99

    Posted Sep 5, 2009 4:25 pm PT

    lookin awesome!!!!

  • NuKkU

    Posted Sep 4, 2009 3:59 pm PT

    this sounds alot better then the first one

  • madmansgates

    Posted Sep 4, 2009 12:16 pm PT

    it looks SICK!!!!

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Sep 4, 2009 1:45 am PT

    gay tony should get his own music video.. like back with painkiller.. or at least use his clubs in a DDR game ;P

  • Lucidmike78

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 11:26 pm PT

    hmmmm....a rocket pack would be a dream....

  • waterhead71

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 4:37 pm PT

    possibly one of the most exciting game trailers ive ever seen im getting it.and in preparation im finally gonna 100% the main game.

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 1:06 pm PT

    everybody.. dance dance dance

  • -HaloHitman-

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 12:55 pm PT

    Cant freakin wait!!!!

  • ProGamerNerd

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 10:52 am PT

    for the people saying gta 4 is fail just look at the 10s it got and critics dont lie by the way, and san andreas is not fun as gta4, specail when it comes to rampages,just compare them both. and stop saying oh san andreas is back, because just if you parachtue only doesint mean its san andreas lol common sense, like little kids sitting on a computer and dont worry about san they will bring it on gta6, gta5 will be in vice city

  • QOSMSTR

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 7:28 am PT

    looks tight

  • ProGamerNerd

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 5:57 am PT

    they made gta4 and took out some stuff so they can add them in future games and dlcs as you see now i emailed them about why they took it out and they replyed and told me so use common sense they wont take them out for ever and stop complaining is goty of 08 from vga and to make a game thats a sandbows with amazing grpahics and visuals takes hard work so i think better then saying things you should be thanksful(i used to say things to but i relized theres no point because there adding the stuff in the future)

  • ProGamerNerd

    Posted Sep 3, 2009 5:55 am PT

    lol gta4 was awsome for the people that think its bad and think san andreas is better and no san isint better i got the collction and everytimes i go back to san it feels like a arcade game. tho i know its made 2004 and is the best ps2 game ever. but really stop saying san is better than gta 4 ebcause its not just go buy it and compare.

  • tawagivercetti

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 11:21 pm PT

    new stuff in video: NITROUS- (finally)
    CARS- Bullet, Cheetah, Windsor, Caddy
    HELICOPTERS- Sparrow, Cargobob, Leviathon
    3 new GUNS
    STUFF- Car Customisation?, Parachuting, FightClub, Dancing?

  • Shadicman

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 6:11 pm PT

    Hope this has more of a wow ending then GTAIV I mean just didnt seem to wrap it up nicely for me, I mean that train stealing heli looks more amped then most missions in the orig so can not wait.

  • Ivory-Dynamite

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 5:01 pm PT

    GTA IV was not as good as San Adreas in terms of pure fun so this dlc sound like it will kick a**

  • clintbrew

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 4:10 pm PT

    i hope this episode open up weapons from lost and the damned weapons for Niko storyline and new weapons from gay tony

  • boobush

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 4:05 pm PT

    If seeing a penis makes you insecure like in the other one, just don't buy it homie.

  • Flipyap28

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 12:17 pm PT

    Give us some replay value this time! Dont go blowing up the one good thing about the episode... seriously the only thing to do after L&D was going around in an updated helicopter shooting things, and race in bike races...

    I want a tank

  • aura_enchanted

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 11:22 am PT

    that was a quality trailer no doubt about it that gets my shadow ranger seal of approval!

  • MochaKat

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 11:08 am PT

    I guess some men have never seen a penis I would never have suspected after having to put in my age, and it being an ad for a GTA preview I might see a dude in his underpants my GOSH!

  • MoonMarvel posted Sep 2, 2009 11:07 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    MoonMarvel

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 11:07 am PT (hide)

    After the L&D bomb I don't think I will get this. I am so sick of GTA right now its not even funny. Enough with the episodes already, just take some time and release GTA 5 in a new city. Also release all DLC's for the PS3, I don't have one but the PS3 should get them.

  • SPYDER0416

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 11:06 am PT

    Wow, this looks freakin amazing! New guns, fight clubs, and new dates! Sick.

  • MattyWoah posted Sep 2, 2009 10:54 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    MattyWoah

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 10:54 am PT (hide)

    I just don't want to see any more penises. That was horrible. No warning or anything.

  • Get_Shorty

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:58 am PT

    I know I know! I know which movie that's from! Swordfish!! When the helicopter takes the bus in the air at the end of the movie!

  • jazilla

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:48 am PT

    I wish they would just release a weapons and vehicles pack with like 25-35 weapons etc, and like 10 cars/SUV's/a tank and a new helicopter. I like the new story stuff, but at this point I only play GTA to blow stuff up every once in a while. I would pay 5 bucks for a Flamethrower, no joke.

  • Mr_Manikin52

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:45 am PT

    Bring it back to Los Santos!

  • TexasAnMGrad2K

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:27 am PT

    Looks great! Can't wait to pick up the disc of both expansions.

  • LeifLongbottom

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:23 am PT

    Well... it does look a hell of a lot better than L&D. Maybe now ps3 owners will have something worth getting jealous over. However they're going to have to do more at this point than just give us parachutes and put rockets back on the attack choppers.

    Give us miniguns, tanks, businesses, and/or rampages and this might be worth $20. I too hope that after this one they stop beating this dead horse. Liberty City was pretty cool but I'm kind of tired of it. We need a new place to terrorize.

  • tommygun6644

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:13 am PT

    I have a 360 and the 360 version, but I enjoy GTA4 much more on the PC. I wish they would release the expansions for it.

  • Valkirye22

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:08 am PT

    this makes me wanna buy X360...

  • tevic

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 9:01 am PT

    I think Rockstar will announce GTA V (Vice City 2 ?) during the month of december (near Christmas ?). Currently they're leaving some space to GTA IV episodes, and will wait 1 or 2 months after launch so that gamers' minds stay focussed on "IV". Then, they'll announce the next GTA, and/or tease about it, so that a lot of people will begin daydreaming about it (preparing them for GTA 5 fall 2010 launch).

    So I expect a GTA 5 announcement around Christmas.

  • lukays

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 8:53 am PT

    Now... that's a good trailer!!!!

  • maxsteel86

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 8:39 am PT

    So... anyone else miss Vice City?? Here's hoping the next GTA is based there!

  • Hobbitslayer18

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 8:11 am PT

    @webdoom

    I'm just saying that in my eyes GTA 4 was a failure and that's why I rather want them to make a new GTA, even if they need to stop creating all those great DLC's. And it's kinda ironic that the GTA 4 DLC's are way better than the original game, both in gameplay and story.

  • andalore

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 7:52 am PT

    Might actually buy this, TLAD seemed bland and boring but this seems interesting

  • punkpunker

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 7:24 am PT

    hope this game have some SA gameplay

  • webdoom

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 6:45 am PT

    sweet, cant wait looks even better than TLAD! more stuff to do! its also funny how there are some people saying oh stop making stuff for GTAIV make GTAV etc... blaten PS3 owners, and they are most likely making the next GTA, it doesnt take a whole team to make DLC..

  • jarvis008

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 6:12 am PT

    It looks awesome and TLATD was great so I'll definitley be buying this.

  • Mr_Fujiv1

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 5:39 am PT

    for a minute there i thought they were finishing GTA for good.
    I would rather them bring out GTA6 then keep bring out DLC's

  • StillFreeTagger

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 5:20 am PT

    GTAIV was a great game and the fact that this will be packaged with The Lost and Damned...it is SO worth it!!

  • Hobbitslayer18 posted Sep 2, 2009 5:16 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    Hobbitslayer18

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 5:16 am PT (hide)

    They should stop making DLC's for GTA 4 and start working on GTA 5: Back To San Andreas.

  • DaveA6489

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 3:57 am PT

    This parachute is a backpack!

  • metalkid9

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 3:52 am PT

    Why is everyone saying it's "san andreas style" or "san andreas is back"? It's true that you can parachute just like in san andreas but that's seems to be the only thing for now. You can't just base the whole DLC on san andreas just cuz you can parachute. And am I the only one that thinks that the clubs remind me of vice city? and also since you will work for a club owner, again, just like vice city?

  • pete_merlin

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 3:09 am PT

    The best GTA IV missions were the small times ones, for example when you and that russian guy are at that pron shop. feels more Gangster cuz it isnt so stupid

  • ptflea1 posted Sep 2, 2009 2:54 am PT (does not meet display criteria. sign in to show)

    ptflea1

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 2:54 am PT (hide)

    omg if its got san andreas features it must be good
    what gta4 should of been

  • Sweet_Genocide

    Posted Sep 2, 2009 2:21 am PT

    Ever since reading Luis' crime report in Grand Theft Auto IV, I was hoping for street fighting. And they added it in. Awesome. Wonder if this one will have any shocking nudity.

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