Update Rockstar has released a statement confirming our speculation that Games For Windows Live is to blame for Grand Theft Auto 4's removal from Steam. [Grand Theft Auto 4 was originally created for the Games For Windows Live platform. Since Microsoft no longer supports Games For Windows Live, we are no longer able to generate the additional keys needed to continue selling the current version. we are exploring other options for distributing the PC version of GTA 4 and will provide more information as soon as possible. We will provide you with more information as soon as possible.

While GTA4 is hardly the first game to face the Games for Windows Live impasse, other publishers such as Capcom, Namco Bandai, Epic, WBIE (nice to see GFWL described as a "tumor"), 2K, and Codemasters have made the years Transition. Rockstar did not say why GTA4's platform dependence is now a problem, but we expect it to return to Steam with proper support from Steamworks in the near future.

Original story here: [Grand Theft Auto 4's Steam page no longer allows the game to be purchased, but does not explain why. "GTA Vice City" was the subject of a 2012 copyright claim over the inclusion of Michael Jackson's song "Wanna Be Startin' Something" in The rock star has since been more active in addressing licensing issues, although it briefly disappeared from the marketplace due to copyright claims surrounding the inclusion of Michael Jackson's song "Wanna Be Startin' Something. Most recently, a patch was applied to GTA 4 in 2018, replacing the Vladivostok FM song before its license expired.

Another possibility is related to Games For Windows Live, which GTA 4 still requires; each game on GFWL requires a unique key generated by Microsoft, and Valve may have unexpectedly run out of keys or had problems obtaining There is a possibility that Valve may have unexpectedly run out of keys or had problems obtaining them. With any luck, Rockstar may finally patch GTA 4 to remove the GFWL entirely.

It is also possible that Rockstar will pull GTA 4 from Steam altogether and make it exclusive to their own Rockstar Launcher.

As in the past, those who purchased GTA 4 on Steam will retain their copy and will be able to download it in the future.