Microsoft is announcing that, in order to celebrate the release of the Lost and Damned downloadable content for Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto IV, it is planning to make the Xbox Live multiplayer services, which are usually tied to a paid Gold account, free for five days.

The promotion is set to begin on February 17 and will last until February 22. In order to connect with other players in multiplayer, you must be running either the Lost and Damned DLC or the original GTA IV.

The expansion to the game should cost 19.99 dollars and will allow players to take control of Johnny Klebitz, a member of a biker gang, in a story that runs parallel to the events depicted in the main storyline, featuring Niko. The Lost and Damned also includes new missions, multiplayer modes, weapons and vehicles; there's even fresh music on the in game radio stations. Rockstar has not said exactly how long all this new stuff would take to complete.

In addition to the free multiplayer time, Rockstar is planning to host some special events, including a multiplayer match pitting players against “the people behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise,” and a suitably called “Xbox All Nighter.” There are also sweepstakes for the players of the GTA games.

Microsoft and Rockstar have an exclusive agreement that includes delivering two pieces of DLC for the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV. These story episodes will not arrive on the PlayStation 3, nor on the PC. The Redmond giant is heavily promoting the exclusive content hoping that players will get both its console and a copy of GTA IV in order to get to play the new content. Basically, on February 17, players will get the biggest release for the Xbox 360 in the first six months of 2009.