14 DAY TRIAL // One of the most distinctive features of the GTA series of games, apart from the wide range of anti-social or downright psychopathic behavior it allows the player to engage in, is that the games featured a well developed soundtrack, complete with a variety of genres all accessible from the radios found inside each and every car you jacked. And the talk radio itself was a treasure, full of clever puns at the social and political real-world.
GTA IV is aiming to take this feature, as it aims to take the rest of the game, to a whole new level. The car radio is still there, loaded with more than 150 tracks, with a variety of stations from pop rock to country and jazz, and with the same witty commentary and jokes. There's also a rumor that the protagonist will also get a way of taking his music on the road, through a device that might or might not resemble an iPod. But that's not all the game will offer music wise.
Rockstar is introducing an initiative they simply call "ZiT". If the player hears a song that he likes, he can quickly take out his phone and send a text message to the number ZIT-555-0100 (sadly, at GTA IV's launch the service will be North America only, but we're hoping that it will be quickly launched in other parts of the world). After a few seconds, they'll get a response message detailing the artist and name of the track in question.
Those that have signed up for the Social Club feature linked to GTA IV will also get a mail message that contains a direct buying and download link for the song that the player liked. The download will be from Amazon.com, who became official GTA IV music partner. Songs will cost no more than one dollar and will be DRM free, which means you can easily drop them on an MP3 player or onto a DVD to take to a party (a GTA-themed one, of course).
Will GTA IV rival iTunes in sheer download numbers? Unlikely, but check back here for the latest news regarding the upcoming launch.