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[LittleToaster]

At least 2 weeks ago (first discovered by this person in the PS Blog comments), the PS2 Classic version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was pulled from the European PlayStation Store. The link to the game would be here, but it's now gone.

Now, GTA:SA is no longer available for sale in the North American PlayStation Store. This had to have happened between last week and today. I've checked on this every week since the European version was pulled and it was there last week.

GTA 3 and GTA: Vice City are still available to purchase on PSN.

Credit to Wario64: It is also no longer for sale on Amazon's PSN section.

GameStop still claims to sell PSN codes for it, but who knows if they still work.


Incoming upscaled mobile port like the 360 version, maybe?


edit: If you bought it before the listing was taken down, you can still download it again, but you'll have to go through your download list to get it.

 

[Blablurn]

Looking forward to the new version.

 

[SZips]

Incoming upscaled mobile port like the 360 version, maybe?

Probably. They also stealth updated the PC version a few days ago to get it in line with the 360 release.

 

[smurfx]

they are probably going to put up a new version that doesn't have the songs that they lost the license for.

 

[anonymous_abc]

they are probably going to put up a new version that doesn't have the songs that they lost the license for.

I honestly don't understand the licencing deals they must have in place. I mean old movies don't suddenly one day get re-released with a different music track.

 

[Maximus.]

I honestly don't understand the licencing deals they must have in place. I mean old movies don't suddenly one day get re-released with a different music track.

Sometimes shows/movies do have to change the soundtrack when releasing content into different markets or at a later time.

The game looks great on iOS.

 

[Kosma]

I honestly don't understand the licencing deals they must have in place. I mean old movies don't suddenly one day get re-released with a different music track.

Its prett simple, movies have a lifetime license.

A shorter license is cheaper, and movie studios have had decades to work out their deals.

 

[BigTnaples]

Well shit.

 

[xenorevlis]

Interesting.

Wasn't Microsoft or someone giving away San Andreas when you buy GTAV on the Xbox One? Or maybe I read that wrong somewhere.

If that's the case, however, it's possible Sony is readying to do the same?

 

[Guile]

Looking forward to the new version.

Wat.

Why would you look forward to downgrading?

 

[reptilescorpio]

they are probably going to put up a new version that doesn't have the songs that they lost the license for.

This 100%

I honestly don't understand the licencing deals they must have in place. I mean old movies don't suddenly one day get re-released with a different music track.

Yeah some contracts seem to deal with platforms and periods of time. Not sure why video game licencing is so different, maybe it pays less?

 

[hodayathink]

I honestly don't understand the licencing deals they must have in place. I mean old movies don't suddenly one day get re-released with a different music track.

Old TV shows do, though. Fairly frequently (WKRP in Cincinatti, Daria, In Living Color, Married With Children, The Wonder Years [not 100% sure on that one]).

 

[AstuteClass]

Probably. They also stealth updated the PC version a few days ago to get it in line with the 360 release.

WAT!

How do I change my currently installed version off Steam to the new one? Uninstall and reinstall?

Man, too much gaming news. Impossible to capture it all.

 

[Persona7]

they are probably going to put up a new version that doesn't have the songs that they lost the license for.

Not to mention it's a shit port if it's the same thing they already released.

 

[Vice]

This 100%



Yeah some contracts seem to deal with platforms and periods of time. Not sure why video game licencing is so different, maybe it pays less?

That is most likely it. Similar to the situation shows like the Wonder Years, Married With Children and Daria got into due to their use of licensed music when they were trying to get DVD releases.

 

[reptilescorpio]

That is most likely it. Similar to the situation shows like the Wonder Years, Married With Children and Daria got into due to their use of licensed music when they were trying to get DVD releases.

Oh very interesting, I'll have to read up on those situations and see what the issue was. Hope Rockstar and other companies have taken note of this annoying VC/SA situation to avoid it happening again.

 

[anonymous_abc]

Oh very interesting, I'll have to read up on those situations and see what the issue was. Hope Rockstar and other companies have taken note of this annoying VC/SA situation to avoid it happening again.

Yea I too hope they learn for the future.
And thanks for clearing it up gals and guys.

 

[Zerin]

My wife has been complaining to me all week that almost all the music in the first season of Charmed has been pulled/replaced.

Yay for licensing.

.....

 

[jimi_dini]

Customers, who bought it before that, can still download the old version?

 

[Crimsonclaw111]

Enjoy the shitty new version if you haven't bought it yet.

 

[Zeyphersan]

I assume the new San Andreas is going to be a PSN game instead of a PS2 Classic? If true, kinda screws over people if they ever get a PS2 emulator running on PS4

 

[Piston Hyundai]

Embrace the digital future.

 

[Yagharek]

Incoming upscaled mobile port like the 360 version, maybe?

Incoming downgrade with removed songs, you mean.

 

[JohnGrimm]

WAT!

How do I change my currently installed version off Steam to the new one? Uninstall and reinstall?

Man, too much gaming news. Impossible to capture it all.

It should already be updated.

Keep in mind that you're now missing 17 songs and widescreen resolutions, but gained 360 controller support.

 

[MMaRsu]

Ugh fuck off R* with your terrible android port. Nobody wants it!!!

 

[LittleToaster]

Customers, who bought it before that, can still download the old version?

Yes, but they'll have to dig through the download list to do that.

 

[Beer Monkey]

I'm buying the Xbox disc version. Best console version and works on 360.

 

[bananafactory]

WAT!

How do I change my currently installed version off Steam to the new one? Uninstall and reinstall?

Man, too much gaming news. Impossible to capture it all.

You don't want to. It removes a bunch of shit and also corrupts your game saves, you won't be able to use them in the updated version

 

[Fox Mulder]

You'll be able to buy the shitty mobile port soon enough.

 

[EricTheCleric]

At least 2 weeks ago (first discovered by this person in the PS Blog comments), the PS2 Classic version of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas was pulled from the European PlayStation Store. The link to the game would be here, but it's now gone.

Now, GTA:SA is no longer available for sale in the North American PlayStation Store. This had to have happened between last week and today. I've checked on this every week since the European version was pulled and it was there last week.

GTA 3 and GTA: Vice City are still available to purchase on PSN.

Credit to Wario64: It is also no longer for sale on Amazon's PSN section.

GameStop still claims to sell PSN codes for it, but who knows if they still work.


Incoming upscaled mobile port like the 360 version, maybe?

So, I bought SA last week but I have not downloaded it to my PS3 yet. Can I still download it?


Also I cant understand why people that already have bought the game (and paid for the old licence) are having content they paid for removed. I can still download and play Out Run on Steam and my PS3 even though Sega lost the Ferrari Licence.

 

[Alfredo]

What if they don't even release the Android port. They might've just taken the game off the store because of the music license stuff with no plan to replace it.

 

[FloweryMarston]

What if they don't even release the Android port. They might've just taken the game off the store because of the music license stuff with no plan to replace it.

nah, they removed the 360 version and after a while added the new one. If you bought it before, you have the original version. The vice city version on psn has missing songs, but they updated the version for it.

 

[LittleToaster]

So, I bought SA last week but I have not downloaded it to my PS3 yet. Can I still download it?

Yes. It should still be available in your download list. I highly doubt RS would pull the game completely off of PSN.

 

[pa22word]

Before people pick up their pitchforks, remember that R* did the same thing for a few months with Vice City on Steam when they were hashing out new licensing deals over the music in the game. Considering they just patched out some songs on the PC release, this is probably exactly what's happening with the PSclassics version. Much like with Vice City, I would expect the game to pop back up once R* reups the licensing deals.

 

[adamsapple]

Looking forward to the new version.

i'm not .... it looks smeary and they cut out songs.

 

[EricTheCleric]

Before people pick up their pitchforks, remember that R* did the same thing for a few months with Vice City on Steam when they were hashing out new licensing deals over the music in the game. Considering they just patched out some songs on the PC release, this is probably exactly what's happening with the PSclassics version. Much like with Vice City, I would expect the game to pop back up once R* reups the licensing deals.

considering they are removing music we already payed for I will kep my pitchfork in an upright position

 

[Henrar]

Red Dead Revolver was also pulled from PSN.

Anyway, San Andreas is still available for download if you've bought it. Shame they pulled it from store though, it was one of the versions with entire soundtrack with nothing removed. Vice City and GTA3 are still untouched on psn even though they removed tracks from other versions (Vice City had update a year ago, if you bought it earlier on Steam, you still have access to all soundtrack).

 

[pa22word]

considering they are removing music we already payed for

You didn't pay for the music. You paid for the game which contained the music that was licensed by Rockstar 10 years ago for use in the game. Once the licensing contract expired, Rockstar had no choice but to remove the game from sale as they can not legally sell the game with the music in it as neither you nor they do not own the music, the licensee does, and if the licensee decides not to reupp their contract with Rockstar then Rockstar by law has to remove the songs.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Rockstar likely didn't have a choice in the matter.

 

[Dorsal Axe]

I'm guessing the shitty, broken mobile port will be replacing it.

Why does Rockstar hate this game?

 

[Massa]

i'm not .... it looks smeary and they cut out songs.

Impossible to look worse than the PS2 version.

 

[ZeroX03]

It's still available on the US PSN but it seems to have been taken off Amazon's digital PS3 library so it probably isn't there much longer.

Yeah I mentioned San Andreas was removed from Amazon last week and that US PSN was probably coming too.

You didn't pay for the music. You paid for the game which contained the music that was licensed by Rockstar 10 years ago for use in the game. Once the licensing contract expired, Rockstar had no choice but to remove the game from sale as they can not legally sell the game with the music in it as neither you nor they do not own the music, the licensee does, and if the licensee decides not to reupp their contract with Rockstar then Rockstar by law has to remove the songs.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Rockstar likely didn't have a choice in the matter.

The music licensing isn't forcing them to remove the music from copies of the games already purchased on Steam.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

Incoming upscaled mobile port like the 360 version, maybe?

Didn't we already know that the reworked port was coming to both PS3 and 360?

Anyway, that's definitely what's happening. Does anyone know if the controls will be reworked at all? I remember going back to the trilogy on PS2 and finding them quite janky to play through.

 

[impact]

I'm buying the Xbox disc version. Best console version and works on 360.

I remember it having some emulation issues on 360

 

[Elios83]

Probably preparing to replace it with the disappoiting mobile port.

 

[EricTheCleric]

You didn't pay for the music. You paid for the game which contained the music that was licensed by Rockstar 10 years ago for use in the game. Once the licensing contract expired, Rockstar had no choice but to remove the game from sale as they can not legally sell the game with the music in it as neither you nor they do not own the music, the licensee does, and if the licensee decides not to reupp their contract with Rockstar then Rockstar by law has to remove the songs.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but Rockstar likely didn't have a choice in the matter.

but I bought the game when the license was active. They have chosen a poor solution. They could have chosen to have two versions on the digital stores, the old one with the content for people who bought that content and the new one for new buyers.

I can still download and play Out Run, even though Sega does not have the Ferrari License anymore.

 

[pa22word]

but I bought the game when the license was active.

Then you still have access to it via your downloads tab on PSN. Like it says in the OP, R* removed it from sale, not from user's accounts.

The music licensing isn't forcing them to remove the music from copies of the games already purchased on Steam.

No, but Valve's update system is. As of last year you now can no longer opt out of updates on steam anymore, meaning once they update the sub in the steam database, every copy of that game will have that download forced on them once they start the steam program.

 

[EricTheCleric]

Then you still have access to it via your downloads tab on PSN. Like it says in the OP, R* removed it from sale, not from user's accounts.

and I will get the old version without any removed music?

 

[pa22word]

and I will get the old version without any removed music?

Considering the OP says absolutely nothing other than the game was removed, you're going to have to find that out for yourself.

 

[strafer]

thank god I have my PS2 version still

the new version seems bad.

 

[Triggerhappytel]

and I will get the old version without any removed music?

If you've bought it before it was taken down while the old music licenses were still active, you will get the version you paid for. Anyone buying it now or in the future will get the version with fewer songs, due to the expired contracts etc.