Microsoft to Pay for Exclusive GTA Content

Although it stops short of the coveted "exclusive" contract, Microsoft said Wednesday that it had paid $50 million for exclusive content for Take-Two's Grand Theft Auto IV.

The next sequel in the wildly popular game series will launch in October on both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, however downloadable add-ons will only be available for Microsoft's version.

Microsoft will pay $25 million for each of the two add-ons Take-Two is to produce. The company is likely hoping to recoup much of the cost through whatever content it decides to charge users for downloading.

Neither Take-Two nor Microsoft would comment on the specifics of the agreement, but it holds benefits for both sides. Take-Two is recovering from a shareholder revolt that turned the company on its head, and a host of financial troubles.

Microsoft, on the other hand, is looking to further distance itself from the PlayStation 3 and solidify its spot atop the next-generation console race. Gaining exclusive rights to high-profile content could help the company continue its dominance.

Even convincing game developers to agree to produce games for both console platforms helps Microsoft: much of the PlayStation's earlier strength was due to Sony's ability to attract high quality, exclusive titles.