Grand Theft Auto IV downoadable content might not make 2008

Remember that exclusive downloadable content for Grand Theft Auto IV Microsoft said would be out by August 2008?

Rockstar obviously missed that target date and, from the sounds of their Creative VP, Dan Houser, in an interview with Variety, it sounds like we shouldn’t expect to see it this year at all. When asked about the content Houser responded by saying:

I’m not sure. It’s going well. But we don’t know a date. We hope to be announcing that in the next few weeks. We’re still figuring out a few things. We’re more focused on quality than dates, always have been. But the development is going really good. It’s shaping up to be something we’re very proud of. That was our goal.

You can’t argue with an answer that expresses quality over a date. I think we can all agree that we’ve waited this long, a little longer won’t hurt us if it means a product of high caliber. However, Houser goes on to keep our expectations for what the content might hold in check:

We want to give people a rough idea so their expectations are roughly in line. We don’t want them to imagine it’s this enormous thing that it can never be…

Doing a big digital launch is something we’ve never done before. It’s virgin territory, but at the same time, we feel very exposed because there’s no case history. No one ever came out with major DLC for a major game like this before.

It’s new territory for everybody. We’re making it up a little bit as we go along. That’s always fun, but it makes you nervous.

As many commentors have already noted, clearly this man forgot about the Shivering Isles expansion for Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Now we are left wondering just how big this thing could be. 1UP pointed out the rumor of entirely new cities possibly being added on to the game. Personally, I would like to see more expansive areas added to the game, not that Liberty City felt closed in or anything, but by now I’ve seen all it has to offer so how about somewhere new?

The interview finished up with Houser commenting on how Rockstar plans to price the game, although doesn’t divulge an estimate:

How to price it. Whether to release it day-and-date everywhere… Europe and the U.S. I’m sure will be day-and-date or within a few days, but I’m not sure about Japan. It’s a small Xbox market…

You even have to ask what time to release it at. We have some experience of doing through releasing our trailers. It can slow down sections of the ‘Net. What works as a great time on the east coast may be late for

Europe and too early for the west coast. Those are all things we wouldn’t normally think about.

Read: [Variety] Via [1UP] Also [Joystiq] Also [GamerTell]