I disagree with you here gebx...

Microsoft paid for exclusive episodic content starting this fall right? This is after 3-4 months of the release of the game...a.k.a. while the game is popular.
Even if its a timed exclusive, it won't matter as GTA4 will have a "hottness" shelf life of one year tops...by this time next year we will be talking about GTA5 or other types of games that will completely eclipse GTA4.

If PS3 gets the content then it won't matter at all as it will be yesterdays news.

And as far as what the content is...the fact we don't know is only making me mroe excited about it. 

Still no specifics on the level of depth of the DLC, size of the downloads or pricing though. This wouldn't be an issue if it weren't for the fact that the game is scheduled to be released at the end of the month.

I'm assuming DLC is going to be something that gets specifically pushed during the upcoming Xbox GTAIV TV ad campaign ("new upcoming exclusive episodes available only on XBL") but without details, why should I, as someone who already owns a 360 and PS3 buy the 360 version when no one can even say what that exclusive content entails?

If XBL is charging $15 an episode, then it's fair to expect these episodes to be on par with Half Life 2 episodes. If not, I just don't see the incentive unless you are an extreme hardcore GTA fan. I've bought the whole GTA series and the prospect of spending $30 (for the two planned episodes) on top of $60 for a game that will already be so long that I don't see myself finishing it to be excessive if it just makes the game that much longer.

But maybe I'm in the minority here and maybe it will make a difference for those who are only buying a new console to play GTAIV as opposed to those who already have one or more.

I don't think you should be taking peoples COMMENTS as facts, but I will say MS has done a lousy job of explaining their content, I think if they had gone into details about what it was all about from the start 360 sales of the game would have been much higher, but since they are keeping everyone in the dark, the PS3 version will sell better (Not better than the 360 version, but better than if the content had been explained).

@ Rath, only the hardcore GTA IV fanatics are going to spend $60 for the game and then another $60 on DLC. The majority of people won't even touch DLC and for those that do, 1 epsiode is most likely all they will buy.

Im thinking

1st episode - 300k
2nd episode 150k
3rd episode 50k.

With all the talk made before about how they will push their version, M$ really haven't made any big advertising efforts for their platform yet, very strange.

So how come you're buying it for the PS3 Gebx? (Just going by your profile, I might be wrong)

*Argghhh!! Gebx thinks he's a Pirate 

Its not "Timed"... its Microsoft Paid Episodic Content... its permanent.

@ Username
I'm trying to say that the general public doesn't know anything about the Episodic Content and you're saying that I can't use peoples (aka "general public") COMMENTS to prove the point??

also it seems as if the preconception is that the 360 will have some sort of an advantage in the multi-player aspect of the game
Is this true?

- We still have not received any solid details on the online matchmaking abilities of GTAIV. If the online balancing between the two versions is as good as COD4 was, then both versions should be the same.

- Also was it already assumed that the $50 mill was paid for anything that Sony gets, plus additional content? (therefor negating any possible DLC in the future for Sony?)

If we receive a solid word on if/when home integration, accomplishments, trophies will be implemented along with when in game XMB is coming before the launch of GTA, then the PS3 version would be the version to buy for me.

OR if we receive a solid word on what exactly the DLC is, (and its good), before the launch of GTA, then the XBOX360 version would be the version to buy for me.

But if the likely scenario that neither happens before the launch.. then I still have a tough decision to make because of the fact that most of my friends are on the PSN and the multi-player looks great (+1 PS3), and then that is of course opposed by the DLC and the already implemented achievements on the 360 (+1 360)

phhhhewww.... I might just have to buy both.

To quote the article here:

"While it's not entirely clear whether or not the content is merely a timed exclusive or permanently exclusive, the fact of the matter is that those wanting to extend the experience with for-pay content will be able to do so first on the Xbox 360"

But I seem to have misunderstood your post. You are saying that if a smart website like that has no clue about what the content is and if its timed or permanent...how could a regular Joe Blow know?

whatever comes out DLC wise for the 360 is exclusive forever for the 360. however, nothing is said that PS3 can't have its own SEPERATE DLC. Thats the way i understand it.

Well, if Microsoft really wants to make the DLC an important selling point they better get more information out on what it exactly is before the game is released. Still for 25 million per episode you expect it to be something significant. One thing to remember though is that the episodes themselves might not need to be worth 25M to make worth that much to Microsoft. If Microsoft expects the DLC to give them additional sales which otherwise would have gone to the PS3 they benefit there as well.