The PC version of Grand Theft Auto 4 has been pulled from sale.
Over the weekend, Grand Theft Auto 4 was removed from Steam. The game's product page is still up, but the option to buy the game is longer there. The issue seems to revolve around the fact that Microsoft's Games for Windows Live is no longer a thing. Developer Rockstar Games cannot produce more keys for gamers to purchase because of the platform's demise, and can no longer sell the game on Steam.
"Grand Theft Auto 4 was originally created for the Games for Windows Live platform," reads a statement to USGamer from a Rockstar spokesperson. "With Microsoft no longer supporting Games for Windows Live, it is no longer possible to generate the additional keys needed to continue selling the current version of the game. We are looking at other options for distributing GTA4 for PC and will share more information as soon as we can."
This is not the first time that Rockstar had issues with the digital version of Grand Theft Auto 4. In 2018, Rockstar had to update the game remove over 50 songs from the in-game radio due to expiring music licenses. The patch added new songs, though it only added to the Russian and Ukrainian radio station Vladivostok FM.
Games for Windows Live was shut down in 2014. This led to a number of developers having to find an alternative service in order to avoid issues with online play and the problems that Rockstar is currently facing. This led to games such as Dark Souls, Street Fighter 4, and BioShock 2 migrating over to SteamWorks.
Grand Theft Auto 4 first released on PC in 2008. It is unknown when the game will find its way over to Steam again. Rockstar Games does have its own game launcher, with Grand Theft Auto 4 mysteriously being absent from the service.
