Rockstar Newswire

(Grenade Launchers, Buzzards, BASE Jumping, explosions - it was that kind of weekend...)

Big thanks to ALL of the PS3 and PC players that turned out in droves for this past weekend's kickoff Social Club Multiplayer Events Series in celebration of the long-awaited release of Episodes from Liberty City for those platforms.  It was really a great time both on Friday and Saturday getting wild with you all online in the multiplayer modes of The Ballad of Gay Tony and The Lost and Damned – and on the Social Club Multiplayer Events page chat room with everyone watching the live stream.

Read on for a recap and some choice screens of the best moments from both events – the PSN one held on Friday afternoon, and the Games for Windows LIVE one on Saturday...

In Friday’s PSN event, we kicking things off with a round of Team Deathmatch in The Lost and Damned.  Four teams of players gathered in Liberty City with Biker Weapons to do battle in foggy weather.  Team members certainly had each others’ backs throughout, as evidenced by our own PlayRockstar4 avenging teammate PlayRockstar3 by running over DIsmael85 moments after he’d run him over.  After a ton of explosions and a healthy bit of car carnage, it was the prevailing dynamic duo though of DIsmael85 and DanD91 that were able to pull off the victory with $1,108.

After another round or two of Team Deathmatch, it was time to get into some Races.  16 Prison Busses were ready behind the starting line.  The timer counted down from 3 and they were off.  Rounding the first corner wasn't a piece of cake for most of the racers as everyone was a bit preoccupied with not falling off the northern cliff (as you can see in the shot below).  BennoBlue was battling with pberto117 while gazziboy managed to ram PlayRockstar2 right over the cliff edge.  Congratulations go to bradleyowain for making it across the finish line in first place.

(16 Prison Busses attempting to round the first corner of a 2-lane street without falling over the precipice...)

Witness Protection was next – the mode that pits a N.O.O.S.E. team attempting to drive and protect a bus full of informants to a precinct – versus a bloodthirsty team of bikers hellbent on stopping that bus by any means necessary.  The N.O.O.S.E manned their vehicles and The LOST mounted their bikes.  The battle began near the Globe Oil gas station in Alderney.  The Prison Bus slammed through The LOST, swerving to make its way to the next destination.  Sundsdal fired a weapon from the bus window, blowing up the gas station and damaging several of The LOST's rides.  In the end, the N.O.O.S.E. were able to successfully and safely drop off all the snitches, giving the victory to chigga23, gojeff99, kingMoneyMan, PINKISS, Stickend, Sundsdal and TSP_mouDAmou.

(The LOST fire away at the N.O.O.S.E. bus full of snitches as it passes Globe Oil in Alderney, during our session of “Witness Protection”...)

Jumping into The Ballad of Gay Tony modes, we spent a lot of time burning rubber in GTA Race.  Of the 16 players gunning their Sports Cars off the starting line, more than half found themselves hood-first into a wall, stymied by an obstacle course of traffic – and some ill-advised nitrous blasts - ha.  ChillStorms’ vehicle flipped and X_ReVoLuTiOnZ_X's ride actually went straight over the wall, swiftly putting him out of contention.  Coolride ended up finishing first with a time of 06:33:28 in two laps.

The following day, we prepped for 32-player PC action - gathering in The Ballad of Gay Tony’s “Academically Challenged” area for a round of Team Deathmatch – with the Explosive Shotgun and Advanced MG being the clear weapons of choice.  FleXXis09 wasted no time and began by gunning down GwRockstar6.  GwRockstar3, Gamerzworld and LimpBizkit4LiFE turned the corner to exact revenge on their fallen comrade, taking aim and dropping fleXXis09 and also LostTreasure8.  After the dust had settled and countless rounds had been fired, Team One's LostTreasure8, ISIiMpzZ, ISI Thuga, nowakassa, PC I Wolk, fleXXis09, MasterPlan207, I FUN I MrXimio, zfirX, SloppyIverson, yagamiDx, nb37, Racer666RUS, bonroberto, CoolaX08 and nokiasanja ended up on top with the win by more than $15,000.

(Archi313 gets blasted into the air, eventually slamming against the top of the main building... Ouch)

A match of GTA Race was next, this time near the airport.  Taking off from the starting line, a pedestrian quickly got well in the way of all of the racers, getting tossed about like a pinball.  PC I ReVoltaire, LimpBizkit4LiFE and Racer666RUS all got to toy around with the ped as car hoods and other debris flew through the air.  Later on, Gamerzworld and Mythbuster92 battled for the top spot.  Mythbuster92 eventually came away with 1st place, leaving all other racers (and that one battered ped) in the dust...

(A pedestrian at the airport in the wrong place at the wrong time – amidst a fierce battle for 1st place...)

Next to last was a grand lineup of APC's ready to let loose their NOS.  Taking to the track, Club Class, which revolves around the Middle Park area in Algonquin, W1ckeDxt and fleXXis09 battled early for top position with ISI Nemesis in tow.  Using NOS at just the right time proved to be a difficult task for some, but it was ISI Thuga who ended up winning with a total time of 08:03:76 over three laps.

(Yeah they might look slow...but once you get the NOS going, better get the hell out the way!)

Free Mode closed out Saturday night and a ridiculous weekend full of action, hilarity and all-out Grand Theft Auto mayhem.  With friendly fire off, players used grenade launchers, Buzzards, parachutes and more to end the second event of the weekend.

(Heads up...)

Thanks again to all those that joined us to play and also to those that were just there to watch our video stream and chat with us.  Check below for a list of those that were in on the action.  Apologies as always to anyone omitted (deep breath):

Be sure to join us at our next official event: Episodes from Liberty City for PlayStation 3 on April 27th from 4-7PM Eastern.  We’ll be announcing details including PSN IDs next week the day before the event as usual.  Also check out the full calendar of scheduled multiplayer events through June here.

And of course - follow us on Twitter and Facebook to get the word whenever we jumping on to play for an impromptu session...

Previously:
Recap and Screens: Grand Theft Auto IV PC Social Club Multiplayer Event (April 2)
Recap and Screens: Episodes from Liberty City Xbox 360 Social Club Multiplayer Event (March 23)
Recap and Screens: Grand Theft Auto IV PSN Social Club Multiplayer Event (March 12)