Buy Grand Theft Auto IV: The Complete Edition if you want the complete Liberty City single-player experience. It includes the original GTA IV campaign plus both Episodes from Liberty City expansions: The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. On PC, it is the current Steam and Rockstar product, replacing the separate digital listings. Choose an original disc only if you specifically play on the original PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 hardware, collect physical editions, or have a particular reason to preserve the legacy release.
The short answer
The Complete Edition is the better purchase for almost every new player because it packages three connected campaigns in one release:
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- Grand Theft Auto IV: Niko Bellic’s main story.
- The Lost and Damned: Johnny Klebitz’s biker-gang perspective on Liberty City.
- The Ballad of Gay Tony: Luis Lopez’s nightlife and nightclub-focused story.
Those campaigns overlap in time and place, but each follows a different protagonist and adds its own missions, characters and gameplay emphasis. The Complete Edition is therefore more than a renamed copy of GTA IV: it is the full three-part Liberty City package.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchThe important exception is legacy PC functionality. When the modern PC Complete Edition replaced the separate digital products on March 19, 2020, Games for Windows Live, multiplayer and leaderboards were removed. Existing save files remained compatible, but the update did not restore every feature associated with the old PC release. If online play or old leaderboard data is your priority, do not assume that Complete Edition provides it.
#1 Best Overall
- Includes: Grand Theft Auto IV and episodes: The Lost and the Damned & The Ballad of Gay Tony
What each release contains
| Release | Included campaigns | Where it matters today |
|---|---|---|
| Original GTA IV | GTA IV, starring Niko Bellic | Useful for players who already own it or want only the base campaign. |
| Episodes from Liberty City | The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony | Originally sold as a separate expansion product. |
| GTA IV: The Complete Edition | GTA IV plus both Episodes from Liberty City campaigns | The current PC digital listing and the complete single-player package. |
Rockstar’s 2010 retail announcement described Complete Edition as a standalone Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 bundle containing GTA IV and both episodes. The same announcement framed the package as three connected perspectives on Liberty City. Steam’s current product description states directly that the edition includes “Grand Theft Auto IV and the Episodes – The Lost & Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony.”
The original release and Complete Edition share the same setting, but the episodes are not small bonus missions. They are separate story campaigns with their own protagonists. Buying only the original GTA IV leaves out two substantial parts of the Liberty City narrative.
Is Complete Edition worth it over the original?
For a first-time player
Yes. Complete Edition is the straightforward choice because it gives you all three campaigns without requiring you to locate a separate copy of Episodes from Liberty City. You can play Niko’s story first and then approach Johnny’s and Luis’s campaigns as parallel viewpoints, or choose the order that suits you.
For someone who already owns GTA IV
Upgrade if you want the two episodes. Rockstar Support says Steam owners install or update to Complete Edition, with an existing GTA IV owner downloading approximately 6 GB of Episodes from Liberty City content. Steam’s transition notice says existing save files remain compatible, so an update should not require abandoning a completed or in-progress GTA IV save.
For a buyer interested only in Niko’s campaign
The original campaign may be enough if you already possess it, but the current PC storefront is organized around Complete Edition. Paying for the larger package is usually the practical route when purchasing digitally, even if you initially plan to play only GTA IV.
For a collector
A boxed Complete Edition for PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 has value as a physical legacy product. Check the region, disc condition, packaging and whether the contents match the platform before buying. The 2010 retail bundle was made for those consoles; it is not the same thing as a modern PC disc installation.
Rank #2
- Grand Theft Auto IV: Complete Edition (PS3)
- This is the definitive GTA 4 experience - The highest rated game of all time is back with Grand Theft Auto IV & Episodes From Liberty City: The Complete Edition from Rockstar Games for Sony PS3.
- The only offering that provides the full Grand Theft Auto 4 experience!
- In The Lost and Damned, experience Liberty City as Johnny, a veteran member of The Lost, a notorious biker gang.
- The Ballad of Gay Tony injects Liberty City with an overdose of guns, glitz, and grime. As Luis Lopez, part-time hoodlum and full-time assistant to legendary nightclub impresario Tony Prince a.k.a. Gay Tony.
What changed on PC in 2020?
On March 19, 2020, Steam’s official update notice said that Complete Edition replaced the separate digital products for GTA IV and Episodes from Liberty City. Existing saves stayed compatible. The change consolidated the PC listings, but it also came with service and radio limitations that matter to buyers comparing an old installation with the current one.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute| Feature or service | Status in the 2020 transition notice | Practical effect |
|---|---|---|
| Separate GTA IV and Episodes digital products | Replaced by Complete Edition | New PC purchases are directed to the combined product. |
| Existing save files | Remain compatible | You can continue an existing campaign save after updating. |
| Games for Windows Live | No longer available | Legacy account and service functionality is not part of the modern setup. |
| Multiplayer mode | No longer available | Do not buy Complete Edition expecting official GTA IV online multiplayer. |
| Leaderboards | No longer available | Old leaderboard-based features are not restored by the current edition. |
| RamJam FM, Self-Actualization FM and Vice City FM | Temporarily unavailable in the notice | Radio availability should not be assumed to match every legacy installation. |
These changes are why “Complete” should be read as complete for the campaigns, not as a promise that every historical PC feature remains intact. No authoritative comparison establishes that the current edition runs materially faster or better than the original PC release. Performance depends on the computer’s hardware, operating-system configuration and game settings.
Does Complete Edition include Episodes from Liberty City?
Yes. It includes both The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony. You do not need to buy a separate Episodes from Liberty City product when you purchase Complete Edition.
The episodes connect to GTA IV’s events but are designed as distinct campaigns. Johnny Klebitz and Luis Lopez see the same city from different social circles and encounter overlapping events from different angles. That structure makes the bundle particularly useful if you care about the broader story rather than only Niko’s route through Liberty City.
Should you buy GTA IV on Steam or an old disc?
Steam or another current PC listing
- You receive the current Complete Edition product rather than hunting for discontinued separate digital listings.
- The two episodes are included, and an existing GTA IV save can remain compatible through the transition.
- Installation and updating are handled through the current PC distribution path.
- You should expect the post-2020 service limitations: no Games for Windows Live, official multiplayer or leaderboards.
Original PC disc
- It may preserve an older installation path, but the disc does not automatically provide the modern combined entitlement.
- You may need additional activation, updates or account steps before the game is usable on a current Windows system.
- Owning an old disc does not by itself guarantee access to the removed online services.
- Used copies can be missing activation information, manuals or original packaging.
PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 physical Complete Edition
- This is the appropriate format for an original-console player or physical collector.
- Confirm that the disc is for your console and region and that it is readable.
- Check whether the seller is offering the Complete Edition bundle rather than a base-game disc.
For a normal PC buyer, the current digital Complete Edition avoids the uncertainty of used media. For a console collector, the physical bundle is the historically correct version. Neither option should be presented as a way to recover the PC multiplayer and leaderboard services removed in 2020.
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Rockstar’s store lists the following minimum requirements for the Windows version:
| Requirement | Minimum listed specification |
|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10 |
| Memory | 2 GB RAM |
| Graphics | 256 MB Nvidia 7900- or ATI X1900-class GPU |
| Storage | 22 GB of free disk space |
| Activation | Internet access and a Rockstar Games Social Club account for initial activation |
The store displayed €19.99 on October 18, 2026. That is a region-specific price snapshot, not a permanent worldwide price; taxes, currency and later promotions can change the amount. The listed 22 GB is free-space guidance, so leave additional room for the operating system, temporary installation files and updates rather than filling a drive to the exact minimum.
The requirements are minimums, not a performance guarantee. They identify the hardware class Rockstar lists for starting the game; they do not establish a fixed frame rate or prove that Complete Edition outperforms the original PC build. Treat actual performance as configuration-dependent.
How to move from the original PC game to Complete Edition
- Back up your saves. Copy your existing GTA IV save data before changing the installation. This is a sensible precaution even though Steam’s notice says saves remain compatible.
- Open the current PC store client. Locate GTA IV or Episodes from Liberty City in your library rather than searching for the discontinued standalone product.
- Start the update or installation. Rockstar Support says a GTA IV owner downloads approximately 6 GB of Episodes from Liberty City content as part of the transition.
- Allow the required account and network checks. Initial activation requires internet access and a Rockstar Games Social Club account.
- Verify the campaigns. Confirm that GTA IV, The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony appear in the installed product before deleting any old files.
- Load a known save. Test an existing GTA IV save and make sure progress appears normally. Keep the backup until you have confirmed the migration.
If the episodes do not appear after the update, check that the client has finished downloading all content and that you are signed into the account that owns GTA IV. Do not assume that reinstalling an old disc will restore removed services; the 2020 notice specifically identifies Games for Windows Live, multiplayer and leaderboards as unavailable.
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Not through the official multiplayer functionality covered by the current Complete Edition. Steam’s March 19, 2020 notice says multiplayer mode and leaderboards were no longer available after the PC transition. That is a product limitation, not a setting you can enable by choosing the old campaign executable.
The single-player campaigns remain the reason to buy Complete Edition. If online play is your deciding factor, investigate the exact platform and service history before spending money, and do not treat a second-hand PC disc as proof that official servers or Games for Windows Live access still operate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.2010 launch pricing versus the current PC snapshot
| Price figure | What it describes | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| $39.99 | Suggested retail price in the 2010 announcement | North American launch pricing for the console Complete Edition. |
| £34.99 | Suggested retail price in the 2010 announcement | European launch pricing for the console Complete Edition. |
| €49.99 | Suggested retail price in the 2010 announcement | European launch pricing for the console Complete Edition. |
| €19.99 | Rockstar store display on October 18, 2026 | Current regional snapshot; price may change and is not a universal sale promise. |
These figures are not directly comparable as like-for-like modern prices: the first three are 2010 suggested retail prices for the console bundle, while €19.99 is a later PC storefront snapshot. A used console copy can cost more or less depending on condition and collector demand.
Rank #4
- The original Grand Theft Auto IV 4 game
- The Lost and Damned
- The Balled of Gay Tony
Which version fits your situation?
| Your situation | Best choice | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| First-time PC buyer who wants every story | Complete Edition | It is the current digital listing and includes all three campaigns. |
| Existing PC owner who wants the expansions | Update to Complete Edition | Steam says saves remain compatible, and the update supplies Episodes content. |
| Buyer whose priority is legacy PC multiplayer or leaderboards | Do not buy on the assumption those services work | The 2020 notice says they were removed. |
| PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 collector | Physical Complete Edition | It is the original 2010 console bundle; inspect region and disc condition. |
| Player who wants only Niko’s campaign and already owns GTA IV | Keep the existing copy or choose the current listing if buying digitally | The original game supplies the base story; Complete Edition adds the two episodes. |
Common buying mistakes
Assuming “Complete” means every legacy feature
The name refers to the three single-player campaigns. It does not mean Games for Windows Live, multiplayer and leaderboards are restored on PC.
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Buying the wrong physical edition
A plain GTA IV disc is not automatically the three-campaign bundle. Confirm that the packaging identifies Complete Edition and that the platform matches your console.
Expecting a guaranteed performance upgrade
There is no authoritative comparative benchmark establishing that the modern edition runs materially better than the original PC release. Hardware, drivers and settings still matter.
Forgetting the activation requirement
Initial PC activation requires internet access and a Rockstar Games Social Club account. Plan for that requirement before starting an offline installation.
Deleting saves before testing the update
Although existing saves are reported as compatible, retain a backup until you have launched the updated game and loaded a known save successfully.
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Final buying recommendation
Choose GTA IV: The Complete Edition for a new purchase. It is the current PC product and the only choice that naturally gives you Niko Bellic’s GTA IV alongside Johnny Klebitz’s The Lost and Damned and Luis Lopez’s The Ballad of Gay Tony. Existing PC owners should update when they want the episodes, keeping a save backup during the changeover.
Choose an original release only for a narrow reason: you already own it and need no additional campaigns, you collect the old physical media, or you specifically play on the original console hardware. Do not choose it expecting the old PC multiplayer, leaderboard or Games for Windows Live services to return.
Quick Recap
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