Grand Theft Auto IV is coming for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3 next week.  Are you ready?  Can't wait to get your hands on it?  Prepared to buy it early if you find it on the store shelf ahead of its official release date?  If so, then you'd better be aware of developer Rockstar's plans to do nasty things to whomever takes the game online before the actual official release date.  Kombo has the details, but better yet there's also a little commentary on the matter from — who else? — me.

Now, I can understand the need for publishers and developers to do what they can to discourage unauthorized downloading of their latest game. My hope here is that the trackers-that-be differentiate between illegal downloads and early legitimate purchases. Stealing a game from the back of a delivery truck somewhere? Then, yes, that's not right. Downloading a pirated game isn't doing anyone any favors either. If GameStop or Target sets a game out on the shelf three days before the official release date, then where's the harm? I've never understood the need for any store to hold back content just for the sake of an arbitrary calendar date.

As part of Kombo's ongoing evolution I'll be sharing some of my commentaries at the Kombo hub in addition to here at PTB.  Like everything that I write at Kombo, my material will also get a mention here to point you over there, so don't worry about missing out on anything.