Grand Theft Auto IV first released on April 29, 2008 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 worldwide, with the PC version following later that year in early December (December 2–3, 2008, depending on region).

Main release date

  • The core console launch date players remember is April 29, 2008 , when GTA 4 dropped globally on PS3 and Xbox 360.
  • This date is often celebrated in gaming communities as the moment Liberty City debuted in the HD era.

Platform rollout

  • Console release: Worldwide on April 29, 2008 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
  • PC release: Early December 2008, hitting North America on December 2 and Europe on December 3.

Regional notes

  • Major regions like the US, UK, Netherlands, and Australia all list April 29, 2008 as the official release date for the console versions.
  • Japan received GTA 4 later in the year, with a localized release in October 2008.

TL;DR: When someone asks “when did GTA 4 release,” the standard answer is April 29, 2008 (console), with a PC version arriving in early December 2008.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.