For years, the Rockstar Games community has meticulously documented leaks of early development builds across the studio’s portfolio. Yet, Grand Theft Auto IV remained a rare exception to this trend—until a remarkable discovery surfaced this past weekend.
At a local car boot sale in Edinburgh, a user named janmatant stumbled upon an Xbox 360 development kit priced at just £5. To their surprise, the hardware contained a near-complete beta build of GTA IV dated November 23, 2007, roughly five months before the title’s official launch. While the journey of this Rockstar North relic from the studio to a flea market remains a mystery—with some speculating it may have briefly appeared on eBay in the past—the historical value of the data found inside is undeniable.
The discovery is a massive digital archive totaling 127 GB, with approximately 95% of the data perfectly preserved. Enthusiasts and modders are currently optimistic about the possibility of restoring the build to a fully playable state. For the time being, researchers are extracting 3D models and textures, slowly piecing together how much the vision for Liberty City evolved during those final months of production.
Source: gta.com.ua