First it was the bugs which plagued its launch, the budget and the soundtrack. Then the controversies and the MADD stuff. It seems like Grand Theft Auto IV is and endless source of subjects for the debates taking place on the Internet. The latest controversies are linked with the Australian version of the game, which was apparently censored, and the fact that the game is apparently also sold to minors even though it carries a Mature rating. Also, the multiplayer mode has shifted into gear as most die-hard fans have already completed the single-player mode of the game.

It appears that the Australian version of GTA IV is marked by several censorship modifications. The main character Niko can still solicit hookers but when the implied sexual intercourse or oral/hand job occurs the game camera shifts to a tight shot of the rear of the vehicle and it cannot be moved to peek inside the car. In comparison, the version distributed elsewhere allows the moving of the camera which reveals humping scenes with the characters clothed.

Also, Gavin McKiernan, National Grassroots Director, Parents TV Council, has issued a comment which highlights that the Mature-rated game is marketed unscrupulously to young audiences. McKiernan alleges that the adult game should be treated just like any other adult products, which means it should not be marketed to youth and the general population and it should be keept instead behind counters and out of reach and sight of youth.

The online gameplay which kicked off in force recently has revealed the strengths and weaknesses of GTA IV's multiplayer system. It appears that of the 15 different modes of online play, some are very good, some are not really worth it and most of them are just good. The top game mode appears to be GTA Race, in which you can assault one another's vehicles, and even carjack one another. Actual FPS-like modes are not very appealing, as the game lacks the gaming experience found in dedicated games such as Call of Duty or Halo.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) decided to pull all ads promoting Grand Theft Auto IV.  In April this year, a Fox affiliate said that the game ads were being pulled out from buildings and buses by CTA, despite the $300,000 campaign agreement between CTA and Take-Two.

According to the agreement, the ads had to be displayed over a period of six weeks throughout Chicago, starting April 22. However, just days after they first appeared, the CTA took them out, telling GameSpot: “CTA guidelines require ads to be truthful, and not directed at inciting imminent lawless action. They cannot be legally obscene or portraying graphic violence.”

Last week, former DJ and label manager Ivan Pavlovich, the man behind Grand Theft Auto IV's soundtrack, has opened up to MTV about the process of picking the 214 songs which eventually made up the mega-successful game's music background. Pavlovich apparently made up a list of some 850 songs he wanted into the soundtrack, and asked some 2,000 people responsible for their rights if they want to license them. That might not seem like much of a problem, if you fail to consider that the developers did not want to reveal what they wanted them for.

The music tracks can be purchased directly from the Amazon.com online music store thanks to a feature of the game that allows players to tag a song, find out more about it and buy it. Music labels couldn’t be happier: the game’s success could turn into a music industry success, as many players are likely to purchase some of their favorite tracks in the game, with just a touch of a button (yes, there is a buy button).