The hype surrounding the much-awaited Grand Theft Auto 4 release has unfortunately been doused with killer vibes in the form of the freeze issues. It's been over a week since the release and since the discovery of the problem, but still it persists, even with the release of the patch fix.

Now, however, Rockstar has spoken out and has pinpointed the blame to the power hardware that is the PS3. Yep, that's what they're saying. It's not us, It's them. In an email sent to Wolfgang187, N4G contributor, this is what Rockstar has to say on the matter:

Thank you for your patience while we continue to work to resolve this hardware-related issue. We have provided your information to Sony, and they will be contacting you directly to assist in the repair and/or replacement of your PlayStation 3 console.

Once again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this has causes. Please provide us with your mailing address and shirt size at your earliest convenience, as we would like to send you something as a token of appreciation for your patience with this matter.

Ooh, a free shirt, am guessing that token would be! Still, as cool as that freebie would certainly be, we still think that no amount of luxurious swag bag could ever replace the joy of finally playing our GTA IV in peace.