Despite breaking sales records left and right, GTA IV didn’t cause any measurable uptick in console sales. That probably hurts Sony more than Microsoft, seeing as though the GTA series has, since GTA III, been seen as a PlayStation franchise; Sony was expecting PS3-holdouts to see the game and buy a system. Didn’t happen.
In fact, sales of the Xbox 360 version nearly doubled those of the PS3 version, 867,000 to 443,000. A function of install base, sure, but still not something Sony wants to see parroted around the press, on blogs and message boards for the next few days.
An NPD analyst puts it quite plainly:
The continued success of GTA IV is not translating into big hardware sales for the PS3 or the 360. But there may yet be a lift in June due to gift-giving for Father’s Day and graduations
Sure, a bounce because of Father’s Day. Pretty sure my dad is too busy, you know, working, to be playing video games.
So there, no Halo effect.
I eagerly await PS3 fanboys—ahem, Josh—to now accuse me of hating the system, when the truth of the matter is I couldn’t give a damn. And why should I?
so its settled, PS3 sucks, 360 rules. will metal gear save it? wut else is there to push the system, little big planet?
Both consoles suck… where is the PC version of GTA IV already. If this was meant to boost console sales, it seems that the venture failed.
Dave
June will be very interesting. I wonder how many people waited for the 80GB PS3 that came out this week.
I would have bought a PS3 when GTA IV came out, but we all knew the 80GB (vs. 40), PS2 compatible (vs. non), rumble controller (vs. six-axis) having PS3 was going to hit stores. It’s been hard to forgo GTA IV for a month, but it’s ‘game on’ this weekend.
I bought a PS3 the same day GTA4 came out. I just don’t understand this sense of superiority Xbox owners have. I went with the PS3 because it’s more reliable, allows free online play, and included a Blu-Ray player.
Yup, exactly. I planned to buy a PS3 as soon as GTA IV was available and the system shipped with a proper rumble controller in the box.
Guess what? I haven’t been able to buy the console yet, because Sony screwed up and they’re still not readily available.
ignorant whore. i would describe the halo effect as having moved consoles because people were waiting for that game alone, to buy a console. increased gtaiv sales on the 360 are purely a function of install base and market demographics. sorry. as far as exclusives are concerned… i promise msg4 GT5 God of War 3 shadow of the colossus FFXIII Resistance Motorstorm will move more ps3s in the long term, and the disparity between bored 360 owners buying up copies of gtaiv, and sleeper ps3 owners who weren’t motivated by gtaiv to purchase a console, will shrink completely. june will be interesting indeed. save yourself the trouble and don’t post articles on subjects on which you don’t fully comprehend all the factors at work. oh yeah, AND littlebigplanet. bitch.
Let’s face it. With rising cost of fuel, food and other things, video games will be the next victim. Who’s going to have $60 bucks to shell out for a new video game? Or better up to $100 for the “special edition” version. The market should be reaching its limit for all three video game consoles. If the console and game prices don’t drop soon, sales should start to drop.
People should stop buying video games for the time and start purchasing local merchandise such as clothing or chairs to help move the economy. Once games are programmed, the company sits back and enjoys the billions that comes with sales.
So…what about the people that work at local game stores? Don’t they need customers, too? And the people who runs the malls? Lower revenues for the various stores inside a mall means lower rents to the malls which means fewer mall employees.
Yes, in a down economy, luxury items tend to suffer…items like jewelry and leather jackets. Video game sales were actually up in 08…as “luxury” items go, video games are actually relatively cheap…that $60 game will provide quite a bit of entertainment bang for the buck compared to other ways to spend money.