I was watching CNBC earlier, and they started talking about how Red Dead Redemption could "potentially" be the next GTA and a "possible" system seller. While they refrained from making an actual predictions, they all but said that RDR will become the next big thing, and that as a result, Take Two will cannibalize the profits of their rivals.

While it's ok to bring this up, I noticed a significant lack of data to back up these claims. It just seemed to be the mindless spewing from people who appear to have not done any research into video game sales.

For instance, RD on xbox only sold half a million, with the data for the PS2 unavailable. (http://vgchartz.com/games/index.php?name=red+dead&keyword=&console=&region=All&developer=&publisher=&genre=&boxart=Both&results=50&order=Hits) While the pre-orders are strong, this series isn't one that's known for its legs. All I'm saying is, I believe it needs to prove itself before the label of "system seller" is applied.

So my questions to you are these: Will RDR become a game changer? Will it sell consoles? Will it be "the next big series"?

Personally, I believe RDR will be a quality game, but nothing special. The shooter genre is a crowded one, and RDR doesn't seem to bring anything new to the table. Console seller? Not really. I don't think it'll make people who haven't bought a system this gen to go ahead and jump in. I think it'll be a strong selling series, but no where near the sales of of GTA or Halo.

Who is "they"? Pachter? If so, Red Dead Redemption = Red Dead in the Water.

In my opinion its hard to be a system seller when its not an exclusive, Games Like Halo for 360, games like GTA on PS2, these types of games are system sellers, your not going to get to mant people if any who don't have a 360 or ps3 to go out and buy all this for one game, Being RDR is on 360 and PS3, most gamers have one or the other, they will buy the game for what ever console they already have. So no I don't believe it will be a system seller. Its not an exclusive, it just can't. People like me will buy it on what ever they have it for, like for this game, I wanted RDR on my PS3, they were already sold out so I had to settle for a copy on my 360. So what ever I got the game, I will see what all the hype is about.

It's definitely a GOTY contender

I predict 8 million copies lifetime, one of the biggest franchises in this generation. Top 2 GOTY awards in 2010.

System selling power is impossible to measure since it's spread out over a long period of time and these decisions for people to jump in are based on several great games rather than just one (each with it's own little contribution). But overall RDR will lead to many thousand consoles being sold, maybe several 100,000.

The sales of Red Dead Revolver has no relevance when prediciting Redemption's sales. Most people don't even know the original game exists.

Red Dead Redemption is a phenomenon. Unlike GTA4 and Assassin's Creed 1, RDR is getting universal praise from reviewers and gamers.

Go look up the ratings on the videos at Gametrailers. Highest rated videos for any big game ever getting crazy averages like 9.6-9.7. More positive comments than I've ever seen.

To me at this point is another overhyped sandbox game. Thanks CNBC for tipping the scales...

Red Dead is definitely getting some hype and exposure that is synonomous with GTA - I've got alot of friends really hyped for it who typically only buy Call of Duty, Assassin's Creed, GTA, FIFA etc. It seems people have seen the Rockstar and open world parts, and with no GTA in 3 years or so are treating it as such to fill the void.

It has the makings to be 'huge' but I still just have too much skeptism for a western game releasing in May, with decent competition, managing to sell a mind blowing amount. I can't personally see it exceed 4 million when Batman:AA can't reach that level.

It'll be a hit but I simply can't see anything 'new' outside of Spec Ops breaking through into 8 digit figures, and that's still just a hunch at the moment.

What I don't get is all the hype it's getting, especially for the second installment of a series that never really broke through to the mass market.

I'm not saying it isn't/won't be good, but these things usually have a strong fan base before they take off, and I don't see that for Red Dead.

No one knows it's a sequel. It's just like a new IP.

The game will be huge.

This. I feel like it's going to be GTA4 all over again. That is, a pretty good game with entirely too much praise.