Take Two explains poor Grand Theft Auto IV DLC and retail sales

[scrubfresh]

Lastgengamer said:

http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/12/18/take-two-explains-poor-grand-theft-auto-iv-dlc-and-retail-sales/

The software sales for the DLC expansions to Grand Theft Auto IV have not been up to expectations. This lead to a series of questioning at a Take-Two investor call where the company’s boss was drilled as to why this happened, despite fantastic claims made in the past.

 

According to Joystiq, during a Take-Two investor call questions were raised as to why the performance of GTA IV’s DLC and retail bundle performed poorly. I wrote a story in reference to the lackluster sales of the GTA IV DLCs not that long ago. The two DLCs were sold at retail, and managed to move a measly 160k over two months. It is not clear how well the DLCs sold via XBL, but the investor call indicates those sales weren’t that stellar either.

Strauss Zelnick chairman of Take-Two stepped up on the call to offer an explanation as to the poor performance of the DLCs and retail offering. According to Zelnick the release timings of the DLC and retail copy contributed to the lackluster sales.

Zelnick stated, “both we and Microsoft believed there was a big market for GTA 4 episodic content and some factors affected their performance.” He continued by saying, “both were released significantly after the launch of the core unit.” The Lost and Damned came out 10 months after GTA IV’s release, and The Ballad of Gay Tony came out recently, about 18 months after release.

Joystiq does bring up an interesting point by quoting things said at the Microsoft press conference in 2006, where Take-Two and Peter Moore made some bold statements.

Calling the two companies’ relationship "a historic, strategic partnership" – remember this? – and calling the episodes themselves "profitable contributors to the company" – Joystiq 

I have to agree with Peter Moore, $50 million for two DLCs is indeed a “historic” partnership between Microsoft and Take-Two. I’m sure it will go down into the history books along with the PS3’s launch price and the RRoD.

So if the DLC sold 160k, thats 5 times more than Ratchet and Clank 2 PS3 sold in it's first NPD. And almost as much as GT5P sold it's first NPD (it never charted after that) Not bad if you ask me.