Looking first just anecdotally at Amazon to provide an illustration, both PS3 consoles and 360s are doing much better right now in the video game sales rankings on Amazon than they have been in the recent past. At the time of this post, PS3 is ranked as the #6 bestselling item, sandwiched right between the Wii and the Wiimote. 360 is doing much better, too, up to #47 from where it had been in the 50s-70s for the last few weeks. Both versions of GTA IV are in the top ten and probably won't be going anywhere for a while.
With the larger 360 install base and higher attach rate (lots of PS3 owners bought them in large part for Blu-Ray), GTA IV game sales will of course be higher on 360, at least for a year or two.
But what about the GTA IV effect on sales of the consoles?
Will consumers (including 100 million PS2 owners) use this opportunity to swarm to PS3, with its extremely bright outlook and obvious longevity as a console and CE device? Or will they see GTA IV as a reason to buy 360, when they may already want to play Halo, Bioshock, etc.?
Will the other games coming out very soon on the respective consoles have an effect? :
April/May/June PS3 exclusive heavies - Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Haze, Singstar, Metal Gear Solid 4
April/May/June 360 exclusive heavies - Ninja Gaiden II, Unreal Tournament III, 2 Atlus games (?)
Will new SKU's/bundles/prices change the game? Ah, good times lately in console land.
