The article is interesting but I don't trust those Game charts whatsoever. The top sellers chart has almost zero resemblance to the Chart-Track weekly charts.

GAME's pre-order charts sometimes lump games into one. For example, GTA4 maybe the number 1 pre-order and it says PS3 but it also incorperates the Xbox version.

If you go to the Xbox 360 part of the site, you will see it is number 1. for Xbox 360 while on the mainpage it is not mentioned and other 360 games are in the chart.

Edit: GAME hasn't even pu GTAIV in the pre-order charts for the 360 for some reason. There advertising the PS3 version more too 

In the first month I expect GTA/360 to sell more than GTA/PS3 world wide. But by the end of the year GTA4 for PS3 will have sold more than the 360 version. GTA will have some long legs in Europe.

Also, GTA is a big console mover and I think it will help PS3 much more than the 360. Even when the 360 is cheaper than a Wii (Europe) and only $20 more expensive than a Wii in NA.

 Also, by the end of the year, I think GTA4 PS3 has very good chances to be close to 2/3 of the GTA4 360 sales in NA.

Asda is 2nd largest after Tesco..

Asda == Walmart

Asda is a chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom offering food, clothing and general merchandise products. It became a subsidiary of the American retail giant Wal-Mart in 1999,^[1]and is currently the second largest chain in the UK after Tesco.

either way, pre-orders don't tell the complete story, because those aren't the only copies being sold. what about the instore a purchases that weren't pre-ordered? they can make a difference too.

If you go to main page you see the first xbox360 game is at number 6 which is GRID

now go here (360 page):

http://www.game.co.uk/Xbox360/

Grid is number 1 in preorder charts,,,and GTAIV is not in top 10 preorders for 360,,

but you might be right,,It might have mixed both version,,,not sure

Asda is quite a big supermarket chain but not a huge retailer of games, and not anywhere close to the size of Walmart comparatively, Ive lived in the UK for 6 years. Tesco/Sainsburys = Walmart in UK.

LOL Game.co.uk does not distinguish between different platforms in a game, they go by combined from all platforms. Which platform that shows on the main page is random. So they chose to show the PS3 version, but its combined GTA4, including 360. Ive been shopping there since they started their online business.

At game.co.uk, I see GTA IV as #1 but it's the special edition... This must be an anomaly.

Besides, I don't think pre-orders are a big thing in Europe, most people just go to the store and pick up the game they wanted to buy.

Well this might be why the 360 version of GTAIV is not showing up there:

(normal edition) http://www.game.co.uk/Xbox360/Action/Shooter/~r328876/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV/

"Due to demand, we are unable to accept any further pre-orders for the standard edition of Grand Theft Auto IV, however there are alternatives if you are after the game for launch day.

Alternatively, sign up for GTA IV Stock Updates and we will inform you when we receive more stock of the standard edition. Sign up here."

(special edition) http://www.game.co.uk/Xbox360/Action/Shooter/~r331369/Grand-Theft-Auto-IV-Special-Edition/

"Sorry, temporarily unavailable."

Expect huge hardware boost with launch of GTA 4. PS3 will gain more hardware than the 360. PS3 will sell 100k more hardware than 360 for first week of GTA 4 launch and settle down to 80k extra PS3 hardware than 360 and will continue up until MGS 4 launch where PS3 will further increase weekly hardware over its rival 360 by up to 120 k and maintain this weekly lead over its rival for remainder of the year.