I was wondering how piracy would effect GTA4 sales on both 360 and PS3. As we all know (or else know now!) the only system currently hacked is the 360 with hacks so effective they can't even be noticed when logging into Live. I am not going to point you towards the means to do so, so use google yourself if you don't believe me. You'll find out my statements are true and if you still believe the `people got banned till 9999 story` you are simply being naive or greatly misinformed.

 Anyway, I looked at download statistics on a little private torrent site which name will only be revealed in PM if you are that interested. The game I looked at was Tom Clancys Rainbow six Vegas 2 and the numbers are,

PS3 global version, 17 times

360 US version,      1252 times

360 PAL version     4162 times (both 360 versions appear to be regionfree)

Like I mentioned, this info has been pulled from a small tracker and only serves as an indication. Sites like the piratebay for example have way higher numbers. I chose a private tracker to not have to deal with the huge number of people that may or may not have used multiple sources to download and give an incorrect number.

Posted this in sales because piracy affects sales.

Doubt it will have any large effect on anything... We're talking millions of sales here for real purchases...

If the 360 was hacked to allow homebrew, the ability to install a bigger HDD, and copy a game to the HDD, like you can with the original Xbox, then im sure it would have a effect, but not even that big of an effect

Piracy will affect it in Europe more than NA. There seems to be more stigma attached to piracy in the US compared to Europe, plus the laws are generally stricter in US too. I don't know if it's getting officially released anywhere in Asia same date as PAL/NA, but piracy is massive here, most stores don't even sell original 360 games where I live.

Funny, I went to recheck my data and there it was:

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--iCON brings you: Grand Theft Auto IV--
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not region free! sorry bushlovers!

Japan, Rest Of Asia, Australia, Rest Of Europe

hey this is iCON again. we just finished
that crappy GTAIV game of thing and thought
you might want to have it too. so here it is.

!!! IMPORTANT: !!!
DONT PLAY THIS GAME WHILE CONNECTED TO XBOX LIVE TILL NEXT WEEK!
DONT PLAY THIS GAME WHILE CONNECTED TO XBOX LIVE TILL NEXT WEEK!
DONT PLAY THIS GAME WHILE CONNECTED TO XBOX LIVE TILL NEXT WEEK!
setcha xbox live profiles to hide your games
list from dirty little spys. or skip online
till next monday. otherwise you might get banned
for playing this bitch early.

if u dont mind, well.. like we care.

and guys, seriously, go and buy this one!

R* deserves it...
----------------------------------------
------iCON - Passion for Videogames-----
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That´s a week before actual release, and it´s out as warez. This MIGHT convert a lot of people to get a modded console since most people have zero patience. This absolutely plays in the favour of the PS3, that much is for sure.

That was quick, I'll have to see if the stores here have it tomorrow.

Games as yet can't be pirated on the PS3.

The 360? A 12 yo can do it. no soldering required.

 Yes, that's basically the main point of the OP.

The PS3 wont ever get hacked because its the better hardware.

So what . Doom 3 broke every piracy record when it hit the stores .... and it still sold craploads . Now what do you think will happen to GTA4 ? :)

Well, if you make a game where you get to be a criminal, and it appeals to people who don't mind stealing it, isn't that really your own fault? :p