Looking at console base in NA it should be 2.3:1. So 2:1 is actually bad news for MS. 1.5:1 is even worse.

You're completely discounting the fact that GTA was always Sony's franchise. That would be like suggesting that, if Halo 4 came out for both the 360 and PS3, the PS3 version should sell as well as its base is represented. But it wouldn't, because most of the people who love Halo already play it on the Xbox. And therefore the Xbox would have an advantage at selling Halo.

Yes, that's their overall goal. But in securing GTA 4 for their system as well, Microsoft's goal for that specific move was to get more players on their side. And it's pretty clear that they're getting more players on their side, or at least making their side more attractive to many players, by having GTA 4 available on their system.

Microsoft has so far to go before they can claim the Xbox 360 is profitable that it is basically hopeless.  Touting this sales number, whether it beats expectations or not, is a tool that they're using to increase mindshare for the 360.  There are areas, especially in the US, where people get the sense that the 360 is the new sherriff, and that's the cool system to have.

I don't know what you all think, and please amuse me with your comments about this :


Correct me If I'm wrong but the whole year it's all been GTA4 for Microsoft. It's the title that would pop up in every article, every interview, all around, everywhere. When they had shortages : "don't worry, we'll sort this out by the time GTA4 arrives", and you could just google up many instances were MS PR and other executives would repetitively mention GTA4 time and time again. Then there's also the 50 million paid for the exhaustively-talked exclusive episodic content. GTA4 : Microsoft's messiah. It is, without doubt, what they've led us to believe.

So now to my point. It's more than clear to me that Microsoft is expecting a lot more than "gaining more XBL Gold members" with GTA4.

If they don't, at least :

1- OBLITERATE the competition (meaning at least 3:1 over PS3 version in NA and over 2:1 WW) after putting so much money and effort over GTA4, and more importantly,

2- GAIN A SUSTAINED MOMENTUM on hardware sales in USA (outsell pricey PS3, convincingly).

If they can't do that with their cheaper system, and all their eggs put into the GTA4 basket since months ago, girls and fanboys you'll all excuse me but "padding themselves on the back" just won't cut it this time if all they can manage is "stay in the fight". If they don't get overwhelming results MS executives might as well start lining up to jump from top floor.

It's either GTA4 domination for MS or FAILURE.

Well it's important to hype this spin now before it comes out that the PS3 got a bigger hardware sales boost from GTA IV than the 360 did. Of course the 360 version is selling better, at least at first. Ultimately the bigger prize for both the PS3 and 360 is how much hardware does it push.

^^Agreed. I would assume that many more people bought PS3 than 360, but we'll wait and see.
Software wise, 2:1 doesn't sound that bad in NA. It could be very true. I would think many stores sold out of 360 version on first day. (it did at my local gamestop) so 360 version will continue to sell well.

@starcraft. I like your posts - it's fun and I don't think you're trolling. sorry if others do .

You may not but a mod does and thats all that really matters.

Anyways it's all about japan and legs right now.

I have to agree with starcaft.
Here in Greece, if u buy XBOX360 arcade with Wii is
200+250=450 euro vs 450 euro for PS3 40GB,

So you have the chance to buy 2 consoles instead of one...

It is funny how people's predictions change...

lol - In this thread, I predicted the 360 version would outsell the the PS3 version by 1.99:1 or better... So it looks like MS is telling me that I was .01 off in my prediction.

But the US Console ratio advantage for the 360 is more than double, and actually 11.6 million 360s to only 4.73 PS3s.

VGChartz Hardware data for the period 13th May 1989 to 26th Apr 2008:

(That is a 2.5:1 ratio)

So, isn't Microsoft admitting that the game is selling "better" to PS3 owners than to 360 owners? What is the reason that the sales ratio of GTAIV games doesn't match the console ratio exactly? Why does it favor the PS3 here?

Shouldn't the downloadable content pushed the 360 into the advantage to have a better attach ratio?

Did anyone think that the 4.6 million PS3 customers would buy the same amount (or more) GTAIV copies that the 11.6 million 360 cutomers would buy?

• CoD4 sold better (US) on the 360 by something like a 2.83 : 1 advantage.
• Madden 08 2.82 : 1
• Guitar Hero 2.82: 1
• Skate 2.97 : 1

Those are all BETTER than the 2.5:1 360 console advantage... GTAIV did worse on the 360 compared to thier console advantage.

MS's 50 million doesn't appear to be paying off... yet, at least.