Right before everyone says DAMAGE CONTROL (lol I don't even own a DS so don't pull that one on me)

How can ANYONE even dare to compare GTA:CTW sales to the PSP Versions

First lets look at the past......a BLAST from the past if you want:

http://www.vgchartz.com/games/index.php?&results=50&name=grand%20theft%20auto&console=&keyword=&publisher=&genre=&order=Sales&boxart=Both&showdeleted=&region=All&alphasort=

the 3D GTA's all SOLD in excess of 10 Million........the highest GTA:SA with 17.79 Million

The highest selling PSP GTA game (LCS) was 5.67 Million.......the lowest selling VCS was 3.37 Million

so basically GTA LCS got only 31% of GTA SA's fanbase.......while

GTA:VCS got 19% of GTA:SA's fanbase

BUT to be fair lets take the AVERAGE of all the 3 PS2 GTA games.....it comes out to be ~ 14.53 Million

So the PSP GTA's (taking their average) got around 31% of the PS2 GTA's Fanbase!

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now GTA:CTW is a 2D GTA game......so lets the take the average of the PS1 2D GTA's.....

its comes out to be ~ 2.87 Million (between GTA I & GTA II)

Now for GTA:CTW to be FAIRLY COMPARED to the PSP Versions sales.....we must find 31% of 2.87 Million = 0.889 Million

So the conclusion is:

For GTA:CTW to be FAIRLY compared to the PSP GTA's we MUST compare it to the PS1 GTA's (as they are 2D) in the same way that we compared the PSP GTA's to the PS2 ones (as they are 3D)

so GTA:CTW needs to sell around 900K to technically get the SAME % of the 2D GTA's userbase as the PSP GTA's got from the 3D GTA's

In Short

If GTA:CTW Sell 900K its "AS SUCCESSFUL" as the PSP ones.....& NO-ONE should complain!! (oh and it'll probably BLOW PAST that mark)

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BTW this is all my analysis......tell me what you think

is it FAIR? or not?

Nice analysis. However, many people will rebut with the fact that the GTA franchise has grown tremendously since the PS1 days, so much so that it should sell well regardless if it's a 3D or 2D game. Those are the people that expected Dragon Quest: Swords and Halo Wars to sell several million apiece. It's always difficult to compare these games...

I dont consider selling 900,000 as successful as selling over 5 million copies, but thats just me.

@chasmatic

but "why" has it grown

FF grew due to marketing by SONY ($100 Million campaign)

GTA grew because of the 3D World + Open World leap that it took

so I think the whole gaming media has turned GTA:CTW into a punchbag when they forget that its missing the crucial aspect that took GTA from just another franchise to a worldwide phenomenon!

People will indeed argue GTA fanbase has increases dramatically since the days of 2d GTA and argue DS userbase vs PSP's.

However you make an excellent point about 2d vs 3d. Most GTA fans grew up playing GTA:SA not GTA or GTA II. The DS version seems a tremendous step backwards for them and while that's fine for those that played the 2d originals it'll be a hard buy for those that didn't.

For example people not only accepted but creamed themselves over Megaman 9. But if you made a 2d Halo no one would want it except an intriped few.

It doesn't make sense to me to compare the game's sales to the first two games in the series. You know the games that came out before the series became a monster in terms of sales. The brand recognition that the series has gotten since then has to be taken into consideration.

@legend11

YES thats why GTA:CTW will blow past 900K as I stated due to some extra sales thanks to greater brand name

BUT the fact is the same

its a 2D GTA....comparing it to the 3D ones & expecting PSP level of GTA sales even on double the userbase is foolishness

Poor analysis your assuming that the 3D and 2D GTA userbases are mutuay exclusive.

The series didn't become big because it was 3D. Games became 3D during the 5th generation, while the GTA series became popular during the 6th generation. Rather, the series became so mainstream because Grand Theft Auto III was an incredible title, and one of the first big titles for the PS2 (this draws similarities to Gears of War, albeit with more appeal and sales).

There's no good excuse for the sales of Chinatown Wars. If you're satisfied with them, more power to you. Take 2 seems to be fine with them, and I'm sure they will make a profit. I'm disappointed due to the hype, the game's reviews, and the enormous popularity of the series, but that's just my opinion.

@montanahatchet

games were 3D during PS1 days too

remember driver & so on which was kinda like GTA 3...

but GTA was not....it was a 2D top view game

I hated it.....but loved the 3D GTA's

but for people the 2D ones were incredible too....

the series became popular as it was 3D & due to the open world....no doubts there.....yet again thats just my opinion