Xbox 360 to Receive More GTA IV Episodic Content

[iceberg187]

http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/xbox-360-to-receive-more-gta-iv-episodic-content/18906/?biz=1

Following the announcement of their fourth quarter and year-end fiscal results (which revealed increased sales and narrowed losses thanks to BioShock), Take-Two executives indicated on a conference call that the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto IV will eventually provide Xbox 360 owners with even more episodic content beyond the previously announced content for the game.

Take-Two said that GTA IV remains on track for release during the second fiscal quarter of 2008 fiscal second quarter (meaning between February 1 and April 30). The previously announced episodic content for the game will also arrive in fiscal 2008. However, beyond that, Take-Two said in the next year, the Xbox 360 version would receive still more new episodic content.

Considering the magnitude of the GTA franchise and the hype around this particular release, exclusive episodic content could tip the balance towards the Xbox 360 version and therefore could have an impact on the ongoing console war as well.

Thus far, the PS3 version of the game has not been granted any episodic content. We've pinged SCEA for reaction.

 

[nintenho]

I heard that this was a mess up and just means the second episodic content pack in late 2008.

 

[Blade47167]

Its still the same amount of content x_x. 2 sets of content, one in 08 and another in 09. Either way by the time this stuff is hitting live I hope to be playing MGS and Killzone.

 

[vazel]

Sony: Et tu, GTA?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Sony: Et tu, GTA?

MS have paid for exclusive content. On the other hand, R*'s follow-on game now that they're dropping GTA is currently set to be PS3 exclusive. So no et tu's going on here! It's surprisingly the reverse so far!

 

[nintenho]

MS didn't really pay though. they had a deal where they finance the cost of the game (maybe specifically episodic content?) but that one way or another R* has to pay them back that money. Very odd but I specifically remember that R* in some way gets their money back.

While R* makes mostly great games, I doubt they're going to keep a GTA level game exclusive to one platform. Most likely it's a game Sony published or something.

 

[scooby_dooby]

MS have paid for exclusive content. On the other hand, R*'s follow-on game now that they're dropping GTA is currently set to be PS3 exclusive. So no et tu's going on here! It's surprisingly the reverse so far!

Undisclosed Mystery Franchise != GTA 4.

If you look at Rockstar's other franchises, none of them come close to the magnitude of GTA, so we'll have to wait and see how good that title turns out to be.

In the meantime, this should definately help drive 360 sales, especially in EU where they need the help.

Edit - From what I remember though, R* was open to PS3 exclusivity, but Sony passed?

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Confirmation that this isn't extra content beyond that already announced.

 

[Silent]

In the meantime, this should definately help drive 360 sales, especially in EU where they need the help.

I don't think that in Europe people will massively buy 360 consoles just because there is episodic GTA content available in 2009.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Where in my post did I say "massive"?

And the first episode is due in 2008, not 2009, so maybe get your facts straight?

It's not just the episodic content, it's also the 360's lower price. Not only will 360 be the platform of choice for the game, due to extra content, it will also be the cheaper solution.

It's a extra incentive, on the back of the already lower pricepoint. A double whammy which should give them a very nice boost in HW sales in EU, which will probably eat up a good 4 or 5 million copies of the game.

 

[AlNom]

What were sales like in the EU for previous games

 

[scooby_dooby]

What were sales like in the EU for previous games

I've been trying to find the numbers, but can;t seem to right now. I know SA did around 20 million WW, a little less than half of that was in EU I think, it's a huge franchise for that territory.

 

[Blade47167]

Where in my post did I say "massive"?

And the first episode is due in 2008, not 2009, so maybe get your facts straight?

It's not just the episodic content, it's also the 360's lower price. Not only will 360 be the platform of choice for the game, due to extra content, it will also be the cheaper solution.

It's a extra incentive, on the back of the already lower pricepoint. A double whammy which should give them a very nice boost in HW sales in EU, which will probably eat up a good 4 or 5 million copies of the game.

Can almost guarantee you that PS3 version of GTA sells more than the 360 version at least in EU. 360 only has ~1mil or so lead console wise in EU. By the time this game gets out they will probably be the same or PS3 having sold more since PS3 is consistently outselling the 360 over there now.

Unless they mass advertise downloadable content that won't be around for 6 months after you buy the game. And even that won't make much of a difference.

Your saying 20mil San Andreas WW probably more than 75% of those sales were on the PS2. And according to VGCharts the PS1 version of GTA2 sold almost equal to the XB's combined sales of GTA3,GTA:ViceCity, & GTA:San Andreas.

And how is it the cheaper solution? The gimped Arcade model? The 40GB PS3 is only ~$50 more than the Premium 360. And again still very possible future price drops between now and the games release.

And 4~5mil copies lmao. Its going to sell a copy to more or less every system? EU is anywhere from 3~4mil 360's right now up to Christmas. Sells drop off in January. Even if they are pulling 200k a month they will only have a max of maybe 5mil units by the time this game comes out. Are you seriously speaking from a realistic stand point or is that 360 fanboyism showing through here ?

 

[scooby_dooby]

Your saying 20mil San Andreas WW probably more than 75% of those sales were on the PS2. And according to VGCharts the PS1 version of GTA2 sold almost equal to the XB's combined sales of GTA3,GTA:ViceCity, & GTA:San Andreas.

This is largely irrelevant to today's market. Xbox is not 360, PS2 is not PS3, this is a ridiculous argument.

And how is it the cheaper solution? The gimped Arcade model? The 40GB PS3 is only ~$50 more than the Premium 360. And again still very possible future price drops between now and the games release.

Arcade is gimped? Then what would you call the PS2?

And 4~5mil copies lmao. Its going to sell a copy to more or less every system? EU is anywhere from 3~4mil 360's right now up to Christmas. Sells drop off in January. Even if they are pulling 200k a month they will only have a max of maybe 5mil units by the time this game comes out. Are you seriously speaking from a realistic stand point or is that 360 fanboyism showing through here ?

I meant across both platforms OBVIOUSLY.

Why don't you use your head a little bit? Did you really think I was saying GTA would have a >90% attach rate?

 

[Silent]

Where in my post did I say "massive"?

No that didn't came out right. I meant to have some impact they need a (relatively) massive sales boost. Especially seeing how many 360 are being sold in some countries. I'm not convinced that GTA will give them that boost.

And the first episode is due in 2008, not 2009, so maybe get your facts straight?

My mistake I was browsing through the (dutch) headliners and I've read "GTA in march, extra content in 2009". After reading it seems to be the fiscal year 2009 which starts in october 2008. It was a honest mistake.

It's not just the episodic content, it's also the 360's lower price. Not only will 360 be the platform of choice for the game, due to extra content, it will also be the cheaper solution.

The price difference here in Belgium is rather small between the PS3 (399€+ game + sometimes a couple of BR movies) and the 360 Halo Pack (379€) The elite costs more (450€) !

Not allot of shops are selling the core/arcade version anymore. People tend not to buy these because of the low value for money.

 

[scooby_dooby]

No that didn't came out right. I meant to have some impact they need a (relatively) massive sales boost. Especially seeing how many 360 are being sold in some countries. I'm not convinced that GTA will give them that boost.

Fair enough. I think it's one of EU biggest franchise, and it should give the system a strong boost. I do think the DLC will go a long way in pushing people towards getting the 360 version, escecially if it runs better on 360 as well, which is likely IMO.

The price difference here in Belgium is rather small between the PS3 (399€+ game + sometimes a couple of BR movies) and the 360 Halo Pack (379€) The elite costs more (450€) !

Not allot of shops are selling the core/arcade version anymore. People tend not to buy these because of the low value for money.

Honestly, I'm not familiar with the pricing for all the different regions in EU, only that the 360 should have a significant price advantage in most regions when GTA launches.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Fair enough. I think it's one of EU biggest franchise, and it should give the system a strong boost. I do think the DLC will go a long way in pushing people towards getting the 360 version, escecially if it runs better on 360 as well, which is likely IMO.

On this matter, unless MS market it as such, I dunno how much difference it'll make. Most buyers probably already have the console they're going to play the game on. Were percentage of sales will go to new console buyers buying specifically for this game who keep up with gaming sites and what the state of play between consoles is? Once you go past a certain number of consoles sold, you're out of the 'gamer' market and into the 'mainstream' who buy as much on the pretty pictures on the back of the box as anything. As certain games have shown in the past, well received games can not sell well, and yet well marketed games can. My guess is GTA fits the 'marketed to market' more than the 'well read' market but I don't know how anyone could tell.

 

[scooby_dooby]

Most buyers probably already have the console they're going to play the game on.

Why do you assume that? These buyers bough their PS2 at what, $150? "Most' could very well be sitting around waiting for prices to drop.

Once you go past a certain number of consoles sold, you're out of the 'gamer' market and into the 'mainstream' who buy as much on the pretty pictures on the back of the box as anything.

Perhaps. But I think alot of the word will be spread through word of mouth, and at the point of purchase through retailers, in addition to whatever Marketing MS does.

I dunno, I just think the lower priced, combined with this exclusive content give the 360 version a great chance at emerging as the defacto version, as PS2 was previously. And, if that turns out to be the case, it should be a great boon to the 360 numbers in that region.

 

[PARANOiA]

Am I the only one who thinks the extra content packs are going to be a bad thing? I cannot see how they would not be excluding great ideas from the core game in order to make the pay-extra expansions more appetising.

Having said that, I don't think you have to worry about MS not taking advantage of their exclusivity. They paid through the nose for it, and when they go an an all-out advertising blitz - at least in Australia, an "EU" country - they do it very thoroughly. I remember when Gears came out - I couldn't look anywhere without seeing a billboard or tram with the game's logo on it. Same with Halo 3.

Can almost guarantee you that PS3 version of GTA sells more than the 360 version at least in EU. 360 only has ~1mil or so lead console wise in EU. By the time this game gets out they will probably be the same or PS3 having sold more since PS3 is consistently outselling the 360 over there now.

What's your source on these numbers? The only place I've seen try and quote definitive Euro numbers are sites like VGChartz. They currently have the 360 @4.78m and PS3 at 3.04m. That's 1.7m difference (or 60% more than your quoted reference), plus you're insinuating that the PS3 will be able to close the gap in six months . Let's assume the 360 stopped selling overnight... the PS3 would need to increase its user base by 50% in about four months ! And that's ignoring the fact that the LTD numbers includes launch, which is not representative of a typical month. Add to that that the 360 is not going to stop selling, and your theory sounds unlikely - and just plain incorrect.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Why do you assume that? These buyers bough their PS2 at what, $150?

For exactly that reason! If most GTA2/3 owners bought at $150, are they going to stretch to ~$300 for GTA4? My guess is no, at which point the game will sell to people who are happy to get an expensive console rather than a cheap one, who are more likely to have already got that expensive console for other reasons rather than be waiting for just GTA to sell them a console. There's probably some who are waiting for GTA4 and will buy the console to suit, but I can't see it being many.

Also PS2 was the de facto version because it released on there exclusively for an age. If GTA had released simultaneously with XB, would it have been such a PS2 icon, or would sales have been distributed because of people wanting GTA and Halo and only getting that experience on the one console? For GTA content to be a deciding factor, buyers would have to be ignoring the rest of the machine's library and functions. That's an expensive single-track way of thinking!

I guess GTA will be quite a test case for various factors when it releases. We'll actually get to see what theoretical influences actually come to affect the market by exactly whether the game shifts XB360s, PS3s, both, or neither.