Opinion: MS GTA IV press release 'unbelievable and outrageous'

[Zeus]

A tech website has accused Microsoft of using GTA IV to "to boast (and lie) about the Xbox 360 console and its success." They say that the press release that states the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV has sold more than 100,000 copies, or 20 per cent more than the PS3 version in the UK since the game's release is "unbelievable and outrageous." After analysing the numbers they say that the 0.3 copies of GTA IV were sold per PS3 console and 0.23 copies of GTA IV were sold per Xbox 360 console.


"Data released by ELSPA/Chart-Track shows Xbox 360 Week One sales at 514,000 copies sold in the UK. PlayStation 3 version of the game sold only 413,000 copies, clearly demonstrating that gamers prefer the Xbox 360 version," says the Microsoft press release progaganda exercise.

What a load of complete rubbish, Microsoft!

Let's do the maths. 413,000 PS3 copies of GTA IV divided by the 1.2m PS3 consoles sold in the UK, equates to about 0.3 copies sold per console. So basically one in three UK PS3 owners have bought GTA IV in the last seven days.

Compare that to the 514,000 Xbox 360 copies sold in the UK, divided by the 2.2m consoles in circulation. It amounts to 0.23 copies per console. So about one in four Xbox 360 owners bought the game. Comparatively LESS than the PS3 version.


News Source: <a href="http://www.techradar.com/blogs/article/gta-iv-xbox-vs-playstation-359413" target=_blank">techradar</a>

[legendofphil]

Statistics can be manipulated in anyway you want.

Just look at Sony's claim they have outsold the 360 in Europe.

[danight]

Statistics can be manipulated in anyway you want.

Just look at Sony's claim they have outsold the 360 in Europe.

Very true....
But why does UK people think all stats refer to their area? :confused:
Its more likely Microsoft would talk about US stats since thats where the console is strongest at. I mean if we flip the stats and say japan. Its probably a safe bet ps3 version outsold the xbox 360 version there.

depending on the region depends on the spin we see. Total worldwide sales would be more informative.

[Pseudo99]

Not to be a fanboy, but I could understand a higher percentage of PS3 owners buying the game, despite there being more 360's in the market. Truth is, there's less big name games out for the PS3 right now, so it's no surprise that a lot of PS3 owners are purchasing the game. My PS3 has been collecting dust since Folklore, and the only major titles since then that I can think of are UT3 and GT5 prologue.

Personally, I don't think Sony or MS has room to brag; neither platform is exactly dominating the other right now.

[Attitude]

Quite frankly i wish both M$ and Sony would just shut the **** up and concentrate on producing and releasing (preferably on time) top class games for their consoles. I do not care one iota how many more GTA 4 games were sold on what console or how many that equates too via consoles sold/owned, i would much rather spend my time playing the damn game than wondering if im in a certain % of owners owning the sodding thing.

[LeGioN1202]

Why do they only look at the UK and not "others" as a whole?

Does 1,227,941 to 970,341 look like 360 is ahead? Does 197,410 consoles in GTA IV week compared to 144,690 also look like MS is in control there too?

MS always bullshits. Fact is that in terms of GTA software + hardware PS3 came out ahead despite DLC that nobody has any idea about yet.

Why gloat about GTA IV when as of right now 360 is being outsold by 80K units in America and Others combined?

As for Sony "lying" about outselling the 360... I think 5+ months of outselling it despite a 360 price cut is more than enough to brag about.

MS loves taking info that only supports them to make them look good even though WW charts show otherwise. Not a small margin either.

[legendofphil]

As for Sony "lying" about outselling the 360... I think 5+ months of outselling it despite a 360 price cut is more than enough to brag about.


Sony claim to have outsold in total (ie to date) in Europe, which simply isn't true. VGChartz (usually a bit low) have 'Other' being 5.4m for the PS3 and 6.4m for the 360. Sony claiming that 5m have been "sold" in Europe meaning that over 1.4m units have been sold outside Europe (beside Japan and US) for the 360, which I highly doubt since the PS3 has outsold the 360 in Australia.

[danight]

I think 5+ months of outselling it despite a 360 price cut is more than enough to brag about.

You would.... Its no secret your a ps3 fanboy (even if you did get a 360 also) and i thought you retired from coming to this site :confused:

But Microsoft just started taking that price cut and sony oddly seems to gloat from the time they released $100.00 cheaper 40 gig model. So if you cant see sony trying to spin stats then your blind. Fact is both microsoft and sony both like to spin number to sound good. At the end of the day wii is #1 and the xbox 360 is #2 and ps3 is #3.

As said, you would think in short term the ps3 version of gta 4 will outsell the xbox 360 just because its one of the few "must have games" out for the ps3. So Id be shocked if pretty much 98% of ps3 owners didn't buy this game in the next month or so.
In long term xbox 360 will out sell it. Every single time a new episode comes out we will see the 360 version start selling like crazy since you will need the orig version. Not to mention we will probably see bgta4 goy edition or murder packs or what ever they wanna call it where they bundle the expansions and the main game together much like oblivion with shivering isles.

Thats not to say ps3 sales wont cont as well. people will buy new systems all year long and gta4 will make a good holiday present. But that could be said for xbox 360 as well. But add in the episodes and the 360 should sell more version over all.

[Jar Jar Insano]

A tech website has accused Microsoft of using GTA IV to "to boast (and lie) about the Xbox 360 console and its success." They say that the press release that states the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV has sold more than 100,000 copies, or 20 per cent more than the PS3 version in the UK since the game's release is "unbelievable and outrageous." After analysing the numbers they say that the 0.3 copies of GTA IV were sold per PS3 console and 0.23 copies of GTA IV were sold per Xbox 360 console.



News Source: <a href="http://www.techradar.com/blogs/article/gta-iv-xbox-vs-playstation-359413" target=_blank">techradar</a>

wow, is this tech website run by a 5 year old? maybe before they say .3 copies is more than .23 copies, they should see that these numbers need to be multiplied by the number of consoles sold to date......please put a gun to your head and kill yourself whoever the source of this was, you are a waste of fresh air.

[MadMax31]

wow, is this tech website run by a 5 year old? maybe before they say .3 copies is more than .23 copies, they should see that these numbers need to be multiplied by the number of consoles sold to date......please put a gun to your head and kill yourself whoever the source of this was, you are a waste of fresh air.

LOL, very true :p

[CZroe]

It's just like in Blu-Ray Disc sales: The only thing that matters to the game maker/movie makers is how many discs sell per platform, not how many sell per console unit sold on that platform.

The person writing the article sounded like a kid having a tantrum. He failed even consider that there is market crossover and that there very well may be an XBOX 360 preference for some very real and public reasons. He did not mention that many gamers owning both platforms may purchase the XBOX 360 version for the gamer points alone while the exclusive episodic content would steer this statistic even further in favor of Microsoft than your typical multiplatform release.

Gamerscore is a powerful, deciding, incentive: I can't tell you how many times I've seen people excuse buying other multi-platform games on XBOX 360 instead of PC or PS3 for the gamer points alone. I've seen one man routinely pay $60 for XBOX 360 versions of games that are on clearance at his store for $12 on PC and doing it for that reason alone (he has a serviceable gaming PC). I've seen him snap up clearance XBOX 360 games he already owns on other platforms just to inflate his gamerscore! Though I've seen others first-hand who prove that this is not an isolated example, I see the same thing going on in every gaming forum I participate in.

A lot of those GTAIV 360 version sales came from gamers who own both consoles. Comparing sales to the entire install base is just stupid: The higher sales came after it was in the market longer and cheaper, so these are not reflective of the dedicated gamers ready to snap up GTAIV on launch day. Considering that the hardcore fans in Europe actually prefer the PS3 (or, at least more do than in the US), I knew that those of them with XBOX 360 consoles would number proportionally less and it would contribute to a lower sales-per-console ratio. Considering that it was not that much lower, I'm surprised.

[*StoneCold*]

Sony claim to have outsold in total (ie to date) in Europe, which simply isn't true. VGChartz (usually a bit low) have 'Other' being 5.4m for the PS3 and 6.4m for the 360. Sony claiming that 5m have been "sold" in Europe meaning that over 1.4m units have been sold outside Europe (beside Japan and US) for the 360, which I highly doubt since the PS3 has outsold the 360 in Australia.

Will you PLEASE pull your head out of your ass???

Since the PS3 was released it has CONSTANTLY outsold the 360 in Europe, and that includes the UK, since the PS3's release it has outsold the 360 worldwide in months more than the 360 has out sold it, long story short and i will say this slow so you understand it, when the PS3 was released until this present day it has sold more consoles than the 360 i.e if both consoles launched at the same time then the PS3 would be out in front!

Clear enough for you?

Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's Playstation day kicked off a short while ago in London with Sony claiming that it has been outselling the Xbox 360 in Europe since October. Sony say they sold 10.5 million PS3s worldwide by the end of last year, 34 million PSPs and 127 million PS2s. In Europe Sony say they have shifted Europe 12 million PSPs, 48 million PS2s, and 5 million PS3s.

Thats what sony said!

[LastinFirstout]

http://vgchartz.com/eweekly.php

the ps3 version out sold the xbox 360 version even though there is 6 million more xbox 360 consoles than ps3's.

[zosofrank]

I tell you what I think is news, a day without some fanboy or fanboy site spewing garbage that they call "news". Keep your personal opinions out of reporting and things will only get better, too bad anonymity + internet = jackasses.

:rolleyes:

[.Gogeta§§J4BR.]

Statistics can be manipulated in anyway you want.
the sad thing is, statistics are not manipulated (everything said is true)... people who read them and dont know how to interpret it, they are the ones manipulated :D

[grapeape]

Fact is both are doing quite well. I do think its silly that the latest "stat" to defend the PS3's sales is the ratio of sales to games vs the number of consoles. In the end if you have choice of selling 100 copies or 200 copies a developer is going to choose to sell 200. If your going to factor in the percentages you should also throw in library of 374 games (as of April 30) vs 122 (also as of April 30), there is more competition. BTW the "but the ps3 launched a year later" argument doesnt really hold water, the dev kits shipped to developers only 4 months later than MS's did and 3:1 ratio should be closer by now. I buy any exclusive that comes to the PS3 just because otherwise I dont find much to play, but I buy 2-3 games a month and generally that means 1 for the ps3 and 2 for my 360. With the rate games are trickling in is it any real wonder that the attach rate for decent games on the ps3 is good?

[whackawookie]

PS3
Region Japan America Others Total
Total Sales 0.00m 1.39m 1.23m 2.62m
Week 1 n/a 1,386,032 1,227,941 2,613,973


http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=7102

XBOX360
Region Japan America Others Total
Total Sales 0.00m 2.32m 0.97m 3.29m
Week 1 n/a 2,317,774 970,351 3,288,125

http://vgchartz.com/games/game.php?id=7103

id say the sales in uk seems to hold water that the ps3 vers is outselling the 360 vers. ofcourse this is also based solely on the "others" listing which seems to be anyother region thats not jpn or us. in total the 360 vers is on top just not in the others region

[sigma8]

Fact is both are doing quite well. I do think its silly that the latest "stat" to defend the PS3's sales is the ratio of sales to games vs the number of consoles. In the end if you have choice of selling 100 copies or 200 copies a developer is going to choose to sell 200.
Yes, but if a developer is planning for their next platform, are they going to favor a console with a steeper growth curve? Or a more mellow growth rate? If they can start, finish, and publish their game in a month, sure...stick with the 360.. but when you see stats like this, you have to wonder what the market will look like one year later when your game finally hits the shelves.

If your going to factor in the percentages you should also throw in library of 374 games (as of April 30) vs 122 (also as of April 30), there is more competition. BTW the "but the ps3 launched a year later" argument doesnt really hold water, the dev kits shipped to developers only 4 months later than MS's did and 3:1 ratio should be closer by now.
Yeah, ok.. Because GTAIV on the 360 was facing steep competition from the likes of Kameo, Dead Rising, Table Tennis, Gears of War, etc.. Steep I tell you.. STEEP. Deadly. Competition.

I buy any exclusive that comes to the PS3 just because otherwise I dont find much to play, but I buy 2-3 games a month and generally that means 1 for the ps3 and 2 for my 360. With the rate games are trickling in is it any real wonder that the attach rate for decent games on the ps3 is good?
Okay, so what were the competing releases for the Xbox360 and PS3 that were going up against GTAIV during a more realistic timeframe...say, the last 2 months?

[Raist3d]

Statistics can be manipulated in anyway you want.

Just look at Sony's claim they have outsold the 360 in Europe.

AFAIK Sony has claimed they have been outselling the 360 in Europe for some months now, and this is true. Except for the UK as far as I remember. So no, I don't think Sony is manipulating anything here.

As far as total sales that's different, but I don't remember them claiming that but I could be wrong.

- Raist

[cory149]

The sad thing to me about this whole discussion is that it overlooks the simple fact you have to have both consoles to get a better selection of games that are worth playing, from a gamer's perspective it doesn't really matter who outsells who on consoles or a single title (which thankfully had some delays so it wasn't rushed onto either console.) From my own perspective, both consoles have (after what is now years) very few "grade A+" titles, and a mass of "fun but not as good as I expected nex-gen to be" titles.

Everyone is so busy trying to help their favorite win... win what? We all lose if one of the consoles comes out tops and utterly defeats the other, taking the "crown". If it wasn't for the fact there was some type of competition though, we'd all be playing DS-esque daily released scum or the prices would get jacked up (blu-ray, anyone?) - because they could get away with it :(

And it doesn't take sales stats to back that thought up.

[grapeape]

Yes, but if a developer is planning for their next platform, are they going to favor a console with a steeper growth curve? Or a more mellow growth rate? If they can start, finish, and publish their game in a month, sure...stick with the 360.. but when you see stats like this, you have to wonder what the market will look like one year later when your game finally hits the shelves.

At the current rate the ps3 will be about 1.5 million closer but still behind.


Yeah, ok.. Because GTAIV on the 360 was facing steep competition from the likes of Kameo, Dead Rising, Table Tennis, Gears of War, etc.. Steep I tell you.. STEEP. Deadly. Competition.

Im not talking about competition on the same week at all...there is nothing close, but I know several 360 fans that havent picked up GTA yet, they plan to eventually but still have a stack to get through...maybe its anal retentive but they will probably be able to buy it on sale by the time they are ready for it. I admit I have no self control, I have 3 games still in the shrinkwrap and still ended up buying a game I had no intention to buy and have played it daily...i will admit its more fun that I expected, I havent really enjoyed a gta game since III.

[McPhooey]

I can imagine the attach rate is higher on PS3 because of the lack of quality games (not bashing, it is just an opinion). Also, I can see the PS3 being the leader console sales wise by the end of the year just because it is a "PlayStation" and the cheapest blu-ray player for those who buy it for home cinema systems (a lot of people).

But, stupid fanatical picky article, who cares if the sums are wrong; To publishers & devs, the 360 still sells more copies and that's what counts. That said, the PS3 sales are very healthy.

[AlphaTrion]

Why do they only look at the UK and not "others" as a whole?

Does 1,227,941 to 970,341 look like 360 is ahead? Does 197,410 consoles in GTA IV week compared to 144,690 also look like MS is in control there too?

MS always bullshits. Fact is that in terms of GTA software + hardware PS3 came out ahead despite DLC that nobody has any idea about yet.

Why gloat about GTA IV when as of right now 360 is being outsold by 80K units in America and Others combined?

As for Sony "lying" about outselling the 360... I think 5+ months of outselling it despite a 360 price cut is more than enough to brag about.

MS loves taking info that only supports them to make them look good even though WW charts show otherwise. Not a small margin either.

here is a bag of chips and a coke...happy.