Ben-DutkaGrand Theft Auto IV isn't only good for Take-Two and Rockstar; it will also help to spur console sales. That much is undebatable. And according to SCEA and GameStop, GTAIV's release caused PS3 sales to spike. As Next-Gen.biz reported:
"…As expected, the demand for Grand Theft Auto IV drove sales of the PlayStation 3 entertainment system within the first 24 hours, continuing the strong legacy of the franchise on PlayStation platforms." Senior vice-president of merchandising at GameStop, Bob McKenzie, had to agree with Sony's assessment on the matter: "From our position, the launch of GTA IV has been tremendous in driving traffic to our stores, as well as providing a vigorous lift in PS3 console sales over this time last week." However, all this being said, we don't yet have official figures to back up these statements; we imagine those numbers will arrive within the next few days. The results will be even more relevant when the NPD issues their monthly findings.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter further believes that the power of the PlayStation brand is going to make its presence known…as of now: "I think brand loyalty is going to kick in for Sony, starting today. There is a huge installed base of loyal PlayStation 2 owners who have been looking for a reason to upgrade, and they have strong previous ties to the Grand Theft Auto franchise on PlayStation platforms." He also talked about upcoming PS3 exclusives that will help to spur PS3 sales even higher, and concluded that Sony is "in a great position right now."
Yeah, well, after a horrendous early 2007, we'd have to agree with that assessment. Currently, the momentum seems to be in Sony's favor.
