Which is why I think GTA IV is next-gen’s siren song, and a sign of drastic changes to come. Which not only suggests that the market for next-gen consoles has been exhausted, but that the audience for big budget, AAA next-gen titles has been tapped out, too. If Grand Theft Auto can’t move more machines, nothing can. (PS3 and 360 are defined as “next-gen” for boasting the best and latest graphics features.) Meanwhile, sales of the non-next-gen, GTA IV-less Nintendo Wii were double that of PS3/360’s numbers combined. What’s more, it cost a record $100 million to develop.ĭespite being part of one of the most popular video game series of all time, the arrival of GTA IV failed to boost sales of new next-generation consoles. With GTA IV sales already plummeting, the franchise’s latest installment from Take-Two Interactive will be lucky to move 12-14 million copies total. For one thing, its predecessor, 2004’s GTA: San Andreas, sold 21.5 million copies. That may seem impressive, until you start looking closer - which Microsoft, Sony, and the many publishers who develop for their respective consoles are surely doing now. Why? As of the week ending June 7th (the most recent tally available), just over 9 million copies of the highly touted Grand Theft Auto IV had been sold worldwide for the Xbox 360 and Sony PS3 combined, according to VGChartz. I think it’s safe to say that the era of next-gen gaming as a driving force is over.

Gta iv ps3