Microsoft claims GTA IV victory

By Tom Bramwell Published 7 May, 2008

"Gamers prefer the Xbox 360 version."

Microsoft says that first-week sales of Grand Theft Auto IV reported by Chart-Track are "clearly demonstrating that gamers prefer the Xbox 360 version".

In a press release pumped out this lunchtime, the platform holder said that 360 hardware sales had "jumped 125 percent" in the UK, adding that, "Initial feedback from retail in other European countries reflects this great performance across the region."

"Today it has become clear that consumers are finding Xbox 360 the best way to experience Liberty City and we expect this trend to continue, especially with exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodes coming to Xbox 360 in the autumn," said Chris Lewis, vice president of Microsoft's EMEA interactive entertainment business.

"Grand Theft Auto has a new home on Xbox 360, and consumers are discovering how our platform can enhance the experience like no other."

Chart-Track has said that of the approximately 926,000 copies sold in the UK in the game's first week on sale, 514,000 were on 360 compares to 413,000 on PS3. Nobody's explained what's wrong with their calculators.

Over 6 million copies of the game were sold in its first week on sale worldwide, according to Rockstar.

Picture of Tom.

About Tom Bramwell

Tom is Operations director of Eurogamer Network and Editor-at-Large of Eurogamer.net. He joined the company in February 2000.

Read more articles from Tom by visiting the Tom Bramwell archive page.

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Comments (160) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • aldo_14 #1 4 years ago

    This whole sony-MS GTA4 thing is beginning to look a lot like divorced parents fighting over who gets the couch.

  • hjarg #2 4 years ago

    *grabs a soda and starts enjoying a good old flamewar*
    You know, it's almost as fun as the game itself :)

  • redneon Verified Programmer, SUMO Digital #3 4 years ago

    Oh dear lord... here it comes.

  • sanctusmortis #4 4 years ago

    @aldo - spot on mate.

  • Monkey_Puncher #5 4 years ago

    Let's take some bets on how many enraged fanboy comments this flamebait get.....I'm gonna go with about 600

  • Eraser #6 4 years ago

    I'm not sure absolute numbers is an honest comparison, as the XBox360 userbase is a lot bigger than the PS3 userbase. They should compare relative adoption rates (the percentage of console owners that bought the game). If it turns out 50% of PS3 owners bought the game and 25% of XBox360 owners bought it, then I'd say Sony won this round.

  • absolutezero #7 4 years ago

    Oh do fuck off you complete and utter fucking thundercunts.

  • Widge #8 4 years ago

    somegenericcommentlol

  • anomagnus #9 4 years ago

    much as i love my xbox, and as, god help me, swam pointed out, its to be expected that unit sales would be higher for the xbox, will attach rates would be higher for the ps3

  • StanleyPointLarge #10 4 years ago

    Who cares? I've got it on PS3 and it rules, does it really matter what console you bought it on.

    btw "This whole sony-MS GTA4 thing is beginning to look a lot like divorced parents fighting over who gets the couch." so so tru

  • Irien #11 4 years ago

    Waits patiently for the Dreamcast version

  • Beano #12 4 years ago

    This GTA4-sold-best-on-our-platform debate is pretty amusing :)

  • TheWretched #13 4 years ago

    Sadly for MS, the world doesn't only involve the US or the UK... there are other countries, which prefer the PS3 version!

  • BadBoyBonner #14 4 years ago

    For me the Victory was MS bagging a new GTA game's launch on their system, the same time as it did on a Sony machine.

    Now if MS hadn't have secured that - just think what the surge in PS3's sales would have been.

  • sonmi451 #15 4 years ago

    jeez, Microsoft and Sony they really do spout some shit.

  • Razz #16 4 years ago

    I'm not sure absolute numbers is an honest comparison, as the XBox360 userbase is a lot bigger than the PS3 userbase. They should compare relative adoption rates (the percentage of console owners that bought the game). If it turns out 50% of PS3 owners bought the game and 25% of XBox360 owners bought it, then I'd say Sony won this round.

    o_O

  • djed #17 4 years ago

    they seem to be forgetting that they both lose. because of mario.

    edit: the ps3 is a Wii and a Gamecube glued together. only without the mario, LOLBURN!
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 13:33

  • Yaster #18 4 years ago

    MS really are a bunch of arrogant bastonians

  • Wash #19 4 years ago

    Is funny seeing the fanboys rush out to spin it one way or the other.

  • Beano #20 4 years ago

    "If it turns out 50% of PS3 owners bought the game and 25% of XBox360 owners bought it, then I'd say Sony won this round"

    But this can easily be spun into "because PS3 owners are more desperate for new games... nogoodgamesonps3bluraycelllol!!11!" or something similar :)

  • Xerx3s #21 4 years ago

    Fucking hell, do some maths ms.

  • Zomoniac #22 4 years ago

    I'm always amused that 80% of the first two pages of comments in a story like this are people declaring themselves ready to watch the onslaught. It's usually about 100 posts in before the fanboys actually get a chance to say anything.

  • chudders #23 4 years ago

    It's fact then, it really is superior on the XBOX 360.

    Better online component, no FREZZES, better graphics, downloadable content, etc.

  • cyacomini #24 4 years ago

    Is GTA available in Japan yet?

    *snigger

  • Garulon #25 4 years ago

    "Sadly for MS, the world doesn't only involve the US or the UK... there are other countries, which prefer the PS3 version! "

    I wasn't going to participate but:

    PS3 sales WW: 10.5 million
    360 sales WW: 19.x million

    Hmm, people worldwide "prefer" the 360 to the PS3 shock!

  • japstersam #26 4 years ago

    'they seem to be forgetting that they both lose. because of mario.'

    lol :)

    makes me laugh how any article that has anything to do with rivalry between 360 and PS3 get hundreds of comments, and then interesting threads get ignored xD

  • Beano #27 4 years ago

    "...Better online component..."

    Eh... no.


    "...no FREZZES..."

    Another no... 360 has freezing also.


    "...better graphics..."

    No. Just different. Less jaggies on 360 but with more popup and longer load times.

    The two version are basicly the same but with slightly different strenghts. It's fanboyism to claim otherwise.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 13:39

  • Wash #28 4 years ago

    Hopefully the DLC will contain a bucket full of co-op missions, that'd be super awesome.

    Whats were the comparative sales of the last gen gta ps2 vs xbox?

    @Beano,

    they're both equally annoying?
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 13:36

  • mikeck #29 4 years ago

    I'm sure it doesn't matter which version you play,either way it's a damn good game. But for me, I love the xbox version, because of the achievements - a very small thing - but something that adds a bit of fun to proceedings.

    Also the DLC is very enticing.

  • Hughes. #30 4 years ago

    In the wake of the Wii mopping up the PS2's casual demographic, the battle not to be last is quite ugly.

    That said, MS are very good at finding positive spin on game sales to distract people from the fact that they are, week on week, dead last in worldwide hardware sales figures.

  • neil_likes_bums #31 4 years ago

    Play the game people

  • penhalion #32 4 years ago

    Maybe 1000 copies went to staff hand outs *nudge nudge wink wink, say no more*

  • Beano #33 4 years ago

    "Play the game people"

    Amen :)

  • kangarootoo #34 4 years ago

    /sigh

    Big companies should learn to grow up.

  • IronGiant #35 4 years ago

    Considering the installed console base plus the exclusive content that's fairly disappointing for MS. Though Sony were utter pillocks by not tying the GTA franchise to Sony consoles back in the day when PS2 was king.

  • Nova5lag #36 4 years ago

    WHY WHY WHY! Please tell me why do they do this?! Its pointless PR no one can claim victory on this front yet... Its stupid for MS to even poke their heads up to say that!! I wish we could place gagging orders on both MS and sony they only ever manage to make themselves look like total muppets.

    Historically 360 sales drop sharply after launch as everyone who wants the game has it... so MS shifted a load more units that week... all to people who wanted GTA no doubt... but so did the PS3 and both machines will increase install base over time so only time will tell which format was the "gamers" choice!

  • DFawkes #37 4 years ago

    PR people at all games companies should be fired, and replaced with fanboys. That way, they still spout garbage half-based on fact, but because they genuinely believe it rather than having sold their soul to the company like most PR people.

  • Redeye #38 4 years ago

    /facepalms

    /agrees with kanga

    /envisages yet another 500+ comment thread packed to the brim with stupid

  • sickpuppysoftware #39 4 years ago

    I notice how the real winners, rockstar, are keeping well out of this.

  • Beano #40 4 years ago

    @Nova5lag : I agree ... pointless PR. I'm more interested in knowing who pushed more hardware because of GTA4.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 13:48

  • Socrates #41 4 years ago

    DLC in autumn is too far away, it should have been DLC in June.
    Next autumn most people will have lost interest in GTA IV

  • zuljin #42 4 years ago

    @sickpuppysoftware
    They're too busy counting the money rolling in :)

  • chudders #43 4 years ago

    @Beano.

    Relax fella, I'm just trying to goad those pair of cocks Swam and Apologie out of their shit-hole so I can laugh at their furious indignantion and risible brand loyalty.

    I've not played either and I'm not particularly interested in doing so.

  • The_Inquisitor #44 4 years ago

    Who cares, it's not like they made the game or anything.

  • ghearoid #45 4 years ago

    /waits patiently for swam

    /F5s

  • chrisjm #46 4 years ago

    "I notice how the real winners, rockstar, are keeping well out of this."

    they dont care which you buy its all ££ for them.
    they demo the 360 version though, which speaks volumes.

  • Beano #47 4 years ago

    @chudders : You should get GTA4 either way ;)

    The only GTA game I have finished and am still playing to complete side missions. Sure - it got technical issues (jaggies, low framerate, pop-up, etc.) but overall a fantastic game. Finally a game that deserve a 10/10 score :)

  • Beano #48 4 years ago

    "they demo the 360 version though, which speaks volumes. "

    And still they claimed the PS3 version was slightly better ;)

    EDIT: Their claim, not mine!
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 13:57

  • CannonAnBall #49 4 years ago

    Funny how this statement is released a day after Sony had Playstation Day after they made a few statements themselves.


    Anyway. From my point of view, last Thursday I packed up my 360 and traded it in for a PS3 and I'm enjoying GTA on the sony machine.

    Both machines have strengths and weaknesses so why argue about something so silly?

    ...and I chose the PS3 because they will rule eventually. lol

  • byron_hinson #50 4 years ago

    They demo the 360 version as they were paid to do so as part of the deal - notice the adverts for GTA are actually paid for by Microsoft...think that says more!

  • LeD #51 4 years ago

    @Beano

    "...Better online component..."

    Eh... no.

    Er, yes. As in it actually lets you play online?



    "...no FREZZES..."

    Another no... 360 has freezing also.

    Er, yes. Reports of 360 freezes are few and far between, and I've yet to experience freezes myself, with 3-5 hours spent on the game daily.


    "...better graphics..."

    No. Just different. Less jaggies on 360 but with more popup and longer load times.



    630p.

  • Buztafen #52 4 years ago

    "For me the Victory was MS bagging a new GTA game's launch on their system, the same time as it did on a Sony machine.

    Now if MS hadn't have secured that - just think what the surge in PS3's sales would have been." Amen to that.

    Personally I think MS are just happy to be not making an immense loss this console round....

    /goes back to GTA on my 360

  • LeD #53 4 years ago

    @Arbiter

    Still, early reports indicate that GTA IV as sold over 1 million more copies wordwide on 360. At 70€/$ a pop, I'm not sure how this can be labelled as a hollow victory.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:05

  • peteb #54 4 years ago

    Sigh, I'm an Xbox 360 owner, but comments from MS like this are like when your drunk uncle at a wedding starts shouting obscenities during the wedding speeches, and your like "shhhh, quiet now".

    EDIT: made comment even better!
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:05

  • menage #55 4 years ago

    Own both systems, bought the PS3 one, don't give a crap about multiplayer but can't really have the box crapping out on me while playing game of the year can we. Spread your risks I say.

  • DrDamn #56 4 years ago

    If VGChartz are any where near the mark (*) ... Europe/Other as a whole "prefers" tthe PS3 version outselling the 360 version by 250k. However the US prefers the 360 version with a much bigger margin 2.3m vs. 1.4m.

    Where did you get those WW sales figure Garulon? It's more like 18.7m to 12.4m according to VGChartz (*)

    (*) Stats may or may not be complete bobbins - they are only correct if they support your argument.

  • LeD #57 4 years ago

    Hear hear.

  • LeD #58 4 years ago

    For the record, as a happy 360/PS3 owner, I was unsure which version to pick. In the end, DLC, Live integration, better pad swayed me towards the 360 version.

    That and the fact that I had only preordered the 360 version. And got 500 MS points for the preorder.

  • StevilKnevil #59 4 years ago

    I got the PS3 version which I was perfectly happy with, apart from the shambolic MESS that is multiplayer. Picking up the 360 version this afternoon (finally found one in stock) and really looking forward to trying out the multiplayer later.

  • SeesThroughAll #60 4 years ago

    "...better graphics..."

    No. Just different. Less jaggies on 360 but with more popup and longer load times.



    630p.

    No. 640p, just like Halo 3. And CoD4. They all look terrible, don't they?
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:12

  • Beano #61 4 years ago

    "Er, yes. As in it actually lets you play online?"

    No... as in "you got the same option and runs identicaly reg. lag, number of players, chat, etc."

    If the two versions are different reg. online modes, please tell me.

    Please don't be daft. The PS3 version let's you play online, but was problems getting online the first 2-3 days.

  • Beano #62 4 years ago

    Anyway... more stupid PR... this time from Sony:

    "Kaz Says GTA Fans "Come Home" To PS3"

    http://ko taku.com/387895/kaz-says-gta-fa...

  • kangarootoo #63 4 years ago

    @Arbiter

    "This is a hollow victory for Microsoft"

    Maybe they hollowed the victory out so that they had somewhere to store the enormous piles of cash they will have made from GTA sales?

    I think you have different priorities to MS and Sony, and every other business out there for that matter. They qualify a victory as something which turns a very good profit. You appear to use some less tangible fanboy style method of measuring success involving making your competitor look bad.

    I know which victory I would rather achieve.

    P.s.

    "and the massive marketing spend"

    Are you suggesting that MS are gutted that Sony spent more on marketing, for less sales? Err, I think any company that spends less but sells more is probably to be envied.

    Signed, a PS3 and 360 owner, who doesn't give a rats rosy ass which platform he plays GTA on.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:15

  • Beano #64 4 years ago

    @LeD : Get the version for the console you have most friends on and wan't to play online with/against - easy :)

  • peteb #65 4 years ago

    I thought the 360 version was sold out in most places? Or is it both? Maybe, just maybe, those people who wanted to buy it but haven't yet or haven't been able to find it in stock, might have to wait until the stock comes in. We won't see the full pictures on who "won" and by how much until a few weeks time IMO.

  • penguin_overlord #66 4 years ago

    Very silly and unecessary comments from MS. As has been said already, the 360 version in the UK would have been expected to sell better due to the larger userbase but attach rates for both consoles appear to be similar. What will be interesting is how many consoles were actually sold in the UK in the past week. Overall, with the PS3 selling better overall in Europe and GTA4 likely to shift a few hundred thousand units in Japan, I would expect worldwide sales of both versions to be fairly even over the coming months.

  • LeD #67 4 years ago

    @Beano

    The GTA IV online component works so well on PS3, that Rockstar and Sony are planning to release a multiplayer patch already. But don't let a little fact get in the way of your fantasy.

  • zedzee #68 4 years ago

    Most first comments these days are from the "Oh no, here come the fanbois" crowd.

    I think the fanbois should try to get in first, from now on, and say things like "Oh no, here comes the fanboi haters" or "I'm sure it won't be long before all the fanboi haters start complaining".

    I see 3 problems with fanboi haters:

    1. They usually have nothing to say or add to the debate, they just moan about the passionate fans; I don't think it's fair to call them fanbois, to be honest.

    2. By making their stupid and utterly useless comments, they're inadvertently, getting themselves into 'the ring' without knowing it and lining up themselves to be slated by the passionate fans of either console.

    3. They are sad enough to monitor these news items and be the first to contribute. If you don't want to add to the debate and you don't like the "fanboism" that's found in the posts, then what are you doing hanging around in the first place?!

    Anyway, I think numbers should not be counted so hastily yet, as the initial wave has not subsided and there's the autumn surge, when the exclusive episodic content is released for X360 comes out as well.

    So, as far as I'm concerned, the race isn't finished yet...

  • Arwin #69 4 years ago

    MS just barely won in the UK (55%-45%), Sony won in Europe (by default, difference in the UK is too small), MS won in the US (install base difference obviously), MS won worldwide (installbase in the U.S.), but Sony sold more PS3s on GTA IV (not that many, mind you).

    Nobody's really lying, but nuance is everything. :)

    Being overtaken by Sony in Europe with 14 months headstart has to hurt though. There's a weird period coming up ahead where Sony may well end up dominating Europe, MS dominating 360, both for a considerable amount of time, and it may take a while before the PS3 really takes off in Japan.

    I think the general conclusion should be that Microsoft did very well in being so aggressive on GTAIV promotion and getting it for the 360 on day one, because now they haven't lost much to Sony on this title, where in retrospect they could have easily lost the whole battle last week alone.

    (A gamer who prefers the PS3 version. ;) )
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:24

  • silke #70 4 years ago

    "Grand Theft Auto has a new home on Xbox 360, and consumers are discovering how our platform can enhance the experience like no other."

    Well, it certainly tries to enhance my unfortunate resistance to irritating fan levels.

  • Garulon #71 4 years ago

    "Where did you get those WW sales figure Garulon? It's more like 18.7m to 12.4m according to VGChartz (*) "

    Sony and Microsoft respectively, it's obvious both machines are selling 10m a year right now. Whoever gets to

  • peteb #72 4 years ago

    "Grand Theft Auto has a new home on Xbox 360, and consumers are discovering how our platform can enhance the experience like no other."

    Well, it certainly tries to enhance my unfortunate resistance to irritating fanboy levels.

    Fixed! :-P
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:25

  • potter73 #73 4 years ago

    Bored of the 360 v's PS3 fanboy battles now. Ive got a PS3 and think its great. Ive also played on a 360, and think that its also a damn good console. Sure the 360 has better games right now, but hopefully over the course of this year, the PS3 will also start to get decent games. My only gripe is with the developers who really dont seem too interested at the moment in producing quality work for the PS3 ....maybe in time that will change

  • LeD #74 4 years ago

    Garulon has been shot!

  • Beano #75 4 years ago

    "The GTA IV online component works so well on PS3, that Rockstar and Sony are planning to release a multiplayer patch already."

    Because of the critical freezing issues when online (for some players)?

    And what about the issues Eurogamer writes about in their 360 impressions (disconnects etc.):

    [link url=http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=135033
    ]http://ww w.eurogamer.net/article.php?art...[/link]

    Again - which differences are there between the two games online feature- and stabilitywise?

    I haven't had any problems playing GTA4 online the last 3-4 days (only the first 2-3 days). So I'm sorry I can't be so doom and gloomy about the PS3 version online when you can's tell me what so much better on 360. Seems very well thought out for the most part and runs fine and is fun to play on both versions.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:28

  • spammage #76 4 years ago

    When I was at school and the Megadrive VS SNES arguments were raging at playtime it sounded like these EG threads. Get a grip and go enjoy it on either console, not caring which may or may not be the best. If the console you own HAS to be the best, highest selling, best framerate version then you should probably get a life and stop trolling forums trying to convince people to give a shit.

  • rudedudejude #77 4 years ago

    WoW beats all :p

  • penguin_overlord #78 4 years ago

    Well said, spammage. GTA4 is great on both consoles. Both have strengths and both have weaknesses.

  • neil_likes_bums #79 4 years ago

    Wow reading this fanboy shit is so so much better than work :D

  • LeD #80 4 years ago

    @Beano

    What about this official statement from Rockstar?

    We will be releasing a multiplayer patch for GTA IV PS3 later on today, so that hopefully it stops sucking from the cock of goats. If you are a PS3 owner and wanted to enjoy GTA IV online, well, fuck you.

    But don't let a litte official statement from the game makers themselves get in the way of your fantasy.

  • penguin_overlord #81 4 years ago

    Let's be honest here. Who in their right mind really thought that the 360 version was going to greatly outperform the PS3 version? I admit that 6 months ago things may have been different had GTA4 been released then but the PS3 has been selling so much better since then and has been outperforming the 360 and sometimes even the Wii. DLC means basically nothing. If you're a big enough fan to purchase the DLC you'd have bought the 360 version in the first week or soon after. I don't expect a sales spike when it's released as it simply isn't going to have the same hit as the full game. It would be like 360/PS3 sales increasing when the COD4 expansion pack was released. And do 360 sales spike when Halo 3 exansion packs are released?
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:40

  • LeD #82 4 years ago

    It would be like 360/PS3 sales increasing when the COD4 expansion pack was released. And do 360 sales spike when Halo 3 exansion packs are released?

    @penguin

    Completely different kettle of fish. We're -hopefully- talking about more story, characters and missions, not just some MP maps. If marketed well, it could lend some more retail life for the 360 version of the game.

  • subtlesnake #83 4 years ago

    "I think the fanbois should try to get in first, from now on, and say things like "Oh no, here comes the fanboi haters" or "I'm sure it won't be long before all the fanboi haters start complaining"

    Nah, I think the fanboy-hater haters are the real problem. What do they add to the discussion?

  • Beano #84 4 years ago

    @LeD : LOL... good one actually ;)

    Anyway, don't asume that the 360 won't will be getting a patch in the near future when Rockstar has acknowledged issues in both versions (and please read Eurogamer's article based on the 360 version which sound far from rosy). Maybe the patch is just out on PS3 faster. I'm just gad they are moving fast on this one for the PS3 owners who have problems - not really a bad thing IMO.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 14:47

  • silke #85 4 years ago

    "Well, it certainly tries to enhance my unfortunate resistance to irritating fanboy levels."

    You clever devil. Now, what I really meant with the comment was more in response to all the PR bullshit that every gaming corporation throws in your face, rather than take a side for the PS3 and Sony. I do have a 360, and I do like it.

  • DrDamn #86 4 years ago

    @Garulon
    "Sony and Microsoft respectively, it's obvious both machines are selling 10m a year right now."

    Ah yes MS figures from a couple of weeks ago and Sony figures from mid-February. What a good basis for comparison ...

  • BooMMooB #87 4 years ago

    who has preordered tickets for the new Indy movie? yay! :)

  • Luvbeers #88 4 years ago

    I played GTA IV on my mates PS3 last night... I have never noticed any texture popin or freezing on either system... however the 360 is a bit blurry and the PS3 is even blurrier. Otherwise I found it easier to drive with the 360 controllers' triggers than with the sixaxis' ones.

  • ronuds #89 4 years ago

    The victory for MS doesn't come so much in their selling more (though that is nice), it's more a victory for them just to have the game on opening day to steal all of those sales away from Sony...which is a very different scenario from last generation.

    So, yeah...considering the Playstation was seen as the "only" home for GTA, I'd say people are now choosing the xbox as their new GTA home. Don't forget that Sony had a chance to make this one a timed exclusive as well.

    And, Swam, without any actual #'s, there's not much to really debate about consoles sold. A percentage increase means almost nothing w/o knowing what they're increasing from.
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 15:12

  • RexRunti #90 4 years ago

    Considering both versions of the game are sold out pretty much every where isn't this just a case of more games produced on DVD than BD? So MS can't necessarily claim a numbers victory and likewise Sony can't claim an attach rate victory.

  • aldo_14 #91 4 years ago


    630p.

    It's not really relevant as a discriminant, as both machines use different rendering 'solutions' on top of the native resolution; the EG news story itself pointed out that the lower resolution doesn't necessarily mean 'worse'. It's simply apples versus oranges (or perhaps granny smiths versus golden delicious) - at the end of the day you still have fruit, just in different ways.

    Dan Houser said he - personally - (i.e. not the company/developers as a whole) preferred the PS3 versions 'look' but that both were effectively equal (http://ww w.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offs...

    So it seems to me that you can only fight an argument on the visual front between the two consoles by employing the most meaningless nitpickery in history.

    EDIT; actually, I get kind of amused that the Best Game Ever is pretty much equal (certainly I can't decide which format I'd prefer it on), and that people are having to really struggle to find something concrete to say their version is bester than the bestest. Just play the bloody thing - some of us (ok, me) have to mope around with scary mortgages and save up to afford it.....
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 15:18

  • zuljin #92 4 years ago

    @aldo_14
    "So it seems to me that you can only fight an argument on the visual front between the two consoles by employing the most meaningless nitpickery in history."

    Described fully in the next games face-off, coming too soon for my liking. :)

  • Wendelius #93 4 years ago

    I hate pointing out the obvious but how is a greater attach rates on a smaller install base a victory, regardless of the game and console? It could be that PS really is the home of GTA and thus its install base is more interested. It could be that PS3 users are more starved in game choice and felt like buying it. It could mean whatever.

    If the game sold 55% of its numbers on the 360 and 45% on the PS3, it means that MS got its share of 55% of the income and Sony 45%.But it mainly means that Rockstar has seen the game selling well on both systems and made a lot of money. If there had been a huge gap between the 2, whatever the percentage of attach rate, it might have led Rockstar to focus on one system.

    But here, you have a game doing extremely well and which is very likely going to stay cross platform.

    The hardware makers are going to tout raw numbers or attach rates. But that's no victory. The game selling record numbers on both systems is. So you guys might want to actually get worked up about something that matters.

    Wendelius
    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 15:20

  • NickD7 #94 4 years ago

    Still don't understand why gamers get in a tizzy over things like system wars, game sales ect. Need to get out more and meet people.

    Seriously.

  • jonsaan #95 4 years ago

    Did we mention that we paid for exclusive DLC?

  • CARL05 #96 4 years ago

    "....especially with exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodes coming to Xbox 360 in the autumn."

    especially with exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodes coming to Xbox 360 in the autumn.

    exclusive Grand Theft Auto IV episodes coming to Xbox 360 in the autumn.

    EXCLUSIVE GRAND THEFT AUTO IV EPISODE COMING TO XBOX 360 IN THE AUTUMN!!!

    EXCLUSIVE EPISODES - 360 - AUTUMN

    NOT PS3!!!!!!!!

    ---
    another plug???

    yeh i think we know now ms! cheers!

  • septimus #97 4 years ago

    Err, no they don't MS, the uptake of both consoles increased for the game and UK 360 user base is higher still. I own Elite and PS3. Went with PS3 and glad I did.

  • RedPanda #98 4 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • mcmonkeyplc #99 4 years ago

    Go SWAM GO!

  • GordonCaladan #100 4 years ago

    douchebaggery +50

  • DaveBassant #101 4 years ago

    yawn

  • Carlo #102 4 years ago

    The "winner" is R*

  • messiahtj #103 4 years ago

    "Gamers prefer the Xbox 360 version."

    *sigh*.....how comes this is good news?? People working in the 360 brand are sad.

  • lovely2cu #104 4 years ago

    "And you are a 360 loving weasel that eats MS bull for breakfast and settles for a RODing shitcan Shootbox"

    Lol swam's fuse is about to blow! TAKE COVER!

  • Psychotext #105 4 years ago

    Aww... I almost regret putting swam on ignore now.

    Almost.

  • TheNinkyNonk #106 4 years ago

    Typical MS reaction whilst failing to consider the %age attach rate, which considering the 360's hardcore shooter/driver userbase and it's much larger intall base, is surprisingly low.

  • Kenshin001 #107 4 years ago

    "In a press release pumped out this lunchtime, the platform holder said that 360 hardware sales had "jumped 125 percent" in the UK..."

    So less than the PS3 jump then.

  • Beek4257 #108 4 years ago

    "Grand Theft Auto has a new home on Xbox 360, and consumers are discovering how our platform can enhance the experience like no other."

    Like.no.other.
    Isn't this the tagline for Sony Bravia televisions?

    Dude. Lame.

  • Arwin #109 4 years ago

    Not that it matters that much, but it's not 630p, but 640p. ;)

  • lovely2cu #110 4 years ago

    " Typical MS reaction whilst failing to consider the %age attach rate, which considering the 360's hardcore shooter/driver userbase and it's much larger intall base, is surprisingly low.
    ignore poster"

    Seems to me that after the recent price drop, the Xbox 360's install base is beginning to broaden out from the early adopter consumer unlike the PS3. Ironic, whoddathunk it?

  • DFawkes #111 4 years ago

    Is it just me, or this irrelevant given that GTA IV is awesome regardless of console?

  • stepneg #112 4 years ago

    I think they are entitled to gloat, MS have really done a number on Sony this generation and it is all good for us, they needed taking down a peg or too and having their biggest PS2's franchise swiped from right under them must be a bit of kick in the nuts. Yes both versions are more or less equal it's just that slightly more were sold on 360, no one would have predicted that before the 360 came along especially Sony.

  • lovely2cu #113 4 years ago

    Watch that blood pressure mate, you'll do yourself a coronary something terrible!

  • zuljin #114 4 years ago

    @DFawkes
    Its just you. Its obviously better on *consoleA*, because of *featurewhichyouwillnevernotice*! You're just a *consoleB* fanboy. Are you paid by *consoleBmanufacturer*? *randomcommentinsultingsomeonesmother*.

    Edit and replace text as needed.

  • canIdoyabombsforya #115 4 years ago

    "So it seems to me that you can only fight an argument on the visual front between the two consoles by employing the most meaningless nitpickery in history. "

    Which is rather embarrasing for Sony, they said "gamers are ready for a real change" lol

  • MyPointIs #116 4 years ago

    Yes, Microsoft won. They succedeed in avoiding the apocalypse.

    Had they not spent those 50m$, this would've been the start of the end for them.

  • Sensiblade #117 4 years ago

    1million more Xbox 360's in UK homes and they only sell 100,000 more copies, not much of a victory in my eyes.

  • canIdoyabombsforya #118 4 years ago

    "Not that it matters that much, but it's not 630p, but 640p. ;) "

    Last gen lol

    They take us for mugs. Who will honestly be happy with 720P in the Next Gen when Sony promise 2160P ?


  • canIdoyabombsforya #119 4 years ago

    "1 million more Xbox 360's in UK homes and they only sell 100,000 more copies, not much of a victory in my eyes. "

    When they showed people queing on the television news, they were all chavs for fucks sake.

  • Madlax #120 4 years ago

    Did someone hack Swam's account ? looks like someone didnt like the arguments he used to make.

    This article is so misleading and misguiding, its not even funny, they mention a 125% surge of 360 sales but they dont mention that PS3 sales surged by 127%.

    Not to mention these numbers are based on the UK where the 360 still has one million more (thanks to an extra year).

    Tom, how low can you get ? ;)


  • bad09 #121 4 years ago

    Wow swam is getting heated again, something for you to chill to swam :)

    http://uk .youtube.com/watch?v=R98qC0fd_1...

  • snick #122 4 years ago

    My local Sainsburys got 8 PS3 copies and 35 Xbox, I got there with about 3 Xbox to go, they'd already sold out of the PS3. Not sure what this means, Xbox far more popular in South London.... fewer PS3 copies available cos it took them longer to get it to the manufacturer?

  • sizeofyou #123 4 years ago

    Wait for the DS version.
    It uses BOTH screens to simulate 2160p resolution. And touch screen for the dating sections.
    How cool.. ..??

    {Bun fight at the MS Sony Corral}
    #sigh#

  • des #124 4 years ago

    So MS and Rockstar now have even more money, i am shocked

    In other news DOOM 4 was just announced!!!-not joking

  • MattyD #125 4 years ago

    WHO CARES!?

  • Scimarad #126 4 years ago

    Personally, this gamer prefered the PS3 version.

  • Vic #127 4 years ago

    Gamers prefer the RROD version.

    Seriously though, in terms of userbase the numbers favour the PS3, so MS are talking straight out of their arse.

  • Vic #128 4 years ago

    @Garulon

    PS3 sales WW: 10.5 million
    360 sales WW: 19.x million

    Haha dont make me laugh. Please go back to Seattle.

  • Apologie #129 4 years ago

    READ... MICROSOFT AT IT'S BEST.

    GTA IV: Xbox vs PlayStation
    Beware the half-truths that Microsoft wants you to believe

    There's been a lot of focus in the last week on Grand Theft Auto IV and which platform it best runs on.

    The majority of people who've played both versions are saying that it runs marginally better on the PS3, but the findings are inconclusive at best: both are equally good in our eyes.

    What's interesting to me at the moment is how Microsoft is attempting to use GTA as a PR exercise to boast about the Xbox 360 console and its success.

    We received an unbelievable and outrageous press release today from Microsoft UK saying:

    "Gamers have voted with their wallets, and the results are in. The Xbox 360 version of 'Grand Theft Auto IV' has sold more than 100,000 copies, or 20 per cent more than the PlayStation 3 version in the UK since the game's release last Tuesday 29 April."

    Exaggeration and hyperbole

    The release then sees Microsoft rambling on and on, mostly just patting itself on the back about selling more copies and going on about how the Xbox 360 is the premium platform for enjoying GTA. Blah, blah, blah.

    Please excuse me briefly while I pause to be sick.

    Here's the point: there are more Xbox 360 consoles out there (it launched over a year earlier) so straight numbers are a terrible way of looking at the market. The Xbox 360 version of GTA IV sold 20 per cent more copies than the PS3 version. And that's despite the fact that there are almost twice as many Xbox 360 consoles in the wild in the UK, compared to PS3s.

    Crunch the numbers

    So, relatively speaking, for Microsoft to brag about doing better than Sony, it would need to sell almost twice as many copies of the game, too. But it didn't. And as such, the numbers say that per-console, the PS3 version has actually done a bit better.

    "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.

    It's all a load of smoke and mirrors nonsense. Everyone is up to it - it's not just Microsoft.

    This is an absolutely textbook example of a big company spouting a load of dingo's kidneys in order to promote itself.

    [link url=http://www.techradar.com/blogs/article/g ta-iv-xbox-vs-playstation-359413
    ]http://ww w.techradar.com/blogs/article/g...[/link]

    JUST another LIE...

    Edited by 1 at 07/05/08 @ 19:13

  • Psychotext #130 4 years ago

    Apologie is here... the party can begin!

  • GrandpaUlrira #131 4 years ago

    Hmmm, that's not good news for Sony if, as they claimed yesterday, there are more PS3s sold that X360s.

  • Nige #132 4 years ago

    Hey Swam, if you love Sony so much get a job there. 45 minutes with them might well recalibrate your perspective with reality.

    A bigger bunch of disorganised, reactionary, brain dead shit heads does not exist in the civilised world. It'll be a shoo in...

  • Khanivor #133 4 years ago

    Just imagine - if Sony hadn't fucked up so badly with the PS3 then the internet would have been deprived of the comedy gold-mine that the SDF has turned out to be. Fucking amazing stuff.

  • DAN.E.B #134 4 years ago

    you know Sony would have said the same thing!

  • Frandroid #135 4 years ago

    Oooo, another round of "Who won the GTA war?" and as usual it's all kicked off without discussing the rules.
    What's the point in arguing about a 'winner' when no-one knows how to win the game? Most sales? Most sales per console? Percentage stock sold versus stock available? Cash sales? Gross profit? Net profit? Market share? Change in market share? Biggest cock? Longest cock? Fattest cock?

    Of course, if we all agreed a single definition of victory, we'd be able to devide on a clear victor. And no-one wants that, because it might not be them.

    At the end of the day, I doubt anyone involved in the GTA release is upset about sales figures. Rockstar sold a huge amount of copies. Sony and Microsoft have both seen huge sales figures for the game and an increase in console sales. Personally, I'd be inclined to suggest that Microsoft have done pretty well to come out with half the GTA market this generation when it was a solid Playstation brand last generation. I'd also wonder in Sony weren't just the tiniest bit disappointed with console sales following the release. There was a general expectation that PS3 sales would jump as loyal PS2 fans moved up a generation to play GTA. However, PS3 sales and X360 sales both rose about 25% last week, so if we attrribute those sales to GTA it seems that the general public don't favour the PS3 as the home of the GTA franchise.

  • onyxbox #136 4 years ago

    so MS had exclusive advertising on tv, paid every website on the Internet to advertised it as GTA on XBOX and they paid 50 mil on exclusive DLC and they've been pimping the fact it's coming to 360 since E3 about 2 years ago.

    Wow!

    Sony on the other hand, didn't pay for DLC, didn't advertise it and haven't even mentioned it in E3 etc.

    I bet Sony are laughing all the way to the bank and at MS trying their best to prove it was worth all the investment ;-)
    It seems like MS are like a political party claiming victory based on winning votes in a few selected areas in a general election.

    Strange, MS are looking very desperate these days and I just don't get it.

    I'm also pretty sure that after the dust settles (and the votes are in from Australia, the rest of EU and JP) it will be a very different story.

  • anamenos #137 4 years ago

    PS3 will never get the reputation PS2 had...

  • BartonFink #138 4 years ago

    great to see swam back today and all fantarded up.

    Wish the bunch of muppets from both sides would shut their traps.
    Sony blatering on about overtaking 360 in Europe, show me some independent official figures please.
    MS blathering on about how gamers prefer the 360 version.

    then we have swam talking utter bollox as usual.

  • Melan #139 4 years ago

    BOth companies are evil...They want your live, money and your girl.
    We want them to keep fighting.

  • BartonFink #140 4 years ago

    Aye let them fight - competition is good.

  • BartonFink #141 4 years ago

    What debate I am simply stating a fact? I suggest you go back and read some of your retarded comments.

    swam wrote:
    And you are a 360 loving weasel that eats MS bull for breakfast and settles for a RODing shitcan Shootbox
    Classic swam!!

  • Nige #142 4 years ago

    Perhaps people don't feel the need to attack these details you speak of because they're shite, made up, or insignificant...

    They'd rather aim the extinguisher at the base of the fire, so to speak.

  • Gremo #143 4 years ago

    woo 360 wins

  • BartonFink #144 4 years ago

    @swam - nah I just put in context with all the other drivel you have been spouting around here fair comment from Farticus tbh.

    Anybody who even slightly disagrees with your opinion is automatically branded an Xbot so tbh you deserve everything you get.

  • Nige #145 4 years ago

    What truth might this be young one? The truth that one console has sold more units of a game than another?

    I care not.

    All that bothers me is the constant trolling from your sort, and sadly, from time to time, it brings me down to your level.

    I owned a PS1 & a PS2. I was open minded enough to buy an Xbox too when they launched. Since then, Sony's attitude to gamers in general, but also specifically towards Europe have f*cked me off. I'm exercising my right to make an official declaration of shenanigans, and I hope they lose this generation of the hardware race.

    As the level headed around here often say, it should be all about the games shouldn't it? But it's not any more... the one upmanship is spoiling a good pasttime. It's all unnecessary, and it just breeds similar contempt. And it must be getting worse, because it's sucking me in too.

    So how's this for a deal...? If you shut the f*ck up, then so will I.

  • Dunk360 #146 4 years ago

    One other thought ... Microsoft will be thinking "Great, out sold PS3" but maybe more to the point, that's 500,000 people that DIDN'T need to buy a PS3, because they were able to go play on their 360.

    I need a less fanboi name. It's just my gamertag, honest.

  • lovely2cu #147 4 years ago

    Ha ha, swam;headbog;apologie is getting owned left and right!

  • Sevens #148 4 years ago

    United Kingdom. The rest of Europe 'might' disagree.

  • Lamb #149 4 years ago

    Yeah pretty much Microsoft won after deducting the $50 million it paid for expansion content. Thats 625,000 UK copies. If you want American multiply it by two. According to recent articles its grossed half a billion to date!

    And probably I will eventually get it if I beat Vice City (at 50% stuck on a terribly difficult driving race integral to the plot) and San Andreas which seems slow and disinteresting on the PS2. I already beat the original Liberty City and enjoyed it more than any other of the series.

  • G3org3 #150 4 years ago

    well regardless of console its admitable that the game rocks anyway

    but for the MS vs Sony thing well depends if at this point on this freaking planet there are about X milion PS3s and 2x Xboxes
    i would argue in favor of MS if the sales rate was way more than the rational ratio of 2 to 1 if its even 1 to 1 since there are less PS3s around Sony has a viable claim but still has to find yet a better way to shift consoles .

  • smelly #151 4 years ago

    HANG ON A MINUTE..

    How can microsoft "claim a victory" on gta4?

    There's currently around 1/3rd more 360's sold than ps3s world wide.

    So therefor (looking at the stats) it means a LARGER percentage of ps3 owners bought it than 360 owners...

    the 360 only outsold the ps3 version (by a small margin) because there are more 360 owners than ps3 owners (at the moment)

  • Psychotext #152 4 years ago

    Why are people talking about percentages of users buying the games? How many percent of the PS2 userbase bought San Andreas at launch? It's meaningless... because as a system grows in sales it inevitably starts to attract gamers with different preferences and reduces the percentage of owners who are hardcore gamers.

    Take for example the first week of San Andreas in the US. There were roughly 28m PS2 owners at that point and the game sold 2m units in the first week (7% of owners bought the game). Compare the PS3 in the UK with 1.2m owners and GTA IV selling 0.41m in the first week (34% of owners bought the game). Don't you think that speaks volumes about what an enlarged / more varied userbase does?

    These things aren't linear, and there's a reason the PS2 doesn't have an attach rate of something like 20+ games.

  • Calgon #153 4 years ago

    Hmmm you know now that you think of it could GTA be selling to the same people all over again here? Which would mean 360 has taken a large chunk of gamers from PS2... which would mean so much for comments like: "theres loads of PS2 owners that will only stay loyal to Sony, they will buy a PS3"(I say between Wii and 360... Sony may have lost more market share than Sonybots want to beleive and just how many PS3s were bought as Blu-Ray player only during the first quarter of 08, how long will that sort of thing go on for?... hmmm if I were Les or Smelly Id spin that in every Sony article)
    Edited by 1 at 08/05/08 @ 04:17

  • 3william56 #154 4 years ago

    Considering MS only get a fraction of the selling price of a copy of GTA, after R*, tax, shop etc. (what, must be $10 or less?), they need to sell a hell of a lot more copies than that to recoup the $50m investment in the exclusive DLC, even before you figure in MS's advertising costs and the DLC revenue. There goes the profitability again. Not that they care, for sure.

    But I'd like to thank Unca Bill and his minions for funding such a stunning PS3 game. Those radio stations and TV spots don't pay for themselves, you know.

    BTW: The 60Gb PS3 freeze seems to have gone away. Forgot to do my usual fix of disabling the internet connection, and it worked sweet as the last 2 sessions. Always suspected it was a problem at the R* server end - hopefully they've fixed it on the quiet.

  • BartonFink #155 4 years ago

    I see smelly has joined the fray, nice to see him spinning like a top alongside swam.

  • Dizzy #156 4 years ago

    >I bet Sony are laughing all the way to the bank

    To rob it? I hope they pick the bank where Nintendo deposits their money.

  • lovely2cu #157 4 years ago

    "Why are people talking about percentages of users buying the games? How many percent of the PS2 userbase bought San Andreas at launch? It's meaningless... because as a system grows in sales it inevitably starts to attract gamers with different preferences and reduces the percentage of owners who are hardcore gamers.

    Take for example the first week of San Andreas in the US. There were roughly 28m PS2 owners at that point and the game sold 2m units in the first week (7% of owners bought the game). Compare the PS3 in the UK with 1.2m owners and GTA IV selling 0.41m in the first week (34% of owners bought the game). Don't you think that speaks volumes about what an enlarged / more varied userbase does?

    These things aren't linear, and there's a reason the PS2 doesn't have an attach rate of something like 20+ games."


    +1

    The SDF are the first to bash the 360, citing high attach rates as the sign of narrow demographics, yet as soon as evidence appears that suggests new customers with varied tastes are coming aboard, a lower attach rate suddenly becomes a weakness?

    That's SDF hypocrisy for you.

    Fact is, more copies of GTA IV were sold on the 360. Period. GTA V multiplat confirmed.

  • smelly #158 4 years ago

    "Fact is, more copies of GTA IV were sold on the 360. Period. GTA V multiplat confirmed."


    Not necessarily.

    In terms of percentage of userbase - the ps3 version sold more.

    Sooo.. If the ps3 goes on to sell say 50 million units.. But the 360 carries on selling as well as the xbox did - say 20 million units..

    I wouldnt gaurantee a 360 release... Unless microsoft pays for it again...

  • VMerken #159 4 years ago

    Cat fight!

  • davisorle #160 4 years ago

    @septimus

    "Went with PS3 and glad I did. "
    And we are so happy for you.
    Just please don't let him m8 with it...

  • davisorle #161 4 years ago

    Is swam one of those ppl that have a PS3 and get's paniced when the PS3's glory seems blurry or is it just me? Dude, take a chill pill.