Take-Two explains poor Grand Theft Auto IV DLC and retail sales
The software sales for the DLC expansions to Grand Theft Auto IV have not been up to expectations. This lead to a series of questioning at a Take-Two investor call where the company’s boss was drilled as to why this happened, despite fantastic claims made in the past.
According to Joystiq, during a Take-Two investor call questions were raised as to why the performance of GTA IV’s DLC and retail bundle performed poorly. I wrote a story in reference to the lackluster sales of the GTA IV DLCs not that long ago. The two DLCs were sold at retail, and managed to move a measly 160k over two months. It is not clear how well the DLCs sold via XBL, but the investor call indicates those sales weren’t that stellar either.
Strauss Zelnick chairman of Take-Two stepped up on the call to offer an explanation as to the poor performance of the DLCs and retail offering. According to Zelnick the release timings of the DLC and retail copy contributed to the lackluster sales.
Zelnick stated, “both we and Microsoft believed there was a big market for GTA 4 episodic content and some factors affected their performance.†He continued by saying, “both were released significantly after the launch of the core unit.†The Lost and Damned came out 10 months after GTA IV’s release, and The Ballad of Gay Tony came out recently, about 18 months after release.
Joystiq does bring up an interesting point by quoting things said at the Microsoft press conference in 2006, where Take-Two and Peter Moore made some bold statements.
Calling the two companies’ relationship “a historic, strategic partnership” – remember this? – and calling the episodes themselves “profitable contributors to the company” – Joystiq
I have to agree with Peter Moore, $50 million for two DLCs is indeed a “historic†partnership between Microsoft and Take-Two. I’m sure it will go down into the history books along with the PS3’s launch price and the RRoD.
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32 Responses to “Take-Two explains poor Grand Theft Auto IV DLC and retail sales”
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December 18th, 2009
Maybe they shouldn’t have taken so long after the game released. 10 and 18 months is a very long time and with the way the game market is I know for sure that alot of people had traded in their copies of GTA4 months before the DLC came out.
December 18th, 2009
Talking about Sales.
Final Fantasy 13 sold over a million copies on its first day in Japan
December 18th, 2009
I think Assassins creed 2 made GTA obsolete. GTA’s graphics and city look really outdated in comparison.
They should have focused on improving the game and making a full fledged sequel. No one cares about 2 hour episodes of an old game.
December 18th, 2009
To be honest The Ballad of Gay Tony actually looks better then the original game with Niko. The graphics were definately improved.
December 18th, 2009
Barnabe
Personally I hate Assassins Creed. Because of the first I have no intrest in the second but I have heard there are improvements. One day I’ll take a look at it.
December 18th, 2009
Hey Mike, just curious, but from what legitimate source did you get, “$50 million for two DLCs”?
As it is, the DLC’s combo pack at retail alone has done better in one month than the PS3 version of Eternal Sonata managed to do in over a year. It has also outsold the combined sales of the PS3 versions of Burnout Paradise: The Ultimate Box + The Bigs 2, and PS3 exclusives The Last Guy + Buzz: Quiz World. Not bad considering it did this in 1 month and it isn’t even counting sales online, i.e. the market that DLC is primarily aimed at.
@Roca,
I know, one would have thought it would have had at least half the sales that Dragon Quest IX did day one over there. Oh well.
December 18th, 2009
@Roca
A FF game releasing in japan is like a bleeding fish in the water surrounded by sharks. FFXIII looks truly incredible and I know I can’t wait till it released here in March. I am as excited as I was when 7 and 10 released. When 7 came out I begged my mom to buy me a PS1, and I got it. I was blown away. When 10 came out I was just as blown away. Both were the first FF games on a new generation of consoles. 13 will be the same and I know I will be blown away all over again. If anyone is curious I am buying it on 360, though I own both systems.
@Barnabe
GTA4 still looks impressive. I think your just being very critical of it as a game. Obsolete? I think you used the wrong word there. They are 2 completely different types of games so I don’t think that is an appropriate term.
@CAD
I loved the first AC. The graphics and environments were amazing. A couple things bothered me though. Repetiveness, Story, and an uber cliff hanger of an ending. The whole “viewing the past through DNA” thing really was hard to swallow and the ending just felt rather…. i dunno, flat maybe? It felt like ubi just cut it short there, like there was supposed to be something else there at the end. Regardless I enjoyed it enough to play through it multiple times and I definately will be buying AC2 at some point.
December 18th, 2009
@Carl
It’s actually pretty well known that MS paid $50 mil for the DLC to GTA4 to be exclusives.
December 18th, 2009
FKSP,
Great, can you link to a legitimate source where it uses that figure? I would be interested in reading it. Thanks.
December 18th, 2009
“Hey Mike, just curious, but from what legitimate source did you get, “$50 million for two DLCsâ€?”
@CarlB
I think it cost MS 50 million for two DLC’s. Not too clear but I believe that was the intent.
December 18th, 2009
Phranc, yeah, I got that… but I can’t find anything legit on it… seems like a rumor that gained ground.
December 18th, 2009
CAD,
When they first announced the sequel I wasn’t interested either. I thought the first AC was over rated also. It had a great concept, but the missions were tedious and repetitive.
The sequel is a lot better. The missions are actually fun and integrated into the story seamlessly. There are still a ton of side missions, but they are completely optional.
FKSP,
Admittedly I haven’t played GTA 4 in a while now. But I was completely blown away with AC2. Not only was it the best looking sandbox game, but the city and characters felt more alive than any other game I’ve played.
It did have a little pop in here and there, but nothing major.
December 18th, 2009
@Carl
You can’t google it for yourself?
http://www.thegtaplace.com/news/11604/microsoft-paid-50-million-for-gta-iv-dlc
First line of Article
“If you’re wondering why it seems that only the Xbox 360 version of Grand Theft Auto IV is getting downloadable content, the reason is possibly because Microsoft have paid a whopping fifty million dollars for it.
”
Seriously, I thought EVERYONE knew about this. It is the reason why the DLC came out on 360 and not PS3. Were you hiding under a rock this whole time?
December 18th, 2009
@Barnabe
What you just said about AC2 turned me on… I’m starting to wish I didn’t just cancle my gamefly account so i could rent AC2.
December 18th, 2009
@FKSP,
I did, and I can similarly find no website or source with any more legitimacy beyond “Chris” at “The GTA Place”. Seriously, “EVERYONE” is referencing this as fact that Microsoft paid 50 million dollars for only two dlc packs without ANY credible game/news site (Gamespot, IGN, 1Up, etc.) backing up the claim beyond a question mark at the end or “Rumor” in the titles of their articles.
December 18th, 2009
A SHRINKING MARKET AND PYRAMID SCHEME BUSINESS MODEL NINTENDO WAS RIGHT INDUSTRY DIEING
December 18th, 2009
@Carl
its probably hard to find cause it is old news, but ask and ye shall recieve.
http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3160380
1up just for you
December 18th, 2009
“Hey Mike, just curious, but from what legitimate source did you get, “$50 million for two DLCsâ€?”
this was well known before GTA4 was out
December 18th, 2009
Thanks FKSP, I found the same one with a third search. It also makes more sense now considering no DLC episodes at all have appeared for the PS3 version, and about 1.5 million (about $45,000,000 more) more copies of the game itself have been sold for the 360. Taking that with the online (est. $6,000,000 or more) and retail ($3,000,000) sales of DLC should add up to about 54 million dollars more in sales before the end of the generation, not to mention the collateral effect of software/hardware sales it has already had.
December 18th, 2009
“Were you hiding under a rock this whole time?”
Na, I was just on a ship with no real internet access, then in Iraq with limited access. Apologies to all.
December 18th, 2009
@carl
sorry to hear that you were on a ship and in iraq like that. musta really sucked. but your not now right? thats what matters.
December 18th, 2009
No problem… but yes, I am back in the states now (I see the story was from 2007), and I should be in Japan within a couple of months, then possibly Afghanistan. I did enjoy my few months back though.
December 18th, 2009
@carl
I wouldnt mind going to japan
December 18th, 2009
Haven’t been there yet, so it should be quite the experience… I also here it has the some of the best diving opportunities in the world.
December 18th, 2009
just got GoW2 platinum
December 19th, 2009
Congrats Roca.
December 19th, 2009
bang some asain chicks for me carl
remember different area codes lol
December 19th, 2009
This is destine to come to PS3 is the only way to make profit.
December 20th, 2009
I got the gow plats. That’s 17 now with another on the way lol
December 21st, 2009
fuck you oldschool!
December 21st, 2009
LMFAO!!!!! You’ll get there Roca :p
December 21st, 2009
which other one is on the way?