EEDAR: no DLC exclusivity for next Grand Theft Auto on Xbox 360 or PS3
A market research analyst recently made the prediction that a new Grand Theft Auto will be announced at next year’s E3. He also predicted that neither Microsoft nor Sony will have exclusivity over the DLC next time around.
According to Gameinformer, Jesse Divnich, director of analyst services for Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), recently predicted Rockstar will announce a new Grand Theft Auto game at next year’s E3 to prep it for 2011 release. This all sounds very plausible as it has been a while since we have heard anything about the next big iteration of GTA.
When asked by Gameinformer if he thinks either Microsoft or Sony will try to get some type of exclusivity with Rockstar over the next DLC, he indicated that it would be highly unlikely.
He stated:
I don’t foresee Microsoft or Sony attempting to obtain any type of exclusivity with the next Grand Theft Auto. Microsoft paid a lot of money for exclusivity on the downloadable content for GTA IV, which unfortunately did little to move consoles for Microsoft.
Its interesting that Divnich is making this prediction, as I conveyed similar thoughts not that long ago about Take-Two’s explanation as to why the two pieces of DLC for Grand Theft Auto IV did not sell that well.
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41 Responses to “EEDAR: no DLC exclusivity for next Grand Theft Auto on Xbox 360 or PS3”
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December 26th, 2009
No exclusive DLC.. Well after hearing reports of DLC sales sucking for 360 (which is probably due to them being released so late after the game was released) I am sure that MS will not waste $50 mil on securing rights to something that won’t sell. And Sony certainly won’t waste their money on it either.
December 26th, 2009
Who didn’t already knew this LoL, thanks anyways. Also the Xbox exclusive did not sell well enough it sucks in sell poor Xbox Live. Soon Rockstar North will bring it to PS3 make money fast and easy with no selling problem. PSN is where love to buy things theses days.
But Microsoft made that money selling games at $20. I know they don’t get the whole $20 but stills. I know in their world it was a huge sleeper hit. They thought it was going to help them it make them look like stupid fools well that’s what they always being.
December 26th, 2009
No DLC for a multi-platform game = good thing. Now all GTA gamers can enjoy it without Sony missing out on sales, and Microsoft paying a ridiculous amount to see less-than-pretty sale numbers. If they can somehow get one of their internal studios to make DLC for Rockstar, be as exclusive as you want, but buying DLC exclusivity, now THAT is corporate playground roughhousing.
I don’t play Grand Theft Auto and wherever the series goes will not affect me.
December 26th, 2009
Its wasn’t a matter of Microsoft ‘gaining sales’… It was a matter of Microsoft ‘Not losing sales’ to Sony.
Without the exclusive DLC, sales of GTAIV on Xbox 360 would of been fairly lower.
Think about it.
December 26th, 2009
We can’t have it both ways. Either DLC mattered and moved more 360 copies, or it didn’t matter, didn’t sell well, and thus probably didn’t have an effect on the sales per console. Think about it, if DLC mattered, shouldn’t it have sold better?
The net effect may have been so small, that MS won’t shell out 50mil again for it. Rockstar instead makes out to be avoiding a similar situation again, when in fact, MS might have decided long ago not to pay for the same rights again.
December 26th, 2009
@Jofa
“if DLC mattered, shouldn’t it have sold better?”
Maybe it did matter. Sales on Microsoft’s side would have been worse without it. How much worse would it of have been? Well, we’ll probably never know.
Oh, and I have no doubt that M$ will be willing to spend another $50 million on anything that would get the public to notice GTAV on Xbox 360.
December 26th, 2009
Not if the exclusivity doesn’t make more money. If DLC exclusivity mattered for total unit sales on the 360, it should have sold better, end of story. It sold horribly, thus, it didn’t matter. It is not complex logic. The 50million dollar gamble did NOT pay off, and I would highly doubt they will throw good money after bad.
December 26th, 2009
“Its wasn’t a matter of Microsoft ‘gaining sales’… It was a matter of Microsoft ‘Not losing sales’ to Sony.
Without the exclusive DLC, sales of GTAIV on Xbox 360 would of been fairly lower. Think about it.”
Good point Vek. I think most people are going off of retail disc sales as well, which isn’t exactly a reliable measure for success considering these titles were meant to be downloaded, hence the moniker “DLC”. Considering what it did do at retail, combined with estimated DLC sales, those few whom it might have swayed in purchasing a console, AND how many more copies of GTAIV did sell on 360 instead of the Sony platform (traditional platform for this franchise), they have already more than made up for the amount invested and have probably already pocketed some. GTA is no longer primarily associated with the Playstation brand, more units of the game and extra content have been sold on 360. Job done.
December 26th, 2009
The only baramoter by which to measure the effect of the DLC exclusivity is by its sales. The fact that the 360 already had a larger install base, as well as a higher attach rate should have dictated the same results, sans $50million. Just being multi-platform changed the association of the GTA series.
It was a waste of money, plain and simple, and they won’t waste money the same way again. MS had higher expectations of the DLC, as did Rockstar when they sold them exclusivity. This is Rockstar saving face ahead of MS refusing to pay the same price again.
December 26th, 2009
“The fact that the 360 already had a larger install base, as well as a higher attach rate should have dictated the same results, sans $50million.”
Wait a sec, I thought “twice as many units” automatically meant “twice as many sales”. That didn’t come close to happening with this title before the DLC came out, let alone after. Who knows how bad it would have been without the exclusivity rights. As is, they at least recouped their expenses, increased their attach rate, and gained a few new owners.
December 27th, 2009
Well i just recently bought GTA IV Episodes from liberty city, i wud have loved to download these on my HD, but i had traded in my GTA copy long time back, and you couldn’t play any of those episodes without a GTA IV disc..
December 27th, 2009
@CarlB
You keep forgetting how forgettable the actual DLC sales are. If EVERY single person who bought the GTAIV DLC bought the game on 360 just because of the DLC, you can subtract them from the total sales, and barely effect the ratio of 360/PS3 copies sold. It is completely absurd to think that the exclusive DLC had any meaningful impact on the total sales per console.
I wasn’t suggesting that the attach rate/install base should translate perfectly in comparing sales of the game between consoles, MS DID have an uphill battle in that GTA devotees were PS2 owning people. The fact that the DLC was so poorly recieved shows that it couldn’t have been a deciding factor, and the fact that so many copies were bought anyway has more to do with that higher install base and attach rate, considering the PS branding of the GTA series prior to GTAIV.
MS did good in making people aware of GTAIV coming to the 360, but that 50 million would have been far more effective in direct marketting, instead of shoring up fanboy battles. Kind of preaching to the choir, imo, and the DLC sales back it the theory.
December 27th, 2009
@Vek
“Without the exclusive DLC, sales of GTAIV on Xbox 360 would of been fairly lower.”
I can’t agree with you there since by the time GTA4 was released there was a much larger number of 360′s sold than PS3s.
I think that even without the aid of the DLC the 360 version would have sold more, probably by an even smaller margin than there already is with DLC.
December 27th, 2009
I hated GTAIV, so I’m not surprised the DLC wasn’t a success. It got too repetative.
December 27th, 2009
“The fact that the DLC was so poorly recieved”
You’re basing this off what… retail disc sales right? ‘Nuff said.
“I think that even without the aid of the DLC the 360 version would have sold more, probably by an even smaller margin than there already is with DLC.”
Considering Batman AA sold better on PS3 (and that with a minor Joker pack), that probably wouldn’t be true.
I do agree with Jofa though, the money would probably be better spent on marketing as they have with Modern Warfare 2. Then again, I would have been deprived of the opportunity to play some very highly rated DLC on the top rated game this gen.
December 27th, 2009
*Yawn*
December 27th, 2009
I’m still not convinced that Microsoft’s deal with Rockstar had a $50,000,000 return. Not that I know diddly about this subject: I never bought DLC in my life, and don’t own GTA4 (I’ve played it, but couldn’t see what was all too great. Getting a 10/10 in graphics was total *insert various Deli meat*).
And yes, I’ll hop on the train: the money could’ve better been spent on marketing. If they spent an extra $50 million on marketing the DLC, they might’ve gotten the same results. And GTA4 DLC-hungry PS3 owners (aka lots, but not me) would’ve gotten another satisfying and brutal time-sink. Time and money sink, actually. And time=money, so it would be a money-sink squared… oh, forget it…
December 28th, 2009
I could give a fuck less. They’ve permanently lost me as a customer. I’ll never buy another Grand Theft Auto game for as long as that ding dong company exists.
I’m debating whether or not I should purchase another Midnight Club game since “Rockstar” aka shitfags develop it…..Naaaah, I’ll pass.
Once a shithole, always a shithole.
Way to go Rockstar!!! You Judas betraying, backstabbing son of a bitch. I hope your next game FAILS!!!….fuckers.
December 28th, 2009
Guys just to clear up something your arguing about poor sales apply to both retail sales and DLC over XBL Marketplace.
Read the link in the article to a previous story I wrote about Take-Two’s investor call –
http://gamer.blorge.com/2009/12/18/take-two-explains-poor-grand-theft-auto-iv-dlc-and-retail-sales/
December 28th, 2009
Yes, Joystiq seemed to have a slightly different slant on their article, and the CEO never said there were “poor sales” of the DLC online… “calling the episodes themselves ‘profitable contributors to the company,’ Feder nevertheless offered some insight into what his company could have done to make them even more profitable.”
The “remember this” link then goes back to another Joystiq article that states, “This takes one of Sony’s biggest assets this generation and makes it moot. Well played Microsoft …”
December 28th, 2009
Thank god for Agent.
December 28th, 2009
MS must be scratching their heads, if only they would’ve invested that money on a first party studio maybe then they could have had a better lineup.
they checks MS wrote to Square Enix for J-style games did not payed off either.
but yeah, thanks god for Agent
December 28th, 2009
Yeah, Microsoft is really “scratching their heads” over buying out PS3′s exclusivity with GTAIV and FFXIII… not.
December 28th, 2009
last time I checked
GTAIV – also on PS3 (from Rockstar)
FFXIII – also on PS3 (From Square Enix)
Agent – Only on PS3 (from Rockstar)
FFvXIII – Only on PS3 (From Square Enix)
FFXIV – only on PS3 & PC (from Square Enix
so yeah they must be scratching their head since they didnt get any “exclusivity” after all
December 28th, 2009
For all intents and purposes, this is the first gen GTA and FF has not been “Only on” at worldwide launch whereas now it is “also on”. Big difference that.
So no, again, I doubt they are “scratching their heads” at acquiring these once only PS top selling “exclusives” for their console after all.
December 28th, 2009
but they didnt get any exclusivity after all..nor did their big check stopped Square Enix or Rockstar from making the games on the PS3. but then they both went as far as to announce their upcoming games exclusively for the PS3 [Agent and FFv13]
December 28th, 2009
“but they didnt get any exclusivity after all…”
They don’t need it, they just needed to take away PS3′s exclusivity with those major bestselling titles.
December 28th, 2009
well didnt take any exclusive because it GTA series were also on Xbox and PC. they didnt take the any exclusive on FF13, instead they just made it another multiplat game.
but at the end FFv13 and Agent are coming out exclusively on the PS3
December 28th, 2009
Yes, they did, because those titles were only ported after the exclusive launch on PS2. Final Fantasy XIII was being developed exclusively for PS3 until Microsoft came in and changed that.
In the end, if FFvs13 or Agent are top earners as well, I’m sure Microsoft has the capability to buy away their exclusivity as well.
December 29th, 2009
Shame M$ bought FF13 because the game don’t look as good as it once did, graphically I mean and it took another year to be release :@ Thanks M$
December 29th, 2009
“don’t look as good”… Thanks Square-Enix.
December 29th, 2009
the point is Sony still have FF exclusivity (Agito, Versus, and FF14) and it still have exclusive games from Rockstar whereas MS wasted money to only get 2 DLCs a year after the original game was release.
December 29th, 2009
Yes, what a “waste”… 1.5M+ copies sold on 360 as compared to PS3 on what was once a PS Exclusive… soon to be another 1.5M+ copies sold on 360 as compared to PS3 on yet another once PS Exclusive… lol.
December 29th, 2009
it would have sold just the same without the $50M check from MS. so a wasted of money for MS and more money for Rockstar
December 29th, 2009
Exclusives tend to look better than multi plats. Idea being that the developer can work best with the assets available to only that console without thinking of both. (See Bioware talking about ME2, and the proof is in the pudding when it comes to Uncharted 2)
This has never been a debatable fact and I don’t see why it would start to be one.
December 29th, 2009
I was talking about the linear gameplay, and the whole, “Stripped-Down Final Fantasy XIII Is More Movie Than Game†thing. It didn’t get scored lower for it’s graphics, and “the proof is in the pudding” when it comes to Bayonetta.
December 30th, 2009
Phranc: ” the proof is in the pudding when it comes to Uncharted 2″
CarlB: “the proof is in the pudding when it comes to Bayonetta”
lmaooo Bayonetta doesnt even look as good as GoW collection and its nowhere near as good looking as Uncharted 2.
I belived Phranc was also talking about exclusive games (ME2 and U2) and Bayonetta is not one of them.
December 30th, 2009
I was talking about gameplay here. Graphics mean jack (at least to me) when you have a game that is “More Movie Than Game”. Bayonetta is not one of those games.
December 31st, 2009
the more movie than a game was just one opnion from one writer….do you actually belive FF13 will be more movie than a game. I bet all the hours you spend leveling up (or w.e new feature they have for it), finding items, exploring, talking to ppl, equiping you party members and so on, those wont be CGI cuts scene and will proabaly take more of your time during your playthrough than anything else.
but back on topic, exclusives look better than multiplat. Bayonetta is a multiplat and its not the most graphically impressive multiplat game.
then comparasion between bayonetta and FF13 is dumb too….two totally different games CarlB
December 31st, 2009
I hope you are right about FFXIII roca. FFXIII and MGS4 are two totally different games as well, but they both seem to have really long cutscenes that (at least IMO for MGS4, and his review for FFXIII) do interfere with gameplay. I’m sure there will be just as many die hard fans, PS3 CGI aficionados, and others who will swear by them as they have with MGS4 though, it’s just not for me.
But back on topic, games are about gameplay, and the games Batman AA and Borderlands were more appealing to me than anything else this year 360 or PS3. But I understand your PS3 only exclusive preference, even though I don’t share it.
January 1st, 2010
CarlB….come on both MGS and FF series have always had long cut scenes. this is nothing new.
of course you dont…but my preference are on both multiplatform and PS3 exclusive. PS3 exclusive happens to be more innovative, better graphics, better quality and they also tend to stand out more than multiplatform games that are available on all console.