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Industry Analysts Divided On How GTA V Will Affect Next-Gen Reception
GamesIndustry International recently interviewed a number of industry analysts about the influence that Grand Theft Auto V will have on next-generation console launch sales. GTA V is set to release on September 17 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. There has been no mention from either Rockstar or Take-Two about the game coming to next-gen.
Lewis Ward, an analyst at the International Data Corporation (IDC), says that American interest in next-gen consoles is weak. He believes we will be perfectly satisfied playing GTA V on current consoles. “…a lot of gamers are going to stick by their Xbox 360s, Wii/Wii Us, and PS3s at least until the 2014 holiday season, when the game catalog will be a lot bigger and some of the online kinks will have been worked out. That also means that games like GTA V should have plenty of runway to sell well in the meantime, as long as they deliver the goods.”
Independent analyst Billy Pidgeon agrees, claiming that GTA V will likely set new sales records. “I'd expect the game to have a positive influence on [current-gen] hardware sales, particularly when bundled with hardware by retailers. If there are concurrent price drops for Xbox 360 and PS3, that positive effect will be even stronger."
Jesse Divnich, analyst and vice president for Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR), argues otherwise. "PlayStation 4 and Xbox One continue to stay at the top of the charts on Amazon.com. Consumers are clearly excited for the next generation of consoles to launch." Referring to GTA V, he stated, "I don't foresee one current generation game, no matter how large it is, impacting the start of the next generation of consoles."
What's your take on GTA V’s relationship to next-gen consoles?
[Source: GamesIndustry International]
Our Take
Numbers don’t lie – preorders for next-gen consoles have been astoundingly high. Technology, along with consumers, only moves forward with time. Whether it’s this holiday season or next, PS3’s and Xbox 360’s will slowly be replaced by their more modern counterparts. For the time being, however, it’s nice to know that games like GTA V will give current-gen gamers a valid reason to delay the inevitable for a little while longer.
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