Grand Theft Auto hits record
2008-05-07 21:52
San Francisco - Grand Theft Auto: IV blew away videogame and Hollywood records as its creators reported on Wednesday that it raked in an unprecedented $500m in its opening week.
Take-Two Interactive said approximately 6m copies of GTA IV: Liberty City Stories have sold worldwide, with more than half of those games snatched up within 24 hours of the game hitting store shelves April 29.
Grand Theft Auto IV's first week performance represents the largest launch in the history of interactive entertainment," said Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick.
"We believe these retail sales levels surpass any movie or music launch to date."
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest took in $196m in its first week to seize the Hollywood crown for top-grossing film opening, according to Box Office Mojo.
Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter expects GTA: IV to be the second best-selling video game ever behind its predecessor GTA: San Andreas which has sold 23m copies.
"I'm sure GTA: IV beats Hollywood movie opening weeks," Pachter told AFP.
"But it depends how one looks at it. I'm sure more people saw Ironman than played Grand Theft Auto in the past week but fewer dollars changed hands."
The Ironman film based on the Marvel Comics character opened in theatres on Friday.
The GTA franchise is the work of Take-Two's Rockstar Games studio and is an epicentre for outrage over violence in videogames because players triumph with acts such as hijacking, thuggery, and killing.
The US Entertainment Software Rating Board stamped a "Mature" label on GTA: IV banning US retailers from selling the game to anyone less than 17 years old.
Take-Two hopes the superstar launch of GTA: IV will give it leverage in takeover talks with the world's largest video game maker, Electronic Arts, which is trying to buy the New York City-based firm.
Take-Two rejected a $2bn offer from EA and delayed talk of negotiation until after the release of GTA: IV.
- Dow Jones