GTA4 Exclusive Xbox 360 Content: Why Retailers Don’t Care
April 8th, 2008 Posted in Video Game IndustryYou might be noticing a lot more GTA4 adverts in flyers, websites, and stores of late. You can sometimes see GTA4 plastered on the front pages of some online stores, advertising the game. But I’ve noticed something. I’m not sure I’ve seen more than one store, website or flyer that is mentioning that the Xbox 360 version of GTA4 will be getting exclusive content.
Here are just a few examples…
Look at these top retailers… No mention of exclusive content for those who choose to buy the Xbox 360 version. No mention of it being the ultimate version for any GTA4 fan. Nothing about only on Xbox 360. Not even a hint of something to come. And then I got to thinking. Why the heck would they advertise the 360 version with episodic content over the PS3 version? Content that the retailers will get a zero cut from? In fact, it’s money that the consumer might otherwise spend at their store later down the road. What advantage do stores have by convincing consumers to buy the 360 version when they are there to buy GTA4 regardless? It makes no sense. Why convince people to buy a version that will take away money from the retailer by encouraging them to buy a version that totally skips out the middleman (the store) with content?
I’m sure there will be some adverts here and there promoting this content that Microsoft paid a small fortune for. I’m sure Microsoft themselves have put some of this marketing out to push this exclusive content. I just wouldn’t expect stores to really even care about it though or even push it at all. If anything, it has a negative impact on the retailers by taking away money through the episodic content downloads that otherwise probably would have been spent in their store later on.
GTA4 episodic content is a great move for Microsoft, and obviously is a great plus for 360 gamers. There is no denying that. I’m just not so sure retailers view it the same way, or want you the gamer to think so either. Or maybe even know about it. If anything, the PS3 version of GTA4 will give them the same sales, and free up some extra money down the road for an in store game purchase. Now that is something retailers can appreciate and care about. Perhaps retailers not even giving a hint of this content is a reflection of that.
26 Responses to “GTA4 Exclusive Xbox 360 Content: Why Retailers Don’t Care”
By aaron on Apr 8, 2008
I don’t think retailers care about putting one version above another. All they care about is making money. A sale is a sale, no matter what platform its on. DLC wont affect the total amount of sales, just the ratios of 360 to ps3 sales.
Other reasons.
You cant sell something, promising that DLC may arrive in the near future. It hasn’t been given a release date. What if DLC doesn’t appear for some reason. The retailer will set sued for mis-selling a product.
Although MS do want as many gta 360 sales as possible, they care more about the increase of live gold membership resulting from the DLC and the games online.
They dont understand the importance of DLC.
They dont feel DLC will impact your average buyer. (It wont imo)
All retailers are PS3 fanboys in disguise.
By Brian on Apr 8, 2008
Why should any store care? They won’t push either version. You go in and buy the version for your console. If you want my opinion Micro$ost waste $50 million. I could care less about the extra content. The PS3 version is all I care about. At least I won’t have my console die in the middle of playing the game.
By Spriggs on Apr 8, 2008
I think another point is that the PS3 version costs more, which means more $$$ for the stores. Am I right?
By Audikid on Apr 8, 2008
Spriggs your wrong ps3 version is the same price,well here in the states anyway…and Aaron you got it wrong and your clearly an Xbox fanboy..Every store ive been to gamestop, EB, Gamecrazy and so on all have tried to push xbox crap on me when i clearly asked for ps3 game.
By Justin on Apr 8, 2008
um i dont think that the PS3 version will cost more that is just dumb, yea i know people have said that but it doesnt make ne sense for it cost more on PS3 than 360.
and i agree i think that Micro$oft did wast $50 million.
and they guy that wrote this is obviously a 360 fanboy who wants everyone to know that the 360 verison will be “better” because of the extra add on. well at least Sony never had to pay a bunch of money to get GTA to come out before the xbox.
By lol on Apr 8, 2008
who cares?
Microsoft is over hyping this extra DLC, guess they shouldn’t have paid that $50m eh.. ?
owell $50m is like pocket money for them anyway..
By CJP on Apr 8, 2008
Hah isn’t it funny how that review said the ps3 version was better. Now that review might not be official but iam gonna shit myself if it was =)))))).
By Justin on Apr 8, 2008
wat review cuz i dont see ne where that it says the PS3 version is better but i do places that is says the 360 version is better
By cell on Apr 8, 2008
looks like your true XBOT colors are showing up. Why do you care so much weather people know about this. Did you participate in that huge investment or are you just an avid XBOT. Let Microsoft deal with that, they have plenty of PR, they dont need your yapping to solve this so called issue. If you happen to be an XBOX360 owner(which I bet your a** you are)then you need not to worry about it my friend. Let us unfortunate PS3 owners to lament for such content. The good news for everyone, including those XBOX360 owners out there that wont be able to afford the extra content, is that GTA4 has lots and lots of replay value, enough for the whole year. After that there will be other titles to even care about the exclusive content.
By ray66 on Apr 8, 2008
who care about aditionnal content ..only xbox 360 fanboy…gta IV will be one of the greatest geames in 2008 but not the only one ..and on the ps3 their will be grand turismo and metal gear …:-) o but it’s true if you buy gta IV on the 360 you gonna have extra content …eventually..that you will have to pay….and of course whe will be playing metal gear solid …will you wait for those content
By jon on Apr 8, 2008
again… who wrote this stupid ass article…..?
By Gregormeister on Apr 9, 2008
Did you think about the consumers, who have to buy a console, too?
First, if they buy the game plus a 360, they pay less than buying GTA IV plus a PS3. So for the shops its better to sell the PS3-Version.
Second, people are supposed to buy as soon as possible. If PS2 owners (GTA fans), who intend to buy finally their next-gen-console in combination with their lovely and long awaited GTA IV game, they could be stopped by an confusing offer of a 360 version with ominous better online conditions for the future. They shall (?) buy it beyond a shadow of a doubt.
By ninja on Apr 18, 2008
This is a joke, true the retailers dont care BUT i find it funny everyone i know is getting a PS3 for this, even though its more money and doesnt have the four extra dlc..
PS3 is DEFINITELY getting its own dlc in the future, as a member of the r* dev team accidently mentioned dlc for PS3 but different from 360.. so MS did waste money in a way, look at all the ads for 360! its because MS want to sell as many 360 as they can as not many descent games are coming out on 360 this year so PS3 is a better investment.. Sony dont care at all and i give them credit for not pushing all this PR crap on us so in my opinion it works in their favour.
As to the above comment i doubt that PS2 owners (gta fans) will buy a 360 for it, the ONLY advantage is its cheaper but wont allow you access to the best games this year on PS3, plus the majority of ppl i know liked ps2 over Xbox and know ps3 is a better console, as they’ve seen my PS3 they all want one even just for cod4 and gta4, they are casual gamers and dont give a toss about dlc for 360.
Another thing is that HOME on PS3 will give you more gta content than 360 with its own gta4 society and the online modes are iddentical on both systems, not only that even though R* took the bribe from MS it seems R*still has its legiences alligned with Sony as all gta games after 4 will be exclusive to PS3
By nick on Apr 21, 2008
I own both systems and I want to know Is that the only difference between these two games the DLC? what else…. are the graphics any better? are the load times quicker? Frame rate??? C”mon guys there will always be DLC but what about the important stuff…Which one is tighter to begin with….?
By COPYRIGHT on Apr 24, 2008
I own both consoles & think that they are excellent at what they can do, blame bad developers for crap games not the hardware.
However the thing that concerns me most is the online experience, I know PSN is free & Microsoft charge for Live, but Sonys online network seems to be a little bit dull to say the least.
Xbox Live is so much more fleshed out & fun IMO, Another thing regarding the graphics, both versions look pretty much identical if the truth be told so why all the fuss.
Future DLC & the Xbox live experience is the reason why i will go for the Xbox 360 version over PS3, not because i think its more highly of Xbox 360.
By Joe on Apr 25, 2008
All these stupid PS3 fanboys need to shut up! IF they care about the GTA4 game and wern’t blinkered by their loyalty to sony, they’d realsie the 360 version IS better because it will have more missions through the DLC. Its stupid to say otherwise. I heard the PS3 DLC will just be extra clothes and stuff…woop! 360 version is the better version end of story!
By MeekB2G on Apr 26, 2008
I have both systems as well. I think I’m gonna get the Xbox 360 version, due to the exclusive content. I will probly get the PS3 version later on if it has it’s own content. But as for the online services. I think you get what you pay for. With Xbox Live you pay for what you get. And PS3 as well. Since it’s free you can’t really expect much. Both systems have there strong points but. I’d rather be on Xbox Live then PSN for my online play. PSN is pretty ‘blah’ when playing online games. Hopefully it will get better over time.
By Anti-Pacifist on Apr 28, 2008
All i see is stupid fanboyism. You know what? You both need to shut up. Get your PS3 version or your 360 version and enjoy it. Instead of debating on which is better or on which company made a better move or some stupid arguement that clearly wastes everyones time. I think, you all need to give this fanboyism a bloody rest. It’s becoming extremely annoying. It’s like you live for it. What possible enjoyment do you get in bashing a console? It’s completely stupid. Shows you either have a serious mental problem or a definite low IQ. You bought your console because you wanted to buy it. Why need you bash what someone else decided to buy? If you love your console so damn much that you’d bash other consoles then why don’t you go play it?
By bob dole on May 2, 2008
well aside from both 360 and ps3 fanboys what u should both be doing is supporting ur arguements with facts which is xbox due to its greed made gta4 garbage in a way go n ponder this if gta4 was made exclusive for the ps3 if the creators did this and thought for a second they would realize that gta4 would be about 5x better if it was exclusive to ps3 since ps3 has bluray which holds 2x as much data as a 360 disc so unfortunatly ps3 has to be nice and slow down to let 360 keep up this is just my opinion u can feel free to bitch about it
By dickupass on May 5, 2008
why ppl go off topic all time, but teh PC version is always better imo the console version of GTA4 is ok but bit sluggish and no ways deserves 10/10 gfx 10? lol 15-20fps most of time
By unkown on Jul 14, 2008
M$ or Rockstar isnt paying them to advertise the downloadable content which is only for the xbox 360 so why should they go at their own expense doing so
By David Heart on Aug 24, 2008
Stores get the promotional stuff from the company’s. So, its up to Microsoft if they use it as a selling point.
By Захар on Oct 22, 2008
Интересненько, откедова такое чудо-юдо вылезло?
By WENTWORTH on Feb 6, 2009
Без преувеличения можно точно сказать, что пост тему раскрыл на все 100 процентов.
By BepныЙИзмeнниK on May 27, 2009
Занятно написано! Надобыотметить на БобрДобр.
By Shaun Kowalewski on Nov 15, 2011
Definetely an agreeable and acceptable post. All retailers want is the money . Period. Personally I shop online for better deals and savings, but even online I am paying a lot more money than what products are worth. The only reason to shop retail is if there is a blowout sale or the store is closing and need to sell out their items fast. Or on Black Friday, which you can also find deals online for this day.