GTA: Chinatown Wars sales are "disappointing"
Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars may have seemed like a good idea, but sales have proved disappointing.
While Rockstar and Take-Two originally reckoned that the game could sell around two million copies in the US in just the first year, those estimates have now been slashed to just 500,000 units according to GI.biz.
"Despite a strong critical reception, Take-Two's GTA: Chinatown Wars sold a very disappointing 89,000 units in March, well below our more recent 200-250,000 estimate and far below the 400-450,000 we thought the title might sell upon its release," wrote Doug Creutz of investor firm Cowan and Company.
Investors reckon though that the quality of the game is not the problem though, but the demographical issues surrounding the DS platform.
"Take-Two exported their most valuable IP onto the most widely distributed gaming platform, and created the most highly-rated title in the history of that platform," detailed Creutz. "We knew there were some uphill challenges due to the demographics of the platform, but believed there were enough core gamers/adults owning a DS that the title could still perform very well. However, either the demographics are more challenging than we thought, or core gamers did not view the title as an essential purchase due to the nature of the platform."
Take-Two still expects the game to be profitable, though it admits it will only be marginally so if sales continue as they are.
Personally, we reckon the problem probably stems from how easy it is to pirate games on the DS platform, but what do you think? Let us know your thoughts in the forums.
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Discuss in the forums ReplyI bought the game even though i could have pirated it, just because i would like to get some more mature games on the ds instead the next big puzzle game. I loved every second in the game, finally a good reason to get my ds running again. Hopefully other publishers wont be stopped because of these numbers to try and get some good games on the ds going.
Doubt it people are still willing to pay for entertainment e.g cinema.
Its the type of people who owna DS hardly surprising tbh, I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole or any hand held console tbh. I play them for 5 mintues think its the best thing since sliced bread then never gets played again.
I think it has something more to do with most people that play gta also have an xbox/ps/pc and in case of pc of xbox only just got gta4 or the expansion and arent (yet) interested in a handheld gta.
Mostly kids age 5 to 12 have the DS. (not counting my girlfriend who likes to play bomberman in between work shifts) And these kids do not have money to buy games, they are depending on their parents. Most people here seems to forget that kids do not earn money.
We'll theres the fact the parents are paying could also be the rating of the game, given the age of the kids and like you say kids 5-12 own the DS and there not allowed to play it.
Not saying they won't play it I mean I was playing Duke Nukem just after it came out but the kind of people or kids who own a DS this won't be made for them.
and as you said before, people are paying less for media so that they have enough to eat.
I was going to say I don't know any kids with a DS, but then I realised, I don't know any kids, several of my mid/late 20s mates have one though, males and females alike.
i think to dismiss DS owners as kids is a bit silly, but those that own a DS are - generally - those that play 'casual games', by which i mean the original type of casual games as all sorts is marketed as this now.
brain training and GTA don't really mix
Oh and I know plenty of adults who own a DS, although thinking about it, they wouldn't want to play GTA!