There really was no question that Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive had a blockbuster on their hands with the release of Grand Theft Auto IV, but now that the first full week of sales has completed, the numbers are staggering when compared to even the most conservative of estimates.
GTA IV raked in more than $310 million on its April 29 launch, shattering the previous launch-day record of $170 million (Halo 3). In the six days after, the controversial action-adventure game netted an additional $190 million for a $500 million opening week.
While some analysts are saying the new record set by GTA IV will stand for years (Halo 3's wallet-bursting record stood only since Sept. 2007), others say the sales momentum has tipped permanently in the favor of video games over other entertainment releases (movies), and week-long video game sales records could be set and broken multiple times this summer with the release of hotly-anticipated titles like Spore, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, or perhaps even a return to the dominance of film with the summer release of Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
How ever the record-breaking situation pans out, one thing seems certain. While many analysts had predicted (and movie executives feared) a cannibalization of ticket sales last week as patrons bypassed the weekend movies to play GTA IV, the numbers did not play out that way -- while GTA IV broke all records, the film Ironman still had a mammoth opening weekend with more than $100 million in box office returns.
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