Xbox 360 pulls ahead of PS3 in GTA IV poll
by Andrew Yoon 
{ Apr 14th 2008 at 11:30AM }
If these results translate into real-world sales, it would be clear that Microsoft's $50 million check to acquire exclusive DLC played little role in making the 360 version the de-facto version it may have hoped to become. With the potential for so much gameplay out-of-the-box, it seems that many gamers (42% of you, in fact) don't think DLC is too big of a selling point.
For complete analysis of the results, visit Joystiq.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
H2Os @ Apr 14th 2008 11:43AM
So the game is only going sell 39k copies right. These polls don't mean crap. What this tells me is of the people who voted(how many repeat votes?) 58% of these voters are buying the 360 version.
LJ @ Apr 14th 2008 12:10PM
My dear not-so-well-informed friend,
Even Scientific studies have a smaller sample than this. 39,000 is a very sizable one.
jstn @ Apr 14th 2008 12:18PM
LJ:
A fundamental tenant of scientific validity is random sampling - that's they only time a sample can estimate a population. This is by no means a random sample of people who are likely to buy the game... It's kind of like asking 39,000 nascar fans if they prefer American cars to Japanese, then trying to extrapolate to the population of car buyers.
a.j. @ Apr 14th 2008 12:50PM
oh god...i think LJ's point to the original goofball poster is that the poll isn't the exact # of people who are going to buy the game and that polls are usually a small percentage of people out of the whole.
Nate @ Apr 14th 2008 1:04PM
thanks jstn. Not may people realize how essential a completely random sample is. Heck, even with a random sample its really easy to be completely off base. I remember a class where we were trying to estimate the amount of dots in a box, where the computer made a perfectly random distribution, and three weeks in a row, trying different methods, our 95% accuracy still wasn't on the mark. The box with 500 dots we sampled within 95% accuracy as within 700-1200 dots, and in our 1000 dot box we got 1300-1700 or something like that. Thats with perfectly random distribution and almost perfect methods. three separate weeks and different methods and we still got results like that. Polls, ALL polls, are basically meaningless, as sampling error always occurs.
Even gallup polls, which are pretty good on their methods, can only sample those that want to be sampled, and only those with phones. Those that don't want to take their survey and those that don't have phones are not sampled - which means bias and which means bad results... every time.
KingMe @ Apr 14th 2008 11:48AM
Considering that #1, the Xbox userbase is higher, and #2 Joystiq is arguably a little biased towards the 360 (at least it readers are) then this poll is great. 42% against the giant that is M$ on it's home turf. M$ doesn't "own" anything when it comes to the GTAIV launch
fersis @ Apr 14th 2008 11:58AM
yeah its a surprise that 42%
It looks like that 2008 is gonna be the PS3 year.
Fiddlesworth @ Apr 14th 2008 11:41AM
Just like the average chav GTA gamer isn't the type to give a damn about DLC, they're also not the type to care about voting in a poll if they even knew it existed in the first place.
Justin @ Apr 14th 2008 11:44AM
exactamundo.
and coupled with the GTAIV PS3 Bundle...I'd say they're on an even playing field.
LJ @ Apr 14th 2008 2:15PM
Thanks a.j.
I never made reference to the quality of the sample but the quantity. Again, 39K its a very good amount of participants... Are the participants randomly taken? or how good the was method used? ... beats me.
Anyways surveys and polls are a scientific proven data collection method, even though is not 100% accurate, its still a valid way to create hypothesis and make observations on a given matter.
It's your prerrogative to either believe it or not, but do not rule it out because of the sample size.
Patrick @ Apr 14th 2008 11:43AM
This is due to the fact 360 been out longer. Its not really about the DLC. In two years if that the 360 will be obsolete just like the wii ( the wii will take longer but yeah.
Dan Davis @ Apr 14th 2008 11:43AM
And because we also know that most DLC is timed-exclusive.
jpneiswi @ Apr 14th 2008 12:08PM
First? woot! I'm not surprised by this, again, given the fact that more people own the 360 right now...and again, the more interesting statistic would be a comparison of those who own both the ps3 and 360 and which system they are getting it on...there's more than enough gameplay to make the ps3 my choice (mostly cause i don't own a 360 and because the anti-aliasing on the ps3 i was told was better). The gameplay will most likely be very similar, so now it's up to Sony to get it's online experience as good as Xbox live (Home, where are you?) Only 15 more days....
Henkie @ Apr 14th 2008 11:46AM
so? this is only well-informed gamers. But a lot of people who don't search this on the web just buy a PS3 for GTA. Sony has made it in such a way that GTA=PS. And with the PS3/GTA bundle coming it's going to sell big
Semi @ Apr 14th 2008 11:45AM
16K eh... see u'll online on 29th...
xPAULIEx @ Apr 14th 2008 12:08PM
My opinion is that since the 360 was out earlier than the PS3 that 360 owners aren't just going to jump over to PS3 for GTAIV since they are basically the same comparison wise...but I do think that a lot of 360 owners will go and buy a PS3 when MGS4 comes out...I think that along with the blu-ray victory will be when you really start seeing a sway in sales.
Byron517 @ Apr 14th 2008 12:07PM
You guys also have to note that the PS3 verison of GTA4 is also one of the most pre-ordered games out so i think the sales are going to be huge for ps3 as well!
myself @ Apr 14th 2008 11:58AM
lol wait till you see gta4 selling more hardware on the ps3
SparkyJ23 @ Apr 14th 2008 11:59AM
Why the hell is DLC for cash relevant in any way shape or form? You finish the game before you sell it to me. you want to add maps etc? do so but don't charge me AGAIN.
Byron517 @ Apr 14th 2008 12:05PM
I think this is just going to be a huge sale for PS3 and I read that the pre-orders for this on the ps3 were huge so that just goes to show that DLC doesn't really mean much!
Zombie Huggles @ Apr 14th 2008 12:09PM
I do have several friends, even 360 fans, that thought GTA4 was going to be PS3 exclusive. But we can accept this poll. Even with it's limited scope. Consider, the 360 does have a larger fanbase. But MGS4 will probably be a major system seller for PS3 in June. Many gamers will probably not have purchased GTA4 until then...so maybe the PS3 version will come out on top. But regardless, we're getting a great game day-to-day with the 360 and I hear "our" version plays better.
And maybe we'll see some DLC on PS3. I'm not asking Sony to bribe Rockstar with 40 million dollars, but considering that previous GTAs sold 20 million plus on PS2, if we can expect similar numbers and they charge, say, 10 bucks for DLC, that's a lot of money waiting to be made on the Sony side.
Side-story, Does anyone know how to get a-hold of an 80 gig without paying the jacked-up prices on Amazon?
Robert @ Apr 14th 2008 2:23PM
ebay is got some great deals even new in the box
Taylor @ Apr 14th 2008 3:20PM
people who are loyal and care about GTA should go with traditions Play Station Xbox is a con and old bill in his tree is slowly but surely getting chopped down
linebeginstoblur @ Apr 14th 2008 12:14PM
A news story submitted on gamecollision.com on March 30, 2008, says...
"an article in the latest version of PlayStation World Magazine states that the PS3 will indeed be getting downloadable content. This information comes straight from GTA 4's senior developer, Jeronimo Barrera."
But yeah, DLC isn't a huge factor for me. But regardless, there's an even bigger reason for wanting the PS3 version more. I don't have an Xbox 360. If GTA IV was Xbox-exclusive, I would care about its release, but I still would not buy extra hardware for it, so I don't think the results are so much about DLC as they are about hardware numbers.
The Sound @ Apr 14th 2008 6:34PM
'Course it is, it would shock me if it didn't.
What we're NOT getting is the DLC Microsoft paid worth several countries.
koehler83 @ Apr 14th 2008 12:26PM
I'm fairly confident that this would have been the scenario regardless of that $50M.. Im sure Rockstar was happy to take it though.
Of course, if Halo 3 couldnt sell Xbox's, neither will this. I do see it selling quite a few playstations though, especially in Europe.
emaxximus @ Apr 14th 2008 12:51PM
...or the 360 owners are waiting for their refurbished console to be returned so they troll ps3fanboy...
Green Gamer @ Apr 14th 2008 12:54PM
I hope both versions do well. This is the game that puts gaming above Movies and Music and legitimizes the industry as the future of entertainment. Cheers to Take Two for charging M$ for the extra content and finding new revenue streams. I have both systems and prefer my 360 for the controller and online. Dont get too defensive fanboys Im sure that GTA well help all parties involved.
Justin @ Apr 14th 2008 12:53PM
Or they have a PS3 also and regret waiting in line for it for 3 days.
Tranando @ Apr 14th 2008 12:57PM
You have to wonder about the editors here. With over 6 million more 360 systems out there than PS3, did they REALLY think PS3 was going to get more votes?
As it is, the fact that PS3 got a 40/60 split, means per system sold, more PS3 owners are buying GTA IV than 360 owners.. It also does not take into account new console sales, which will likely benefit Sony, vastly more than Microsoft..
simcha @ Apr 14th 2008 1:01PM
This to me is a no brainer given the polling sites. I don't want to come across as being bitter but has anyone read any of the comments from joystiq? Most of the people there would like the ps3 sunk for good. Biased opinions often change the poll results. It's not enough to poll such a place, you need to take into account the reasons why, who the people are and what the outside contamination of a poll might be. Biased opinions are only one form of corruption in a poll.
thinkofmeasmra @ Apr 14th 2008 1:01PM
Ya its clearly the size of the userbase that's the determining factor here. And really who cares about DLC. I do not know ONE single person who's ever got above 90% completion of ANY GTA game (post GTA 2). Do you?? Be honest, do you think your actually going to get far enough to care or even experience the 3 extra side missions? I got $100 thats says "No"
ajiezer @ Apr 14th 2008 1:02PM
"it seems that many gamers (42% of you, in fact) don't think DLC is too big of a selling point."
In my case the DLC is important but I'm not going to buy a 360 just 4 that besides the PS3 is way better.
Tom @ Apr 14th 2008 1:02PM
It's kind of funny that the editor of PS3 Fanboy has come out in support of the Xbox edition. Call yourself a fanboy, Yoon?
ComicShaman @ Apr 14th 2008 1:02PM
I expect that most people will buy it for the system they have.
Maybe I'm wrong here, but my feeling is the "I own all next-gen systems" customer is actually a pretty rare animal, at least with regards to the market as a whole.
dadanman @ Apr 14th 2008 1:05PM
I bought a PS3 during release. I also bought a 360 during Bioshock and Halo 3. I loved both of those games but I made the decision to sell my 360 due to the cost of live. Since then I have been more than happy on my PS3. I have played great games like Rachet, Drakes, Devil may cry, Dark Sector, Call of Duty 4, Resistance, Army of Two, and many more since with all being free online. I will stick with the PS3 and I can say from experience Live is over rated!
Sinnix @ Apr 14th 2008 1:15PM
It's hard to get excited about exclusive DLC when no one is talking about what's going to be included.
exolstice @ Apr 14th 2008 1:25PM
On Amazon.ca, the 360 and PS3 seem to trade places on the best seller list on an almost daily basis.
batmanhill6157 @ Apr 14th 2008 1:23PM
I love how Microsoft has to try and buy there way to the top instead of just dishing out reliable hardware and good games
Fane @ Apr 14th 2008 4:12PM
Well, that is their M.O. How do you think they got Windows installed on (virtually) every PC you can buy? It's not because it was the best O.S. available.
2Perfect @ Apr 14th 2008 1:28PM
Actually the main reason I'm getting it for the PS3 is because I don't have an xbox 360 :P So you should've made more options.
But then again if I had both, I don't think I would care about DLC. Not that I would ever have both... I'm not paying for online play. PS3 ftw.
But did you consider the fact that it could be the amount of readers of each blog? I'm guessing the X360 should have waaay bigger numbers if given an equal number of people.
Ninjakamster @ Apr 14th 2008 1:36PM
Or your a frickin annoying Xbot who whines about annoying PS3 fanboys, pot calling the kettle black my friend who is hating on the PS3 because your 360 is out for repair.
tatoosx @ Apr 14th 2008 1:59PM
I guess if this numbers translate to real world. Means that 38416 gamers have both 360 and PS3 I mean for every 360 there is a ps3 kind of unreal isn’t. Other tip, there is 11.60 millions ps3 and 18.13 millions 360 out there, if you are smart you should know that probably GTA would sale more on 360 than ps3. If you are dumb enough to translate those numbers to real world you should go back to school and take an introductory statistics class. Did some one get paid for this marketing poll?
The_Black_Circle @ Apr 14th 2008 2:16PM
uhh.. he did mention ratio & install base.
Kenology @ Apr 14th 2008 1:45PM
I don't see how this is newsworthy. The Xbox360 version is definitely going to outsell the PS3 version due to installed base alone. This poll in no way represents what's going to happen in the marketplace in terms of Xbox360 vs. PS3 GTAIV sales.
That said, I do expect the PS3 version to have a higher attach rate though.
The_Black_Circle @ Apr 14th 2008 1:53PM
Just so all you gys know, the pre-sales on the widely known and "average consumer" used site Amazon.com shows that the PS3 version is doing almost equally as well on both platforms.
http://www.amazon.com/b/ref=amb_link_1172162_6?ie=UTF8&node=14210751&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=101KPPSTQ1GKT728JMBQ&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=244641501&pf_rd_i=471280
(look to the right for diagram, 52% of pre-orders are for 360, 48% for PS3)
Giving the PS3's much smaller install base, the game is actually (pre) selling far better on PS3.
The_Black_Circle @ Apr 14th 2008 1:56PM
>that the PS3 version is doing almost equally as well
I meant, both versions are doing nearly the same sales.
Justin @ Apr 14th 2008 2:20PM
I was just trying to justify the high vote count for PS3 owners. There is obviously a much larger install base for the 360, as well as PS3-only owners being more likely to spend time on Joystiq.
My 360's drive broke once when I first bought it about a year ago. Never had a RROD.
I was the biggest PS3 fanboy before it launched and swore I would never buy a 360. Then after owning a PS3 for 7 months and being dissapointed, I bought a 360. Funny enough, I was in Europe at the time, and all my girlfriends' friends played Carcassonne, and then I saw it coming out on the 360. So yes I bought a 360 for Carcassone.
And if it weren't for LittleBigPlanet I might have sold my PS3 by now. I hardly ever turn on my PS3 unless I'm showing a friend PAIN. And with it being so long in between, I'm almost guaranteed to have a 20 minute update process.
Swamp Donkey @ Apr 14th 2008 2:21PM
While a poll on these blog sites is not a reliable sample of gamers in general, it is unquestionably a reliable sample of hardcore gamers. Hardcore gamers prefer 360. Everything about 360 is better except the hardware itself, which will break with almost 100% reliability.
Efeez1986 @ Apr 14th 2008 2:56PM
It's crazy, people haven't even played through GTA 4 yet and they're bragging and jumping around about the DLC for the game. Who cares about the DLC, GTA games always has a shit load of missions anyway. Me personally, i still haven't beat a GTA game yet because i get bored with the game after the 1,000th mission lol. If i get bored with the campaign or beat it, i'm jumping online, so i don't need DLC for the campaign and i'm especially not paying for it.