Microsoft claims that more copies of the Xbox 360 version of GTA IV were sold in the first week of release than the PS3 version, although the actual figures were not disclosed.

That’s not entirely surprising, of course. Having launched a year before the PS3, the Xbox 360 has a larger installed base and an eager army of gamers who were itching to buy GTA IV in the first week of its release.

In contrast, GTA IV is expected to be the game that kick starts PS3 console sales as PS2 loyalists use its release as an excuse to upgrade their console. That’s a more significant investment for gamers, which is likely to mean slower initial sales but see the PS3 version of the game continue to sell strongly after the initial rush has passed.

The key battle is not how many copies of the game ship in the first week, but how many consoles GTA IV helps each side to sell in the coming months. As reported on our sister site Gameplayer, GTA publisher Rockstar teamed with Sony to sell an official PS3 bundle, while denying Microsoft the same treatment – a massive blow for Xbox.

However, most retailers have pieced together their own unofficial bundle, which may go some way to alleviating Sony’s advantage. Microsoft’s Xbox marketing team blog claims that in the US at least the release of GTA IV helped boost sales of the Xbox 360 console by over 50 per cent week on week. 

For now Sony is keeping mum, refusing to be drawn into a war of sales figures or words with Microsoft. Don’t expect that silence to be maintained should GTA IV deliver the knockout blow for PS3 that the company is hoping for.

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