GTA: San Andreas #1 in Japan

by Alexander Sliwinski { Feb 3rd 2007 at 3:30PM }

Ghetto is fabulous in the land of the rising sun, as GTA: San Andreas hits #1 on the Japanese sales chart. The game, which represents the U.S. in all its early '90s, drive-by, 40 pourin', in da hood and gang-bangin' glory days, premiered at the top spot selling close to a quarter million units. Cooking Mama and Brain Age are out, Dr. Dre and Eazy-E be in da house $%&%a'-%&#@ers!

So now we wait for the first piece of controversy to flow out of Japan. If nothing else, GTA is always good for some stories of an absurd nature following any release.

See also: Boston transit system bans M rated game ads

Tags: grand theft auto, gta, japan, san andreas

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Murdoink @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:36PM

From the translated list, I'd like to know what game "Sensible power training DS of the adult who supervision Japanese sensible power official approval association after so long a time cannot be heard in the person" is

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:46PM

Now can all the dumbasses that complain about American Software/Hardware in Japan failing, shut up? It's about quality, not nationalism. (Xbox = Thumbs Down, While 360 is seeing better sales. QUALITY! )

MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:46PM

Just like most games that debut at #1 in Japan, it will quickly fall off the top 10 after a week or two. Expect it to be out of the top 30 by the end of the month, if not sooner.

MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:48PM

"Now can all the dumbasses that complain about American Software/Hardware in Japan failing, shut up? "

Common sense alludes you.

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:49PM

*Covers his ears* LA LA LA LA

Slaziman @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:52PM

Rockstar is British¿

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:54PM

It is not. R* has many different divisions all over the world. San Andreas was developed by Rockstar North. (But you're right, originally based in Scotland)

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:56PM

The point is, it is an American Game, obviously.

inlogic @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:56PM

#6 "Rockar is British"

Actually Rockstar North, the dudes that made GTA, are Scottish, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe. Not American as the #2 said. So nope mate, US games still don't have quality for the japanese dudes :P

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:57PM

It's not about WHERE the game was made! I'm talking about content. The Xbox's weren't made in America! For all I know they were made in China or something.

Slaziman @ Feb 3rd 2007 3:59PM

It wasn't developed by Americans though.

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:00PM

Okay.

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:01PM

*Looking Nervous..* Soo how about that super bowl.. heh heh.

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:01PM

*Looking Nervous..* Soo how about that super bowl.. heh heh.

Slaziman @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:02PM

So you realize that your argument is bullshit since the Xbox was designed by Americans while the game was not? GTA: SA was probably manufactured in China too, but that's not the point, is it?

chris @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:02PM

Great. Now we're going to see a bunch of Japanese school kids trying to act ghetto in the Akihabara district within 2 weeks. It'll be like Tokyo Breakfast but with bad clothing, too. Wonderful. Splendid.

...wonder if anyone will find Hot Coffee?

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:03PM

Yeah... the Harajuku kids are going to get robbed.

Karttikeya @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:08PM

Do you all lack common sense?

PS2's sold in Japan : 25 Million :: GTA:SA Copies sold in Japan : 250 Thousand (+ Years of Hype)

Xbox 360's sold in Japan : 275,000 :: GoW Copies sold in Japan: 35 Thousand (+ Months of Hype)

Do you even want to figure out the Copies per Units ratios?

And I bet you a majority or noticable number of these sales come from new found citizens of Japan who were once just legal aliens.

Mal F4cti0n @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:08PM

Althought the American comment was bad by Amiroo, his comments would have been valid if he said "Western" developed game, he does point out the fact that a non-Eastern game made it to Number1 on the Japanese software sales.

Pretty Impressive.....

Grunge @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:14PM

Why are the Japanese so xenophobic? Is it because we dropped the bomb on them? Because I'm pretty sure we said we were sorry...

Amiroo @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:17PM

Yep... that sorry made all the difference huh?

Mr Khan @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:19PM

The point is that, if there is any game to define the concept of a "Western" game, it is GTA

The point that it is doing well might prove to all you doubters and racists that the Japanese are not nationalist in their tastes, they just happen to be a nation of Xbox haters (much like how America seemed to be a nation of Nintendo console haters last generation)

They just have no faith in the Xbox brand, that's all

Brian @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:44PM

Can't wait for someone to claim there's a "Hot sake" mod.

SpeZek @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:44PM

Um...
Rockstar North is lcoated in Scotland.
GTA is NOT an American game.
The world doesnt revolve around you yanks.

Greg2k @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:52PM

HOTTO COHIII

Jeff @ Feb 3rd 2007 4:57PM

"Rockstar North is lcoated in Scotland.
GTA is NOT an American game.
The world doesnt revolve around you yanks."

Read the credits of the game sometime. Then look up how many of those people are based in New York.

All GTA games are collaborations between the New York production team and the Scotland development team. This has been true ever since GTA2. I say this with some amount of first-hand knowledge of the situation.

As for the sales of this game in Japan, I think it's pretty funny seeing some of the comments here... as if nobody remembers GTA: Vice City sold almost the exact same number there in its first week. (Actually slightly more - think it was around 246,000.)

Johnny Lasley @ Feb 3rd 2007 5:15PM

Cultural hegemony has belonged to America since World War II. I'd say every aspect of 20th Century technology and culture has American underpinnings.

Kesh @ Feb 3rd 2007 5:22PM

lol you guys with your nationalist concerns...does the developer being Scottish mean that you, a Scot are better for it? Same goes for Yanks too of course.

Now if it was made by an Englishman on the other hand... :)

Lixie @ Feb 3rd 2007 5:44PM

I cried a little tear to see something I thought I'd never see: the Japanese playing a game years after we in America have already played it, beat it, and quit it.

Because so often, it's the other way around.

hef @ Feb 3rd 2007 5:51PM

So Scotty McBraveheart is to blame for that gangsta bullshit? Fuck I hate GTA!

whosmav @ Feb 3rd 2007 7:33PM

these comments have officially turned to poo.

Siteseer @ Feb 3rd 2007 7:49PM

"31. these comments have officially turned to poo."

Seriously, when you got Sony haters blogging and Sony haters running wide in the comments section, its no wonder that everything else turns to "poo." Negativity breeds more negativity.

Peace out.

NAZ T @ Feb 3rd 2007 7:58PM

Isn't this game 2 1/2 years old now?

sanjay @ Feb 3rd 2007 8:38PM

i guess the game is american since its based of westcoast culture

BOK @ Feb 3rd 2007 8:54PM

"4. Common sense alludes you."

And English ELUDES you.

Do English teachers even exist anymore? What the fuck?

Frankie @ Feb 3rd 2007 8:56PM

Two words everyone: Western games.

Western being either European/American/Australian, and sometimes predominantly "white".

Zetnyre @ Feb 3rd 2007 10:43PM

Who cares about whether or not Rockstar is American.... What matters is that Rockstar is owned by Take two interactive which is an American company. :)

NoBullet @ Feb 4th 2007 12:31AM

Yeah I'm sure the Scots knew all about the ghetto gangster lifestyle from their own country. Not even reference would help. Just go see French developed "187 Ride or Die" to see how laughable they portray it.

Grunge @ Feb 4th 2007 4:59AM

Every GTA (with the exception of London) has been set in America.

Steve 3.2 @ Feb 5th 2007 7:28AM

While Cooking Mama may be out, Brain Training 2 continues to be in the top ten 58 weeks after its release. I'd love to see where GTA: SA will be after a year.

January 22 - 28, 2007

1. 227,261 - Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (PS2)
2. 103,706 - Dragon Quest Monsters: Joker (DS)
3. 77,229 - Romance of the Three Kingdoms Wars (DS)
4. 71,794 - Picross (DS)
5. 59,379 - Hotel Dusk: Room 215 (DS)
6. 58,886 - Wii Sports (Wii)
7. 47,350 - Wario: Master of Disguise (DS)
8. 43,612 - Wii Play (Wii)
9. 41,411 - Pachitte Chonmage Tatsujin 10 (PS2)
10. 34,028 - Brain Training 2 (DS)

(For the recored the original BT is #19, and Common Sense Training -- the title comment #1 was asking about -- was #12. Speaking of, a few of you making comments should probable pick the latter up.)