UK gamers who didn't pre-order Grand Theft Auto IV might have a hard time getting their hands on the title when it's released April 29. MCV reports that major retailers across the UK are struggling to keep up with early demand for Rockstar North's upcoming game, and anticipate shortages around the time of release.
A representative from UK retailer Play.com states that GTAIV is already the best-selling title on PS3, according to their records, but hopes to have enough copies in stock on launch day to accommodate customers who didn't pre-order. GAME, meanwhile, is already anticipating shortages, with a message on their website alerting customers that pre-ordered any later than April 6 that they may not receive the title on launch day. Fearing a similar shortage, Gamestation has stopped taking pre-orders altogether. We're not entirely sure, but we think Rockstar may be on to something with this "Grand Theft Auto" business.
UK retailers strain under glut of GTAIV preorders
82 Comments by Scott Jon Siegel Apr 8th 2008 4:00PM
Filed under: Sony PlayStation 3, Microsoft Xbox 360, Action
Tags: grand-theft-auto, grand-theft-auto-iv, gta, gtaiv, rockstar, take-two, uk
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(Page 1) Reader Comments
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Last time I checked, your imaginary friends don't represent the entire population.
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Oh, the midcore misery.
So I think I might have to get on te GTA elevator on the ground floor to keep myself from getting skwushed [sic]
Remember the Internetz...
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Sony's got to be loving this situation. They could surpass Microsoft in the UK this year. With titles like GTAIV, GT5P and MGS4, things are looking real good.
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Hmm that's a mighty fine list if I do say so myself...well maybe not Lair :P
That was funny. =)
'FFXIII',
-2009, and on 360, too!
'Lair 2,'
-Right around the time Jesus comes back.
'LBP,'
-Fall...probably
'Killzone 2,'
-Winter
'Resistance 2,' and
-Sometime in 2009
'Motorstorm 2'
-Who cares?
come out?"
Thems be my predictions. SUCK It, Pachter!
Take your pick of any system, and it has 100 games that will be superior to the sequels to those steaming piles. I mean, both originals were hyped up games that ended up being pieces of crap, why the hell do you expect any better out of the sequel?
When has there EVER been a hyped up game that fell flat on its face and then came back with a great sequel? I'm sure someone can dig one up somewhere, but I certainly can't think of one.
This is not meant to add any fuel to the fire in the console battle since I have all three, and this applies to hyped up sequels to hyped up games that ended up being sh*ty on any console, but these two are prime examples of it. And Motorstorm 2 and RFOM 2? C'mon, if you want to make a case how about you bring up, I dunno, freaking METAL GEAR SOLID 4 instead of four sequels to mediocre and/or P.O.S. games?
I'm actually looking forward to both KZ2 and Motorstorm 2. No guarantee they'll be any good of course, but that's true with most games. And Motorstorm was an excellent game, if somewhat lacking in content at launch.
What are you talking about? Dude...that first sentence you wrote made absolutely no frigging sense. And you think I need the stupid beaten out of me? There's plenty of stupid right there where your sitting.
My comments were in regard to the performance of the PS3 in the UK. They had a shitload of preorders for GT5P, the game you say is a "demo". And now their running into the same situation with GTAIV.
The 360 is going to get trounced this year in Europe. Japan has been a disaster for them and their slowly losing Europe. All they have is the US, and guess what, Nintendo just passed them. Doh, oh noz...
This information went into your fuck-tard, fanboy brain and came out as "OMG! TEH PLAYSTATION WIL TROUNCGE TEH 360!!!!1111"
Oh and anyway you try to spin it, Prologue is a demo. If you buy Prologue and then get the full GT5, you'll be paying for the same shit twice. Well fucking done Einstein! You gave a huge, soulless, multinational company even more of your money! And so what if people have pre-ordered it? It'll be the same wastes of cum that buy EA sports titles every year.
I won't argue with you about EA and the throngs of zombies who buy into Madden year after year. I've only bought 1 Madden in the past 10 years. And it was substantially discounted.
But being that GT5P has 6 full tracks and somewhere of 72 cars, I would call it a bit more than just a demo. I've never had a demo with so many tracks and vehicles. But if you want to compare it with GT5, which will be out next year, then yes, it's a scaled down version of that game. At a scaled down price. Only $40. Their not charging anyone full price.
Now going back to my original point, Microsoft, another multinational company, is going to have a rough year...After XMAS 2008 it will look like this; Nintendo #1, Sony #2 and Microsoft #3.
Microsoft screwed up again. They are so intent on getting the hardcore guys that they alienate the mass market. And once you sell through to the hardcore guys, that's it, your potential so sell more units has been reached. It's XBOX1 all over again.
I can't think of any game I've ever wanted that I haven't been able to find on launch day.
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I still don't know how to hell that game was out of stock tho...oh, Crush was also out of stock for a few weeks, but that was Sega's fault
I think there are a lot of gamers who think that if you're "hardcore," you don't buy games from WalMart or other non-dedicated game stores. I think they also believe that it's cool to say they've pre-ordered something - despite the fact that there will be more than enough copies at that exact same store.
There's this whole "gamer cred" thing that all the rage with the kids.
So you paid for it twice? So you didn't have to queue?
its as much about havin' fun with fellow fans than actually getting the game
I waited in line for 2hrs for Halo 3 and it was pretty fun. Met a lot of good people.
So you paid for it twice? So you didn't have to queue?"
Yes, I paid for it twice. But nearly every video game retailer in the world allows you to return unopened games for a full refund, as was the case with EBWorld back then (and Gamestop now still). So, when it was convenient for me a week later, I stopped in and "returned" my copy from EBWorld without even picking it up.
A pre-order is nothing different than a purchase - unless there was some pre-order gift. But even in those cases I hear most stores don't even care.
Pre-ordering in store doesn't cost anything either so on the off chance the game does sell out at least you have your copy reserved.
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"The company reported earnings of $1.4 billion in the 53-week period [2007], an increase of 21 percent compared with earnings of $1.1 billion in fiscal 2006."
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Anyway, I havn't preordered it. It's just GTA 3/VC/SA recycled with better graphics.
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...just not 3rd party games.
Ah HA! Now the rubberband's on the other claw!
I'm actually asking here, I don't know the answer.
COD4: Shame we ain't selling....
Assasin's Creed: Know what would be nice? If we broke 2 million sales on PS3?
COD4: Yeah, that was nice.... WOULD BE... WOULD BE.... damnit...
Still, my basic point remains and the other claw remains rubberbanded!