According to video game prognosticator Michael Pachter, Microsoft paid a whole bunch more than we imagined for Grand Theft Auto IV to find its way to the Xbox 360.
Of course, we know to take anything he says with a liberal helping of salt – but he reckons the sum was around 75 million US dollars. Think about that for a bit. That’s enough for 21,008,403 Big Macs, or 150 000 nights – about 5 lifetimes – with a high class Swedish hooker.
“GTA IV was going to be a PS3 exclusive, but Microsoft paid Rockstar and Take-Two to make it a non-exclusive, and they paid them a lot,†said Pachter.
“The number I’ve heard, and I’m sure this is right, is $75m, and that probably includes the funding for the first DLC packs too. It’s more than the $50m that people talk about.â€
If this information is correct, that’s a HELL OF A LOT of money just to have a game appear on your system, and not be completely exclusive. Was it worth it though? GTA IV did end up selling a boatload on both system – as did the DLC packs which, while exclusive to the 360 for a year, eventually made its way to the PS3 and PC too.
Did Microsoft sell enough systems and resultant games off the back of GTA IV for that sort of outlay to be worthwhile, or was it just an incredibly expensive blunder?
Source : Eurogamer
Last Updated: May 14, 2010
Adolph Current
May 14, 2010 at 14:34
Sounds like The M shafted itself in the process…
Adolph Current
May 14, 2010 at 14:34
But Rockstar must be smiling all the way to the bank lol!
eXp
May 14, 2010 at 14:37
Kinda funny that it was going to be a PS3 exclusive, but ended up performing a tonne better on the 360.
Mitchell Taljaard
May 14, 2010 at 15:06
well , um , rockstar prob just laughed at ms and took the money , who cares if it comes a year late , it paid for production costs before they started making money , so congrades to rockstar and silly ms
Zola
May 14, 2010 at 17:12
It was clever stuff from Ms. Gta 4 being a ps3 exclusive would have damaged them with regards 2 sales. If u got bank use it.