Analyst: Brand Loyalty Helps PS3 GTA IV

by M. Renton

Despite the fact that the PS3 version of GTA IV is going through a wee bit of growing pains the first few days, it looks like sales of PlayStation 3 consoles have been helped by the must-have title.

"Grand Theft Auto fans who love the game grew up on PlayStation and we believe that rich heritage will be a deciding factor for many gamers at retail," said Peter Dille, Senior Vice President, Marketing & PLAYSTATION Network. "This enthusiasm for GTA IV, combined with the excitement behind Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and Resistance 2 will further drive PS3 hardware sales."

Naturally, one would expect such talk from a Sony veep, but superanalyst Michael Pachter of Wedbush Morgan chimed in with similar analysis.

"I think brand loyalty is going to kick in for Sony, starting today," added Pachter.

"There is a huge installed base of loyal PlayStation 2 owners who have been looking for a reason to upgrade, and they have strong previous ties to the Grand Theft Auto franchise on PlayStation platforms. Add to that a number of other big exclusive games for PS3, including Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, Metal Gear Solid 4, LittleBigPlanet, and SOCOM: Confrontation, to name a few, and it seems like Sony's in a great position right now."