April NDP's: Lesson 2

As we previously mentioned, the April sales numbers for the gaming industry have massive implications for where things are headed in this GTA IV-centric gaming quarter. Though impressive sales of the game weren't exactly a major blow to the Nintendo Wii, the game's impact on this month's sales numbers are inarguable (thanks mainstream media, for your lack of investigation!)

In case you missed it, the system sales for April were:

1. Wii: 714,200
2. Nintendo DS: 414,800
3. PSP: 192,700
   
4. Xbox 360: 188,000
5. PlayStation 3: 187,100
6. PlayStation 2: 124,400

Despite the release of the best-selling media in history, Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 had relatively poor sales figures in April. Playstation 3 barely outsold Playstation 2 (that's two-- the old one). Meanwhile, the Wii continued it's rampage of domination, boosted by the release of Mario Kart Wii.

Next Generation has a pretty in-depth analysis of what the GTA IV release means to the console-war.

Arguably, Liberty City is more fun on a 360 than it is on a PS3 (though we couldn't tell you the difference.) And though the gaming public at large is spending their time arguing about native resolutions and pop-in, the poor sales figures for both consoles proves that not all consumers are looking for an expansive, in-depth gaming experience. Most just want to go curling, man.

April NPD's: Lesson One

The NDP Group's report on April sales for gaming were released yesterday. Interestingly, GTA IV was at the top for the 360 -- and came in at third for PS3. While everyone has been over and over how the game sold zillions of copies in its first 24 hours on April 29, it's interesting to look at its sales in April compared to the other big release of the month (Mario Kart Wii, anyone?) It blew Mario Kart and every other April release out of the water, in just one day, as predicted.

Here's the breakdown of April's sales:

Games:

1. 360 GTA IV: 1,850,000
2. Wii Mario Kart w/ wheel: 1,120,000
3. PS3 GTA IV: 1,000,000
4. Wii Play: 360,000
5. Wii Super Smash Bros. Brawl: 326,000
6. PS3 Gran Turismo 5: Prologue: 224,000
   
7. DS Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Darkness: 202,000
8. DS Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time: 202,000
9. Wii Guitar Hero III: 152,000
10. 360 Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare: 141,000

Systems:

1. Wii: 714,200
2. Nintendo DS: 414,800
3. PSP: 192,700
   
4. Xbox 360: 188,000
5. PlayStation 3: 187,100
6. PlayStation 2: 124,400
   

There's a whole lot more to be analyzed in these prophetic numbers, so stay tuned. But here's one more number: In April, the videogame industry had $1.23 billion in sales. $1.23 billion.

$1.23 billion (000,000,000).

Thanks to Game|Life.

BREAKING: GTA IV's Liberty City based on New York City

Okay, so you already knew that, but a bunch of sites have popped up comparing specific buildings IRL (in real life) to Grand Theft Auto IV.

All previous installments of GTA have been based on specific locations, but developer Rockstar Games has taken the similarities to a new level this time around, and some NYC politicians are less than pleased.

"Setting Grand Theft Auto in the safest big city in America would be like setting Halo in Disneyland," said City Councilman Peter Vallone, chairman of the Council's Public Safety Committee [New York Daily News].

While the idea of sticking Mickey Mouse or Goofy with a plasma grenade is incredibly distracting, the point is that GTA IV is a better game for its similarities to real-life New York City. As with any piece of pop-culture that even mentions New York, the personality of the city and the superior existence it takes to live there has become a major focus of the game. In The New York Times review of the game, they barely mention little things like the gameplay, focusing instead on how the game "almost smells like NYC." Give me a break.

Setting GTA IV in New York City elevates the game to a higher level of cultural significance. There is no cooler place, in the U.S., to set a city block ablaze or rip through the skyline at night in a helicopter. It also brings the series full circle.

Everybody has been talking about how the game's attention to detail is what makes it so great and allows it to make people-smuggling-boatloads of cash. Who wouldn't want to mow down a few Wall Street [The Exchange] investors or shoot a few Brooklyn [Broker] hipsters in the kneecap? In the same vein, the real-life landmarks make the game more fun between the missions, which is what Grand Theft Auto has always been about.

Check out some of these specific comparisons to landmarks IRL with GTA IV:

Matthew Johnston created a Flickr set with screenshots from real life and the game.

Ed Levine's New York City restaurant blog, New York Eats, takes a specific look at how places to eat in Liberty City compare to the Big Apple.

Eurogamer.net has a video comparing landmarks.

Gta4.net has, by far, the best list of comparisons with good photos and descriptions.