With anticipated 1st week sales of US$400M, Grand Theft Auto 1V promises to smash and grab a lot of dough, which explains why Future Shop is shifting into high gear for the game’s launch and opening 107 of the chain’s 131 stores for one hour at midnight on April 29.
Using the 10% rule, that’s a potential sales tally of $40M in sales for the multiple console franchise here in Canada.
“There’s a lot of anticipation from our customers for this game and we want to offer it first by opening our stores at midnight where possible,” FS Entertainment director Michelle Gawe enthuses. “We’ve opened previously at midnight for high calibre releases and we expect this will be the biggest one to date.”
Future Shop outlets in Quebec and in Sudbury are in park for the midnight madness, but are scheduled to open at 8 a.m. on Tuesday the 29th.
The consumer electronics chain has in-store parties with a dee-jay and PlayStation demos scheduled in the run-up to the launch, from nine to midnight, at mainstay stores in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton.
Developed by Rockstar, Grand Theft Auto IV will be available for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 video game systems. For each system there is a regular version and the now almost routine “limited Special Edition”.
Natch, the “Special Edition” comes with special packaging, duffle bag, art book and CD soundtrack.
Last week Variety quoted sources as saying they expect Grand Theft Auto IV to be the biggest entertainment launch in history, in terms of dollars. They are apparently expecting sales of over $400 million, smashing Halo 3′s record of $300 million in the first week.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End totalled $404M in its 1st week, a record for a movie release, and Rockstar Games is hoping to top that.
Anyone remember when a new record release caused line-ups and even overnight vigils outside record stores?
