Fans of Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars might want to set aside hopes for a sequel. It appears that Rockstar Games' gamble on the Nintendo DS didn't equate to blockbuster success, as initial sales... suck.
According to a report from Silicon Alley Insider, there's a very good reason that Chinatown Wars didn't crack the top ten. While analyst estimates on first month sales ranged from a conservative 200,000 to a more hopeful 450,000, actual sales look to have come in under 90,000. With almost three weeks worth of sales accounted for, that's not what we'd call encouraging.
When compared to the most recent release, Grand Theft Auto IV, it's downright dismal. GTA IV moved over 2.8 million copies in its first month, when the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 game launched last April.
We'd say that doesn't bode well for Mature-rated games on Nintendo's portable platform.
According to SIA, Take-Two sounds hopeful that Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars will continue to sell, pointing out that March was not a stellar month for the industry.
Take-Two's 'Grand Theft Auto Chinatown Wars' Bellyflops [Silicon Alley Insider]