The target audience for the upcoming Iron Man movie may be preoccupied with Grand Theft Auto IV, releasing days earlier, softening box office sales, according to one analyst.
Industry watchers often warn game developers that they are competing not only with other game companies, but also with other forms of entertainment, such as movies.
That warning may be increasingly applicable to filmmakers whose audiences are made up of the gamer demographic. Analyst Mike Hickey with Janco Parters said the April 29 release of Rockstar's GTA IV may eat into ticket sales for the May 2 theatrical release of Iron Man.
"We anticipate the video game release of GTA IV on April 29 could dampen the potential from Iron Man's theatrical release on May 2," Hickey said in a Wednesday note regarding Marvel Entertainment stock.
"The last significant video game release, Halo 3, generated over $300 million in sales from its first week in the market," he added. "Halo 3 was released on just one platform, the Xbox 360, and attached nearly 50 percent of the installed base. GTA IV will be released on both the Xbox 360 and PS3, which have both significantly increased their installed bases since the release of Halo 3. A GTA IV 25 percent attach rate to a combined Xbox 360 and PS3 installed base at its April 29 release would imply 5.8 million units sold or roughly $360 million in retail sales the first week of the game's release."
In September, Hollywood executives blamed Microsoft and Bungie's Halo 3 for poor ticket sales during the period. "The audience on this game is the 18-to-34 demographic, similar to what you'd see in cinemas," Hickey said at the time.
Sega is currently developing an Iron Man videogame based on the upcoming film starring Robert Downey Jr.
im sorry but iron man is the worst super hero anyhow, if the movie flops its probably down to that fact rather than gta. methinks whoever has produced the film is looking for a scapegoat
C'mon, Iron Man is the best superhero Marvel have on their roster.
An alcoholic arms manufacturer in high-tech power-armour beats the crap out of a whiny kid who got his powers by being bitten by a radioactive spider any day of the week.
Don't forget either that Iron Man is a direct influence on our favourite Master Chief. (After Heinlein's 'Starship Troopers' novel.)
Back on topic, yeah, the film's probably going to lick both of my balls, so it's probably better that less people will rush out and waste their money on it.
I always find it funny when 2 movies compete against each other on the same release date and now a game vs movie. I don't see why it has to be one or the other. No such thing as too much fun.
I was sceptical but the trailer for Ironman had me wanting to watch it.
Having Robert Downey Jnr. in the lead role was a mastertouch. He's good value in anything, but he shines in the trailer.
Wasn't so convinced about the new Hulk trailer.
On the subject at hand; cinema has more problems than games. I don't go to cinemas anymore, I either download straight off the web or wait to watch it on a large HD screen with surround sound in my living room and I can smoke myself silly if I want to.
I used to think piracy was wrong, and maybe it is. But if it's going to keep being made easier then more fool them. The amount of s**t films I've watched for extortionate prices in the cinema and paid to rent at Blockbusters I'm wholly justified.
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