What Made Grand Theft Auto IV So Successful

Grand Theft Auto IV - Or 'GTA' as we know it.. Created and Published by Rockstar, Rocksar Toronto & Rockstar North. What made it so successful? Lets start with the Production.... Developers started working on 'IV' just after the release of San Andreas. It took three and a half years, 1000 people including 150 games developers to complete 'IV'. Rockstar created their own game engine 'Rage' allowing them to create their own characters from scratch. They also used this game engine to create Rockstars 'Table Tennis'. 'IV' is the most realistic for example, the radio stations with music from Kanye West as well as Comedy shows from Ricky Garvais and Katt Williams. This portrays a sense of realism and is a good example of media convergence. You also builds a relationship with the character. E.g, He does what you do. Rockstar Paid $5000 to license every track on the radio as well as the comedy and Tv Shows. Microsoft also paid Rockstar $50 million to have exclusive DLC. (Downloadable content) And lastly they pulled the biggest 'technological convergence' Online Gaming, allowing you to continue your road to destruction online with people around the world, doing missions together and allowing you to kill other online players.

Rockstar hit gold with all of there different types of techniques for marketing 'GTA'. For example they used 'Viral Marketing' They spread wanted posters with 'Nico Bellic' (main character) across the city and they put big posters and art work up on buildings and walls. Everyone was spreading the word of 'Grand Theft Auto'. Also they used 'Synergy' for example, releasing the first trailer with a magazine covered with information about 'GTA IV' not forgetting Press Interviews and Tv Interviews. They also created fake websites for the LCPD and for the radio stations, they also offered a chance for the public to talk about anything record it and send it in for a chance to be on the games radio. This is another excellent example of 'Viral Marketing'.

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