BBFC clears GTAIV, 5.8M week-one sales predicted

[UPDATE] Despite violent and racy content, Rockstar's crime actioner gets gov't OK in UK; Janco's Mike Hickey forecasts massive sales in first seven days; game's cutscenes to run eight hours by themselves.

The past nine-odd months have seen Rockstar Games waging a protracted legal battle to unban Manhunt 2 in the UK. Finally, on March 14, the Video Appeals Committee of the British Board of Film Classification--the UK's media ratings board--begrudgingly granted the PlayStation 2 and Wii game permission to be sold to consumers 18 and over.

Given Manhunt 2's troubles, Rockstar's next game, Grand Theft Auto IV, had been expected to get extra scrutiny from the BBFC. Today, though, the government body gave the upcoming crime action game an 18 rating with absolutely zero wrangling over content. "This work was passed with no cuts made," read the BBFC's report, which listed the game as having "strong violence, very strong language, sex and drug references."

The BBFC also listed GTAIV's running time as around seven and three-quarter hours (463 minutes), a figure presumably derived from playing through solely the main section of the game. The final time is bound to be much longer, given the fact its predecessor, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, ran nearly 100 hours. However, according to a recent note from Janco Partners analyst Mike Hickey, even a game of that length would likely suck up over 2.68 billion man-hours this year.

"[GTAIV] could ship 5.8 million units in the first week, or $360 million in [US] retail sales," the analyst said in a recent report about American game retailer GameStop's future earnings. Previously, Hickey said that the game would ship 9.5 million copies internationally when it goes on sale April 29 for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

[UPDATE] Since this story went live, Rockstar Games contacted GameSpot to say that the running time associated with GTAIV's BBFC rating was for the length of footage given to the ratings board, not the game itself. It did not provide a final running time for the game, but did say that its cutscenes alone approach eight hours in combined length.

316 Comments

  • Siz2005

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 1:24 pm PT

    GTA4 FTW

  • DarkHelmet25

    Posted Apr 8, 2008 5:27 am PT

    Eight hours of cutscenes..WOW i do believe this game will be a bit more than unreal!!!! cant wait too see it on a new sony console!!!

  • GTA4ADWCOD4GAME

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 9:27 am PT

    2 weeks after this game comes out i have to do exams. I know that i will fail but who gives a f**k GTA 4 is worth more than those **** exams. Cant wait for the weapons and the cars. Cant wait to climb buildings and start sniping all those people below.

  • Dagamemonkey

    Posted Apr 7, 2008 4:26 am PT

    I can't wait to see the new weapons. I hope there's still a rusty ol' chainsaw in there somewhere.

  • geezy41

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 4:02 pm PT

    get the f**k outta here killallama.. what u mean when repeated constantly it gets boring?? this game is all about that "gore and expletitives", you fruit cake f*ggot.. don't buy the game if it gets old quickly. go play super mario, that should be a game for you..

  • Killer_Llama

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 3:47 pm PT

    I just hope that the game uses it's allowed content creatively... I don't want every second of the game to be brimmed with expletives, massive amounts of gore, and on and on... It can be fun or tolerable in doses... but gets old quick if repeated constantly.

  • daleyboy928

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 3:11 pm PT

    no doubt. i've heard... well.. we've all heard a lot of great things about this game. it will also be pretty cool to see how the online play will work. i think rockstar will constantly be updating that as the year goes on. definitely lookin forward to GTA IV......

  • grahamo1

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 11:20 am PT

    latests predictions GTA 4 will result in 45% of the summer exams being failed

  • asadhaider

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 9:37 am PT

    F*ck man, i hav exams starting from the 18th of April and ending on 4th June!! I cant wait that long 2 buy gta 4!!

  • GTA4ADWCOD4GAME

    Posted Apr 6, 2008 8:12 am PT

    I'll be gettin my game as soon as it comes out. Gonna skip skool just to get dis game F**k Yea.

  • savior1191

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 10:38 pm PT

    IT'LL SURELY rock! NO DOUBT about that......29th april>>>WOW!

  • JustJuse

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 9:18 pm PT

    Just Juse: Yer have you heard about the new GTA IV yet, phoebe?

    Phoebe: Yess, how good does it look so far! Euphoria sounds like another Universe of gaming.

    Just Juse: sure does Phoebs! well thats all for todays recognition on The New Phenomenal, Fantastically Fizzy sensation of GTA IV, Thanks for Listening to JustJuse-when games become reality!

  • Game_Gorilla2

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 9:12 pm PT

    I dont know about the rest of you, but i think this is gonna be better then Bread 'n' Butter, The Picture, The City, The Vegatation , The EUPHORIA and not to mention goodbye social life!

  • GTA4ADWCOD4GAME

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 2:04 pm PT

    I cant F***ING wait for this game. Im cant wait 2 start killin and driving.This goin 2 be the best game ever. F*** Halo F*** Saints Row2 and F*** Haze. GTA 4 ALL DA WAY. MUFC ALL DA WAY!!!

  • howardorr

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 11:35 am PT

    April 29th: Goodbye social life, goodbye thumbs. Hello mass murder, drug-running and pimping. I'll take that trade-off.

  • perfect_chao

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 7:44 am PT

    Most players online will be 360 then

  • ScottishPrik

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 12:51 am PT

    Sounds like the fanatical Christians will be protesting their hearts out at games stores everywhere on the 29th.

  • rg420

    Posted Apr 5, 2008 12:09 am PT

    I've requested off the 29th and start my vacation the 30th so I could spend my vacation in Liberty city. See ya online =)

  • Zoomer30

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 2:39 pm PT

    The BBFC just wants to play it Only so few days left.

  • buttonmasher74

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 9:44 am PT

    Can't wait to see Euphoria in action...They could'nt have picked a better game for it's debut...Technically, this game is going to blow minds... I may consider quitting my job for this!

  • AffeTron

    Posted Apr 4, 2008 7:04 am PT

    Seems like a promising game...
    What am I talking about??? It`s Rockstar Games!!!
    Hell it`s going to be good

  • garcia_jx

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 3:53 pm PT

    Javier Martinez Gonzales a podado el tubiron, un maton muy afamado Al ordenes de ramon.

  • jadenmoody

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 2:40 pm PT

    Cant wait, skippin school for it!

  • mikeyg756

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 12:13 pm PT

    NickW1 they didn't have a place in london when they made GTA: London, they were in rockstar north which is here in scotland. So they may of been making fun of themselfs now. But not that long ago they had nothing in london. That game was the worst out of the lot anyway, gta1 and gta 2 were the only good birds eye view versions.

  • Meskamo

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 11:58 am PT

    i've already booked a week of work for this n i'm countin down da days

  • khariss

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 11:14 am PT

    oh god its so close im not gonna leave the house for about a week when this comes out

  • sullyliam

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 12:43 am PT

    good news looks like a great game cant wait...

  • SpoonHeroSR

    Posted Apr 3, 2008 12:15 am PT

    Look at this new trailer but i thought they were only making 4?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSOfs43bC58

  • tarugista

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 11:12 pm PT

    sayonara halo...cod4

  • morbid_man_guy

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 11:10 pm PT

    jamesTC is proabably right, but even if multiple cutscenes are used for the same event at different angles etc, considering that there is almost 8 hrs of the stuff, that's still a hell of a lot, so cudos to rock* for doin all that work for us to enjoy

  • SpoonHeroSR

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 9:34 pm PT

    bigboss which store did you go to? Best Buy or gamestop etc? And I agree with JamesTC.

    I just checked Gamestop website and it said 4/04/08

  • JamesTC

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 8:10 pm PT

    Before anyone completely pisses themselves in a huge fury of excitement, remember that the reviews have been saying that each time you approach a mission, the cutscene changes. I know someones gonna turn round and go "shut the **** up" but I reckon the 8hrs of cutscenes includes EVERY eventualaty (sp?) in the game. I dont think we're gonna see a ridiculously long game. It'll be the same as San Andreas at most. Still gonna be awesome though!!

  • bigboss1138

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 7:35 pm PT

    SpoonHeroSR the duelshock 3 comes out april 15th in the US, but you should go down to a local gaming store and see if they are selling them now. I got three duelshock 3 controllers last week. One is all silver, one all white, and all black. These controllers rock, great force feedback and sixaxis capabilities.

  • HolteEnder4Life

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 6:21 pm PT

    released on my pay-day woot

  • SpoonHeroSR

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:57 pm PT

    Any one knows when the new controller Dual shock 3 is gonna come out?

  • EnigmaticBeauty

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:50 pm PT

    ....so the fact that the game does wonders for the economy warrants an 18 rating, yet a game (Manhunt) that is not going to make a dent in yearly videogame takings gets a lot of hassle... Oh I so love the two faceless of Politicians at work.

  • Sparky2002

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:31 pm PT

    YEAH MY DOCTOR SAID I CAME DOWN WITH A VIRUS CALLED GTA ITS A FLU VIRUS "COUGH COUGH" I WILL BE SICK ATLEAST 3 DAYS DOC SAID UNABLE TO WORK BETWEEN THE DAYS 29th to 1ST OF MAY...

    "BOSS SAYS" - BUT ITS ONLY THE 2 OF APRIL ????

    YEAH THE GTA VIRUS TAKES TIME TO UMMM INCUBATE BOSS YEAH & YOU KNOW JIMMY FROM ACCOUNTING'S HISGOT THE GTA VIRUS TO, LOL

  • SpoonHeroSR

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:27 pm PT

    stewarty77 wrote:

    "Seems strange being released on a Tuesday? Usually games come out on Fridays!

    No matter looking forward to it!"

    Thats Because United States gets Dvd, Games, and any Cd, on a Tuesday and everywhere else gets it days after U.S but since GTA iV comes out the same day everywhere its gonna be on tuesday.

  • NickW1

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:21 pm PT

    Did you know they made GTA London? Say, what does that mean they made fun of themselves too? No its not just a british company Take SpoonHeroSR said "two and Rockstar games are an american. And they are all ONE company and guess what? America own DMA aka Rockstar north so it means its an american company because rockstar bought their rights its just britsh ppl are working on it with americans."

    actually rockstar was originally BMG interactive based in london where the Housers were employees, it released the first GTA made by DMA. it was later bought by take-two from BMG. the housers decided to relocate to new york and rename it rockstar after the fact they originally wanted to be one. DMA was then bought by take two and was renamed rockstar north

  • jaymaster007

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:12 pm PT

    I've got balls of steel!

  • billybee360

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 5:00 pm PT

    yeah i thought it was weird coming out on a tuesday too, normally a friday in the uk.

  • Le-Beave

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 4:41 pm PT

    Can't wait.. Get my Special Edition GTA IV in High Def! Oh baby!

  • Phazevariance posted Apr 2, 2008 4:23 pm PT (does not meet display criteria. login to show)

    Phazevariance

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 4:23 pm PT (hide)

    5.5M on teh x360.,.. 0.3M for ps3. lol

  • kratos_karmakar

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 4:20 pm PT

    wats that? did i preorder GTA IV?

    Ans: HELL YES!!!

  • trippleclick

    Posted Apr 2, 2008 4:19 pm PT

    Now THIS is how all games should be built, with patience and passion. It would be nothing but an insult if I didn't take at least two days off work to play this.

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