The thing that will make it harder to sell will be the fact that some people like the new realistic approach while others like the old wacky unrealistic approach of previous GTA's.
So they do they go back to the old style GTA or do they stick with the new style GTA? Can they make a game with both styles and not alienate one or both sides of the fanbase?

The sales of Chinatown Wars shouldn't be really be weighed in on too heavily as it being more like original GTA probably limited the amount of people who were willing to buy it.After all GTA 3 was the game that made the GTA series a household name.so there would probably be a lot more people who wouldn't enjoy an old skool style GTA.
Before GTA3 the game was still LOVED by gamers but nowhere near as many people as there was when GTA3 or any GTA after that was around.

Very true, before GTA3 it was kind of a niche game, with a little more hardcore appeal. Casual fans love GTA these days, as it's an easy game to just pick up if you have half an hour to terrorize the city streets.

I personally do miss the old school birds-eye-view style GTA, before the hookers and the graphic violence. This franchise could actually go two directions now...kind of like Metroid did with the Prime series

I'd like to see a split apprach as well tbh, at the very least then they're still appealing to both sides of the franchise.
And whilst I hate to draw comparisons I honestly think Saints Row is arguably an example of what GTA could do and still appeal to both sides of the fan base, although it'd need 'tweaking' quite a bit.

Slowing down? I think the vehicles were just as fast in GTAIV as they were in previous games...

*zing!*

Unless someone can educate me inside the numbers, it just seems like this story floating around the net is something to talk about. It almost feels like they just want GTA to slow down. I'm not clear as to why anyone would expect GTA to be on fire on something like a Nintendo DS. As far as GTA IV, didn't it sell a huge amount, only has been out a year, and debuted to a fraction of the user base in comparison to the (San Andreas) PS2 generation?

i hate people who complain it's too realistic. can't they see that is the direction most games are heading now, so get *bleep*ing used to it. if you don't like it, go play some old gtas.

Yeah and I hate people who can't understand that people have opinions.If people want to like or dislike a game then that's their choice.

I would NEVER in a million years tell someone they should or should like something.

No one has to either like a change or dislike it.

I don't like the new approach of GTAIV and I don't care if people dislike that fact.

As long as people don't abuse others for liking/disliking something then they can complain all they want as it's their opinion and I'm not going to try and change it.

I agree. But then again, it is kind of hard to compare the two game engines when they are both so different. I think that seeing as GTAIV was meant to be a step-up to the next generation platform, it did take advantage of the new technology at most levels. I particularly do like the step that Rockstar games have taken into the realistic grittyness and I think that that move will see an increase in sales just as this article is predicting.