The hype around Grand Theft Auto IV for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 is not diminishing even with the official launch of the game earlier today at midnight.  It doesn't take a market analyst to know that the game will leave its mark in the annals of 2008's gaming history, but said analysts might be able to provide a better estimate over just how big that mark could get.

For example, Wedbush Morgan Securities analyst Michael Pachter explains to GameSpot that Take-Two stands to sell at least 4 million copies of the game (for both console platforms) during its first week alone, growing to 6 million by its fourth week in the market.  While Pachter believes the Xbox 360 edition of GTA IV will outsell the PS3 release by a "three-to-two" ratio, sales between the two versions should be more evenly split come December.

By the end of December 2008, Pachter predicts sales for GTA IV could well hit 11 to 13 million units.  After its first year, sales should slow somewhat, making for an overall "lifetime" sales number of 16 to 19 million units.  This will actually be a little lower than the 21.5 million unit lifetime-to-date sales garnered by GTA: San Andreas.  Time will tell, naturally!

Take-Two itself is confident GTA IV sales will beat all these expectations, and then some.  The publisher appears to be betting on first week sales figures of $400 million USD, or about 6 million copies of GTA IV sold.  This is already being compared to Halo 3's stellar launch week revenue of around $300 million USD through selling 5 million units.