Indies braced for Grand Theft Auto V windfall

It’s not just the big chains planning events around GTA V, with indie retailers telling MCV they are running midnight openings of their own.

Small stores say they’ve been delighted by the support they’ve had from Rockstar and Take-Two.

We’ve supported the GTA series since the original and it’s great to see a game designed in Scotland become one of the largest franchises ever,” said MD of indie chain Games Centre, Robert Lindsay

Pre-orders on GTA V are huge and it’s shaping up to be our biggest selling title this year. We will be doing midnight launches through all Games Centre stores with staff dressed up in homage to some of their favourite GTA characters.”

Chris Muckell of Xpress Games added: GTA V is our biggest day one order with suppliers in our eight year history. We’ve got a midnight launch planned for each of our stores.

And even with the large volume of stock we are taking we will still see a stock shortage shortly after its release.”

Meanwhile, 24-7 Games’ Kevin Garraway expects GTA V to eclipse sales of Call of Duty and FIFA.

GTA V will sell many more units than Call of Duty Ghosts and FIFA 14. It’s the game of the year,” he said.

It’s going to be a massive midnight launch. I might even sleep in the shop for it. We’ll have trailers on the screens and we’re seeing what else we can do.”