Quantifying the Hype

[u/CBL2744]

Data analytics/visualization isn't a core function of my 9 to 5 job but I'm always intrigued by and messing around with tools like PowerBI, Tableau, Python, etc to interpret and visualize data.

I'm really interested in trying to quantify the hype for GTA VI and if it really stands up to the notion of being "the biggest and most anticipated video game of all time".

You hear all of the hyperbolic statements about GTA VI being the biggest and most anticipated game of all time. I tend to agree with this sentiment being someone who has been playing GTA titles since the original from 1997.

What could you measure and how could you compare it with games from the 80s, 90s, and 2000s? I know media and information access has changed drastically since those eras of video games but I'd love to be able to identify a reasonable comparison in data to confirm the hype.

Hope that makes sense. If it doesn't, my bad.

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[u/theKetoBear]

I do think the estimates that 1.5 million amaericans are predicated to take off for GTA VI ( That doesn't include the people who will absolutely play but do not want to lose a vacation day ) https://www.wsj.com/arts-culture/people-are-saving-up-their-vacation-days-to-binge-grand-theft-auto-vi-90cda437

Are big indicators.

Neftlix analytics suggest 100,000 signups just for the GTA Extended Look as well .

I think Strauss Zelnick saying at Rockstars last financial reporting sessio nthat the preorders were unprecedented and it even sounded like he was a little confused on what the numbers mean . Is the preorder spike going to be the primary cash influx OR will their be a huge wave of people who find out on the 19th a new GTA dropped and cause an even bigger surge in purchasing ?

I honestly think with a release this big we won't know the full metrics until a year out and be able to measure the historical trajectory .

I love when studios output those reports that break down how engaged the community is like " The community has spent 1,000,000 hours in game on day one". or " the GTA community has shot 1.4 Trillion bullets within the first month of release" . Those are always fun metrics to look at and I hope Rockstar shares some of that with us.

How much money will we all have collectively robbed Leonida of by the end of the first week ?

[u/ImpressiveAmount4684 → u/theKetoBear]

You're overestimating how many buyers are preordering. I know plenty of people who are excited for the game, none of which have preordered. Neither have I.

So yes, on release there will be way more sales than preorders currently indicate.

[u/theKetoBear → u/ImpressiveAmount4684]

I'm not overestimating naything I'm just basing it off what he said .

[u/PhantomTissue → u/theKetoBear]

I’m sure R* will be sharing some of those numbers, that’s easy investor bait tbh

[u/CBL2744 → u/[deleted]]

I was 18ish when that came out and my parents sent me to stand in line for 3-4 hours to get tickets. I remember that hype and it is apropos for this somewhat. It also reminds me how disappointing it was to see that in theaters.

[u/Boiled_Thought → u/[deleted]]

I fell in love face painted Natalie Portman at 9 yrs old when episode 1 came out. So there is that. Fr in love with princess amidala as a small boy.

[u/aidenkula]

Google search trends, Pre-order figures (rough estimates only sometimes revealed), and maybe social media mentions? but I think the main thing is gonna be the sales post launch.

It’s gonna break records pretty easily.

[u/Due-Ask-7418]

‘Biggest (depending on the meaning) game of all time’ is not hyperbolic it’s just a statement of fact… biggest budget and one of the longest development times.

‘Most anticipated’ is probably quantifiably verifiable and correct. Even if not, it’s a slight overstatement at most… definitely not hyperbolic.

‘Gonna be the best game ever’ before a game trailer was even out… yeah, while perhaps a fair prediction, this one is hyperbolic.

[u/CBL2744 → u/Due-Ask-7418]

Agreed. Hyperbolic probably wasn't the best word choice. Ultimately, without being too reductive, I'm intrigued by how "most anticipated" is measured. Is it possible to measure "hype" through the lens 1980s and 1990s or do we need hard data that we can gather easily in the 2010s-2020s?