Sony Secured Early GTA Exclusivity Over Concerns About Xbox Competition

Former PlayStation Europe president reveals Sony's strategic move to counter the original Xbox by locking in timed exclusivity for Grand Theft Auto titles.

• Sony pursued exclusive rights for Grand Theft Auto III, Vice City, and San Andreas in response to the launch of Microsoft's original Xbox in 2001.
• Chris Deering, former president of PlayStation Europe, stated that Sony viewed exclusivity as a critical strategy to maintain its competitive edge in the gaming market.
• The exclusivity deal with Take-Two Interactive granted PlayStation a two-year lead on these titles, which became massive hits and best-sellers for the PlayStation 2.
• At the time of the agreement, Sony did not anticipate the Grand Theft Auto franchise's meteoric rise, as earlier entries in the series had a more niche appeal.
• The exclusivity arrangement ended with GTA IV, which launched simultaneously on both PlayStation and Xbox, though Sony continued to collaborate with Rockstar on later titles.

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