Analyst Jesse Divnich of Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) has predicted Grand Theft Auto 4: The Lost & Damned has gone on to sell $18 million via Xbox Live Marketplace and only $3 million at retail in a new article for Joystiq today. This new prediction clashes with well known gaming analyst Michael Pachter, who earlier this month estimated that The Lost & Damned would only sell $2 million this year. Pachter has gone on record before saying that GTA is Take-Two"s one hit wonder, however admitting it"s an "immensely successful" one.
Although the online sales versus retail may look odd at first, customers who bought a copy from their local game stores only bought a card with a DLC code to be redeemed online.
The Lost & Damned went on sale on February 17th earlier this year exclusive for Xbox 360, retailing on Xbox Live Marketplace for 1600 Microsoft Points ($19.99 USD, £13.60). Rockstar and Take-Two have declined to reveal the real sales figures of the DLC. The content sees the first of two expansion packs planned by Rockstar for the console. Microsoft made the shocking announcement back at E3 in 2006 when Vice President Peter Moore rolled up his sleeve to reveal a GTA4 tattoo and the exclusive deal made.
The Lost & Damned sees the player take control of character "Johnny Klebitz", the Jewish Vice President of The Lost Motorcycle gang. Johnny has been running the gang until President Billy gets out of jail. The game portrays a power struggle between the two and when a drug deal goes wrong, Billy ends up alone and back in jail. The gang is split over the news and witnesses the destruction of the traitorous half.