Grand Theft Auto IV Marks the End for Next-Gen Gaming

Low sales of Grand Theft Auto IV herald the end of next-gen gaming’s heyday, writes Wagner James Au on GigaOm. The game is selling poorly compared to the previous version, and it hasn’t improved sales of the next-gen Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles. “The days when so-called “next-gen” gaming reigned supreme are coming to end,” predicts Au.

"Expect to see games made for lower budgets, targeted at wider audiences (ones that aren’t fixated on high-end 3D graphics) and delivered over broadband with a micropayment program in place," he adds. "The industry’s future will be shaped by games like Rock Band." (More video games stories.)