GTA IV gangs up with PS3 for UK bundle

It's fair to say that Grand Theft Auto IV's 29 April release date is a huge day on the gaming calendar. Analysts have said the game could "conceivably" ship 9.5 million units in one week, while Variety said that GTA IV could make $400m in revenue in the same period.

Such performance is also sure to drive sales of consoles, and while the game will land on both the PlayStation 3 and the Xbox 360, Sony has made the first move to bundle hardware and software together at launch. A package of its 40GB PS3 console, a Sixaxis controller, and the standard edition of GTA IV will hit European stores on 29 April, with a recommended retail price of £319.99 in the UK and €439 (£352) in Europe.

Sony's package represents a £30 saving on the recommended retail price of the game and the console when sold separately, as they retail for £49.99 and £299.99 respectively. The news follows a similar announcement in Australia, where the exact same bundle is being offered for A$749.95 (£359).

David Reeves, president of Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, said, "We are delighted to offer the millions of PS3 and GTA fans the ultimate gaming package."

CNET.co.uk's sister site GameSpot contacted Microsoft UK to see if a similar bundle will be offered for the Xbox 360 in the UK, but had not received a reply at time of publication.