According to Gamespot and external sources, GTAIV will come close to exceeding the $404 million Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End grossed internationally during its first six days in theaters. It will soundly best the current record-holder for a game premiere, Halo 3, which earned $300 million by selling 5 million copies in its first week on the worldwide market last year.

Some analysts are predicting GTAIV to do even bigger business when it arrives. Last October, Janco Partners' Mike Hickey says Rockstar's latest could "conceivably" ship 9.5 million units in one week--5.8 million in the US alone. The most popular GTA game to date is 2004's Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, which has sold nearly 22 million units worldwide to date on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and PC.

Variety correctly notes that Take-Two will need GTAIV to be a hit of outsized proportions to stave off Electronic Arts' takeover bid, which became hostile on March 13. Thursday afternoon, Take-Two stockholders will meet to discuss EA's $2 billion, $26-per-share offer, which is a 64 percent mark-up over the publisher's previous stock price. Late last month, Take-Two management led by chairman Strauss Zelnick asked shareholders to decline EA's offer, which some analysts believe could lead to a GTAIV delay if it is successful.