Take-Two Needs 'BioShock' Jolt

"It forces the players into a mental dilemma," says Satterfield, "and has gamers looking at their scruples and searching their souls."

That kind of powerful, emotional hook should resonate among gaming customers.

The simExchange predicts that 440,000 copies of the game will be sold in the two weeks following its release. Enough buzz and the game could cross over from hard-core gamers -- the likely buyers -- to a broader audience, says Jesse Divnich, an analyst for the simExchange.

Getting the early head start is important for Take-Two. Halo 3, a game in the same genre as BioShock but with a captive fan base, is set for release on Sept. 25. Halo 3 has already racked up 1 million units in preorders.

BioShock can hold its own, especially if it continues to get positive reviews, says Divinich. "If it does about 2 million copies, that's a fantastic number to be at," he says, "and that kind of sales does beg for a sequel."

A hit in BioShock will come as sweet success for Take-Two. BioShock has been developed in house, and a hit internally owned intellectual property is the ne plus ultra for most video-game companies because of the big margins it offers.

"The incremental dollars for an owned IP is tremendous," says Creutz. "We are talking about 70% to 80% in gross margins for sales over 2 million units."