Rockstar Games’ “Grand Theft Auto IV” is one of the strongest brands in recent video game history, according to a new study by Nielsen.

In general, awareness of the “Grand Theft Auto” brand is significant, compared with games such as Microsoft’s “Halo 3,” Konami’s “Metal Gear Solid 4,” and Electronic Arts’ “Madden NFL 08,” Nielsen found. 

Of the 6,000 video gamers surveyed, 23% entered “GTA IV,” unaided by survey questions and prompts, as a game they were thinking about.  Only “Halo 3″ had a higher level of unaided brand awareness (32%). 

The results also reveal that gamers familiar with previous titles in the “Grand Theft Auto” series were exceptionally likely to purchase the new version.  Of those who bought “GTA IV,” 79% said they had played or owned a previous version of the game.

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Read coverage of the study in The Hollywood Reporter and on GameSpot.com.