The video gaming blockbuster, Grand Theft Auto V (or GTA V for short), was launched all the way back in late 2013, yet even today it remains a major talking point in video gaming circles thanks to its online mode.
And now, according to industry analyst Doug Creutz, the Rockstar video game has cemented its status as the biggest release in entertainment history, with revenues of around $6 billion to date. That is more than any film, book or game ever sold, including movies such as Star Wars and Gone With The Wind, which have totaled $3 billion, adjusting for inflation.
In the video gaming industry, only the Mario series has come close in terms of revenue, according to Creutz, however, no single Mario game has come close to GTA V in terms of sales records. “I think it’s a wild outlier,” he says.
Still Going Strong
The game brought in $800 million within 24 hours of its release, which was a record at the time. However, it still continues to bring in major revenue today. Just last year it was the sixth best-selling game in the US. It was also the most expensive video game ever developed, costing Rockstar $265 million.
While the 90 million units sold already made it one of the best-selling video games of all time, it is undoubtedly the microtransaction aspect which made the difference here. Such has been its impact that Rockstar has now decided to add the transaction element to every video game that it creates in the future.
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Rockstar is still quiet about a potential GTA 6.
GTA Online
Needless to say, it is the Online aspect of the game which has garnered the most controversy. The Online world has not only seen rising prices (in-game) for everything from cars to clothing upgrades, but also the rise of bounty hunting culture, which sees gamers with expensive gear getting hunted by other online players. Not a good thing to have when you’ve just spent $20 real-world money on a plane.
It remains to be seen how Red Dead Redemption 2, which is set to be released this October, continues the trend.
