Even after a lengthy push-back that saw the initial Spring release wind up being delayed until September, we always knew Grand Theft Auto 5 was going to be a success story. What we were not perhaps aware of, however, was just how successful, and in counting up some of the numbers just a few weeks after the initial launch, we can now say unequivocally that GTA 5 is by far the biggest title to launch on any digital platform. Ever.
In fact, Rockstar’s pride and joy has racked up a mind-boggling seven Guinness world records, and with us still being less than a month from when the title first hit stores, there’s certainly scope for more of those records to be broken.
Having seen the juggernaut of Activision’s Call of Duty titles rule with an iron fist over the past few years, Grand Theft Auto 5 serves not only as a refreshing change from the usual script, but has actually rather comfortably outsold any CoD release given the length of time it has been out.
As we learned some time ago, GTA 5 reached the billion dollar mark in terms of sales quicker than any other title and indeed, any other piece of entertainment, and this being only a couple of days after the big launch. In 24 hours, it had grossed a whopping $800 million, and when one considers that, as an estimate, it cost about $300 million to develop and market, I’m sure the guys at Rockstar will be having a very, very good Christmas party.
Even at the time, we knew the figures were unprecedented, but now, the officials of the Guinness World Records have stepped out and made the confirmation. As well as being the fastest to the holy grail of one billion, GTA 5 also snatched quite a few records from Call of Duty titles, along with some of the most iconic box office smashers.
It took the record for the most units sold within a 24 hour period, the fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion (encompassing movies as well as games), and best-selling action-adventure title in 24 hours.
It also claimed the highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in one day, as well as the record for most-viewed trailer for action-adventure game.
The records are as follows:
- Best-selling action-adventure videogame in 24 hours
- Best-selling videogame in 24 hours
- Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion
- Fastest videogame to gross $1 billion
- Highest grossing videogame in 24 hours
- Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours
- Most viewed trailer for an action-adventure videogame
(Source: Guinness)
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