A true financial windfall for its publisher Rockstar Games, the game Grand Theft Auto, or GTA to those familiar, is known as much for its violence as for its global success. Here's what you need to know about this legendary video game saga in 5 key figures.
26 Years of Success
The very first installment of the Grand Theft Auto saga, or GTA, was released in 1997. This means that for 26 years, this video game (whose name literally means "car theft") has been allowing players from all over the world to embody criminals in cities resembling Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, or Miami...
Although sometimes criticized for its violence and the omnipresence of firearms in the game, this franchise with unwavering success is the flagship series of Rockstar Games studio. Each new installment of this action-adventure game, intended for adults, is a highly anticipated event.
Over 400 million copies sold
Given the global sales of this saga, the Grand Theft Auto game truly deserves the labels of "cult" or "mythic" series in the video game industry.
To date, this series has sold over 405 million copies worldwide. It thus ranks as the fourth best-selling video game series of all time, and its rise is not expected to stop there...
The total worldwide sales are expected to break new records in the coming years with the announced release of GTA 6 or GTA VI.
GTA V generates 8 billion dollars in revenue.
The previous installment, GTA 5 or GTA V alone has generated over 8 billion dollars in revenue. This title, released ten years ago, is currently the most profitable in the history of Rockstar Games studio.
Upon its release in September 2013, this game earned more than one billion dollars in just 3 days! This figure remains an unmatched record in the entertainment product sector.
In the long run, Rockstar Games studio hopes to surpass 10 billion dollars in revenue with the title Grand Theft Auto V.
An estimated production budget of 1 billion dollars
The phenomenal success of GTA 5 can be partly attributed to the fact that this title had a production budget of $265 million.
This budget, worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster, is said to have been greatly exceeded for the next installment of the saga. Some rumors circulated by media specializing in video games suggest that the production budget for GTA 6 could surpass the symbolic one billion dollar mark... A staggering investment, commensurate with the global success of this franchise!
Expected revenue of 1 billion for the launch of GTA 6
Given its previous sales record, Rockstar Games studio is expected to quickly recoup this investment. According to some analysts, the group could sell 25 million copies of GTA 6 upon its release.
This new installment of the Grand Theft Auto series, whose rumored release is slated for 2025, would thus generate 1 billion dollars in revenue right at its launch: a new absolute record. These predictions are not certain but are based on the assumption that by 2025, some 125 million PlayStation and Xbox Series X/S consoles will be in circulation worldwide.
Even before the release of the first images, the announcement that a trailer would be unveiled next December sent Take-Two's stock (the parent company of Rockstar studio) soaring on Wall Street! Take-Two's share price jumped by about 8% at the opening of the market on November 8, 2023.