At this point, it’s safe to say that Rockstar Games open-world epic Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the greatest games of all time, but even Rockstar couldn’t have imagined just how successful the game would be. Four years on since its initial release and the game shows little signs of stopping, with Grand Theft Auto 5 being named the most lucrative game of 2017.
In a 2017 year in review report done by Superdata, the latest entry in the popular crime franchise was the most profitable game of the year, generating $521 million for Take-Two Interactive. That’s 9 million ahead of the nearest competition Call Of Duty: World War 2, the latest edition of the successful shooter franchise, who had two other entries in the top 10.
Of course, the true key to GTA 5’s financial success and longevity comes in the form of GTA Online. Launching two weeks after the core games release, GTA Online was plagued by reports of glitches and crashes but as time went Rockstar not only addressed these issues but insured a steady stream of new online content that kept players coming back for more. It comes as no surprise that Rockstar has seemingly done away with plans for GTA 5 story DLC in favor of furthering online content like heists and races when GTA Online has proven such a commercial success.
With all this said, the question of how much longer Rockstar plans to support GTA 5 and its online counterpart remains up in the air. As the studio gets ready to unveil its long-awaited Red Dead Redemption sequel, which is set to release with its own online mode, attention from both the studio and its audience is likely to shift.
Regardless of what does happen GTA 5 has undoubtedly left its mark on the gaming industry, earning its spot in gaming history and solidifying Rockstar Games as a studio that can’t be beaten.
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available now for PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, and Xbox One.
Source: Superdata
