Ahead of the debut of Grand Theft Auto VI on November 19, the video game franchise is approaching the launch with an impressive record of commercial success, controversy and a loyal global following since its introduction in 1997.
Created by Rockstar Games, the Grand Theft Auto series has sold approximately 480 million copies, according to figures from its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, published on Monday.
Its 2013 instalment, Grand Theft Auto V, accounts for nearly 235 million of those sales, making it the second best-selling video game of all time, behind Minecraft.
The release of GTA VI will bring the number of standalone titles and expansion packs in the franchise to 17, alongside GTA Online.
The latest instalment also ends a 13-year wait for fans who have been anticipating a successor to GTA V.
Initially scheduled for release in late 2025, the game was postponed twice, with Rockstar explaining that it needed additional time “to finish the game with the level of polish you have come to expect”.
The commercial success of the franchise was already evident with GTA V, which generated $1 billion in sales within just three days of its release in 2013.
According to Take-Two, it was the fastest any entertainment product had reached the billion-dollar milestone, achieving the feat two days faster than the film Avengers…
