In entertainment industry, video games don’t tend to get in higher ranks. However, Grand Theft Auto 5 has proved everyone wrong by raking more than $1 billion in sales in just three days and still its sales are going up.

GTA 5 is developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games. The fifteenth sequel to the Grand Theft Auto was released on 17 September 2013 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox consoles. GTA 5 manages to become one of the biggest video game franchises in the world with the most successful release across all of the entertainment. If compared with biggest blockbuster this summer at box office, Iron Man 3 that only managed to get $372 million in its first weekend across the globe.

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Previous year, video games like Angry Birds, Temple Run and Candy Crush have attracted lots of mainstream attention with users in hundreds of millions. However, the eminent success of GTA 5 has proven that high budgeted games can also break world records. Reportedly, the game cost around $265 million to develop and market, but has seen tremendous result. According to Guinness World Records, the GTA 5 has set six world records, adding to its previous record of “most viewed trailer”. In first 24 hours of the launch, the game sold 11.2 million units, netting in $815.7 million in revenue. In three days, the sale crossed $1 billion threshold. Guinness World Records editor-in-chief Craig Glenday added on this Tuesday that “Gamming has no longer remained a niche hobby; GTA 5 has proved it by taking the might of Hollywood.”

GTA’s previous installments also made some good revenue. GTA 3 sold more than 14.5 million copies, GTA Vice City sold 17.5 million copies and GTA San Andreas led more than 27.5 million copies.

Controversy leads to success

One of the main reasons of immense success of GTA is the controversial things in the game play. Car-jacking and attacking pedestrians received a wave of media attention. The game’s violence created a boost in PR that increased its sale.

Biggest Release in History

In history of entertainment, GTA 5 is hailed as the biggest release. Good thing is that the immense success has further motivated the developers of Rockstar to further reach out heights in future. GTA 5 surly has very high quality graphics and gameplay world has become quite bigger. In this sequel, player has to control not one but three protagonists, i-e Michael, Franklin and Trevor. So what are you waiting for? Go and wreck havoc in your virtual world.