We all knew Grand Theft Auto 5 was going to be big, but this big? Rockstar's latest GTA title has already made $800 million in one day, according to Take-Two's internal estimates.
The figure includes sales across both platforms in Europe and North America. But the figure is sure to climb once the game becomes available in other areas like Japan and Brazil.
"All of us at Take-Two are thrilled with the initial response to Grand Theft Auto V," said Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick in a recent press release. "Once again, the team at Rockstar Games have outdone themselves, setting the entertainment industry's new standard for creativity, innovation and excellence.
"Beginning at midnight on Monday, consumers around the world gathered in anticipation to be among the first to experience the evolution of this remarkable series. In North America alone, more than 8,300 stores opened their doors at midnight to welcome fans whose loyalty and enthusiasm were rewarded with what The New York Times called 'the most immersive spectacle in interactive entertainment'.
"We are incredibly proud of Rockstar Games' creative achievement and could not be more pleased with the success of this launch."
The whopping figure is more than three times that of the game's budget of $265 million, a figure that's larger than the budget of most modern day blockbuster movies like "The Avengers," or "Inception." Given that the figure is just from day one sales, the game is well on track with analyst's predictions that the game will make $1 billion in its first month.
Robert W. Baird analyst Colin Sebastian predicted as much the day before GTA V released, saying, "Given the significantly higher installed base of relevant console platforms at launch, greater sales concentration among the top video game franchises, and unprecedented pentup demand, we expect GTA 5 to outpace GTA 4 sales, and generate roughly $1 billion in retail sales during the first month," he said.
With Black Friday and Christmas approaching, it's fair to say that the latest Grand Theft Auto will easily hit the $1 billion mark, and then some, especially if Rockstar ever decides to port the game to next-gen consoles or PC, something the company is still saying it has no plans for.