Take-Two Interactive released its FY2018 second quarter results today, showing better-than-expected operating results and leading to a raised outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year. Blah blah, who cares about the bean counters, right? But there's one very interesting bit of trivia hidden down inside the "Business and Product Highlights" section.
"Grand Theft Auto V has now sold in more than 85 million units," the report says. "According to The NPD Group, Grand Theft Auto V is now the all-time best-selling video game, both in revenues and units, based on combined U.S. digital and physical sales across PC, console and portable."
SteamSpy indicates that Steam owners account for about ten percent of that figure, which is an awful lot but still a relatively small slice of the multiplatform pie. But the fact that GTA5 is still holding at full price—$60/£40/€60—two and a half years after its release, speaks volumes, as does the day's peak concurrent user count, which was well over 55,000. If the percentages hold, it means GTA5, as it looks ahead to its third anniversary, has the kind of player base that most new games would kill for.
Much of its long-term success has to be attributed to GTA Online. Despite ongoing problems with cheaters (and the occasional gang of under-prepped goofs trying to make trouble), the multiplayer side of GTA5 has slowly but surely evolved into a very popular persistent online world. Rockstar has continued to release free updates with gameplay improvements, new modes, cars, and the occasional influx of virtual cash, which certainly never hurts.
In fact, a new update went out the door today, adding the P-45 Nokota single-seater plane to the action (Nokota, by the way, is a breed of horse, a play on the name of the visually-similar real-world P-51) and a 1v1 Dogfight mode, plus some discounts and a new Premium Stunt Race and Time Trial. The race, trial, plus double GTA$ and RPG in the Dogfight mode, will be available until November 13.
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