I still remember the day I first loaded up Grand Theft Auto 5 on my old console. That was what, twelve years ago now? And here we are in 2025, and the game is somehow still breaking records. It's honestly mind-blowing! According to Take-Two Interactive's latest report, GTA 5 has now sold an astounding 210 million copies worldwide. That's not just a big number—that's a small country's worth of players!

The Numbers Don't Lie

When I first heard about these sales figures, I had to double-check I wasn't reading some kind of parody news site. In just the final quarter of 2024, GTA 5 sold 5 million copies. That breaks down to about 1.5 million copies per month for a game that's been out since 2013! Most developers would sacrifice their ergonomic office chairs to the gaming gods for those kinds of lifetime sales, let alone quarterly numbers for a decade-old title.

I've been trying to wrap my head around why this game continues to sell so well. Is it:

• The consistently updated GTA Online experience?

• New players finally getting consoles or gaming PCs?

• The endless memes and Twitch streams keeping it relevant?

• Some kind of digital Stockholm syndrome we've all developed?

Whatever the reason, I'm as guilty as anyone. I've personally bought this game three times across different platforms. (Don't judge me—I know some of you are on your fourth copy!)

The Red Dead Phenomenon

While I've been busy causing chaos in Los Santos, I've also spent considerable time in the Wild West. Red Dead Redemption 2 has been my go-to game when I need a break from the urban mayhem, and apparently, I'm not alone. The cowboy epic has now lassoed an impressive 70 million sales.

What's particularly surprising is that RDR2 moved another 3 million copies in the last quarter of 2024. That's for a six-year-old game that Rockstar has essentially abandoned in terms of online updates! The single-player experience must be holding up incredibly well.

Here's how these games compare to some other all-time bestsellers:

Game	Sales	Release Year	Still Active?
GTA 5	210 million	2013	Yes! 😮
RDR2	70 million	2018	Yes, but neglected 😢
Minecraft	~300 million	2011	Yes
Tetris	~500 million	1984	Yes, in various forms

The GTA 6 Question

Every time I log into GTA Online, the chat inevitably turns to GTA 6 speculation. We've all been waiting for what feels like forever, but it seems the wait is almost over. With an expected release in autumn 2025, we're potentially just months away from the next chapter.

But I can't help wondering: can anything live up to this level of hype? The expectations are astronomical. I've spent more time with GTA 5 than with some family members (sorry, Uncle Bob). The game has literally spanned three console generations!

Will GTA 6 hit the ground running with 10 million sales on day one? Probably. Will it eventually surpass GTA 5's seemingly untouchable record? That's harder to predict. The gaming landscape has changed dramatically since 2013, with more competition for our time and money than ever before.

My Love-Hate Relationship

I sometimes catch myself complaining about GTA Online's shark card economy or the lack of single-player DLC, but then I realize I've put thousands of hours into this game. There's a reason I keep coming back to Los Santos. The world Rockstar created is simply unmatched in its detail, humor, and possibilities.

As for Red Dead Redemption 2, I still find myself just riding around the wilderness, hunting and taking in the scenery. It's therapeutic in a way few games are. The fact that Rockstar essentially abandoned Red Dead Online still stings, though. All that potential, just left on the table...

🤠 RDR2 deserved better, but at least new players are still discovering its incredible story.

What Comes Next?

As we edge closer to GTA 6's release, I wonder what will happen to these juggernauts. Will GTA 5 finally see its player count dwindle? Will Red Dead Redemption 2 get a next-gen update to keep it relevant? Will I ever stop spending money on these games? (The answer to that last one is clearly no.)

One thing's for certain—Rockstar has created two of the most successful entertainment products of all time. Not just successful games, but cultural phenomena that have shaped how we think about open-world experiences.

So here I am, twelve years later, still occasionally logging into GTA Online to race supercars and engage in questionable heists with friends. From that first moment stepping into Michael's therapy session to today, it's been quite the ride. And with 210 million copies sold and counting, it seems I'm far from alone on this journey through Los Santos and beyond.