Tomorrow, Grand Theft Auto V will officially turn 6 years old – having released on 17th September 2013. It doesn’t feel like 6 years since millions of us flooded the streets waiting for the clock to hit midnight so we could play it. The game now is still as popular as it was back in 2013, with over 110 million copies sold worldwide. Rockstar Games are still releasing updates for the game to date, with the GTA Online casino update being the biggest since 2013. Let’s take a look back, from the pre-launch hype to some of your favorite memories from the Story Mode.
This article will mainly be focusing on Grand Theft Auto V and not Grand Theft Auto: Online. We will do an article similar when GTA Online turns 6 years old.
Grand Theft Auto V: Pre-Launch
Back in 2013, before Grand Theft Auto V released, we can all say there was a lot of hype for the game. Arguably, the most hype ever for a video game to date. Rockstar Games spent $265 million before launch solely on marketing and development for GTA V. Coming up to the launch, there were advertisements everywhere for the game to get people hyped, on trams, buses, trucks, hotels and more. Everywhere you went, there was a commercial for the game. Rockstar didn’t have a low budget when it came to advertising GTA V, that’s for sure.
Let’s take a look at some of the advertisements across the world that promoted Grand Theft Auto V.
GTA V hand painted advertisement at Figueroa Hotel, LA 
Steven Ogg taking a selfie with an advertisement of himself, NYC 
Truck advertisement, Taiwan 
A tram with a Grand Theft Auto V livery, Sydney 
Hummer advertising GTA V in Newcastle, UK 
Grand Theft Auto V adverts in the London Underground, UK
World Records
Within its first couple of weeks of releasing, Grand Theft Auto V was breaking records left, right and centre – check out some of its records below.
- Best selling video game within 24 hours
- Fastest game to gross $1 billion
- Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion
- Highest-grossing video game in 24 hours
- Most viewed trailer for an action-adventure video game
- Best selling action-adventure video game in 24 hours
- Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours
- Best selling game of all time in the United Kingdom (November 2014)
- Best selling digital game on the PlayStation Store
Fan Memories
A few days ago, we asked on Twitter for our followers to share their best memories from Grand Theft Auto V. Most of the replies were to do with GTA Online, which we’ll cover in another article soon. Here are some of your responses.
We love Grand Theft Auto V, and while there is a lot of dispute as to whether some of the previous installments were better – there’s no doubt that it is one of the best games out there, as are a ton of Rockstar titles.
We wish the game the best in the years to come. Happy birthday.
1 Comment
With the high level of success, why is it 6 going on 7 years before the next? Are they planning how to enable boatload of microtransactions? I never play the game online either, too many cheaters for one, I like the story in the main game.