The title of “best-selling game in 24 hours” belongs to Grand Theft Auto 5, Rockstar Games’ open-world action-adventure game that has broken several other records. This game sold the most in 24 hours, with 11.21 million units sold on 17 September 2013, and made more than $800 million.
It’s present in the Guinness World Records for being the fastest-selling video game, solidifying its position as one of the best titles of not only the decade but of all time.
Which are the Fastest Selling Games of All Time?
While GTA 5’s 24-hour sales record remains unbeatable, other games have come close:
- Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) sold 8 million copies sold on its first day.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2011) sold 6.5 million copies within the first 24 hours in North America and Europe.
- Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018) earned more than $725 million worldwide in its first three days on sale.
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II (2009) sold 5.5 million copies on its first day.
- Destiny (2014) – According to Activision, Destiny sold $500 million worth of games in just 24 hours.
- Call of Duty: Black Ops III earned $550 million in its first three days.
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim had also become the “fastest selling title in Steam’s history selling more than 10 million copies by the end of the release month.
- The Division grossed $330 million in its first 24 hours.
Why is GTA 5 the Fastest Selling Game of All-Time?
In a nutshell, the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed GTA IV, combined with its open-world sandbox gameplay, Rockstar’s name attached and a massive marketing campaign all led to GTA V becoming the fastest-selling game of all time.
GTA 5 offered an open world that was packed with side missions, random interactions, and a detailed sandbox environment, which attracted gamers of all types – casual players as well as hardcore fans. You wouldn’t miss the marketing for the game too, with it being everywhere from billboards to commercials showcasing how crazy the world of Grand Theft Auto is.
Lastly, it helped that it wasn’t a console exclusive – GTA V was released on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 which gave it access to a wide audience straight from launch day, giving it the boost in numbers we see today.
Grand Theft Auto 5 released on September 17, 2013, and was highly anticipated due to the success of GTA 4. GTA IV released in 2008 and GTA V released in 2013, so there was a significant gap between the two leading to high expectations. Due to this, pre-orders exceeded more than 7 million worldwide with around 3.7 million for the Xbox 360 and around 3.4 million for the PlayStation 3.
The duration between GTA V and GTA VI is even higher (12 years!) and so the next installment is bound to break even more records faster. GTA 6’s first trailer has already broken multiple records including one of ‘Most-Viewed Non-Music Video in 24 Hours’.
That’s all about the best-selling game in 24 hours. GTA V’s 24-hour sales record is proof of the franchise’s fanbase and while many others have tried to defeat it, chances are that the only game that will dethrone it will be GTA 6.
