“Grand Theft Auto 5,” the video game that pushed mature content to new heights, is also probably the most profitable title ever, one analyst told Market Watch. But not just in the video game world.
According to Doug Cruetz, the managing director and senior research analyst covering media and entertainment for the financial services company Cowen, “Grand Theft Auto 5,” from Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games, has made more money than any film, book or game ever.
Cruetz says that, since its release in 2013, “GTA 5” has sold over 90 million units and taken in $6 billion in revenue.
Guinness World Records says that “Gone With the Wind,” when adjusted for inflation, is the highest grossing film of all time at $3.4 billion. Creutz tells Market Watch that DVD and streaming revenue might add an extra billion, but that still leaves “GTA 5″ beyond its reach.
Surely, if we were talking merchandise sales, the “Star Wars” franchise would obliterate nearly everything. But based purely on ticket or title sales, “GTA 5” is the most financially successful media title in history.