According to a report in The Scotsman, Grand Theft Auto V has cost Rockstar £170 million ($265 million) to create and market.
It also reports that “industry experts believe its latest incarnation will rewrite the record books, shifting 25 million copies in the first year alone, achieving sales of £1bn.”
Brian Baglow, who worked as a writer on the first GTA game and now runs the Scottish Games Network, an umbrella body for the nation’s games sector has decreed the GTA series “Scotland’s largest cultural export ever. ”
“For many people in power globally, GTA is just a great big red flashing light because it’s perceived as something bad and violent, defined by tabloid hysteria,” he said. “But if the series was just about gratuitous violence, it would not have achieved the sales and success it has.
Rockstar have released a few more screens ahead of the launch of the game on September 17th.
Source: The Scotsman
Dazbobaby
I never really got into any of the previous games at all, but I’ve been talked into this one by friends, neighbours and family.
I just hope it lives up to the hype.
Eldur
I found GTAIV incredibly dull unfortunately… It just all seemed so aimless and I inevitably ended up trying to do crazy tricks or exploring until I got bored and left it alone.
The hype for the fith entry hasn’t done anything to change my mind about the series…
Youles
Not long now!!
That’s some staggering beer money right there. 25million units! :O
yiddo
Heard from a few places that it has made the money back already from worldwide pre orders alone.
GTA should be one of the only series getting away with ridiculously high budgets, as you can tell that it all goes into the game. All of the content, the expansive GTA online, the music licensing etc. All helps to create an atmosphere that is hard to beat in my opinion.
3shirts
I agree. They craft all the fine details perfectly. I like that you can wander in to some random bit of the map that 90% of people will never see and it’s still nicely textured and maybe has some little inside joke or easter egg.
Of the few criticisms I had of GTA IV, I couldn’t fault the attention to detail.
yiddo
It was the same with Red Dead Redemption also.
I know it was a different Rockstar team, but the attention to detail was truly sublime. Obviously with GTA being more modern day, they can really show their attention to detail, as there are sprawling cities etc.
This game is going to be so god damn fantastic. One more week damnit.
Jimster71
I agree, it all goes to creating a more believable game world. It makes the exploring worthwhile.
ron_mcphatty
I agree also, I think the secret has got to be the licensed music and especially the excellent radio station chat, which sets the comedy tone up perfectly.
3shirts
I read at the weekend, this game cost more to develop than any film in history except Pirates Of The Caribbean 3 which is the current record holder. They have already made their money back on pre-orders.
p9ul
Don’t let James Cameron read that – he might get upset…
cam the man
According to wccftech it’s 2 1/2 times more than the next costly game and the only movie that cost more was Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End.
Bilbo_bobbins
thats a lot of money, but they will get it back.
Jimster71
Does anyone know what the embargo date/time is for the GTA V reviews?
bunimomike
GTA IV has shifted around 25 million copies so that’s hovering under the billion dollar mark right there.
Staggering figures. I even noticed that film studios keep an eye out for GTA when it releases as it can actually have an affect on an opening weekend for the big hitting films. Bloody… Hell!
Blair Inglis
And I can get it for under 40 quid? Bargain.
gazzagb
That’s extremely impressive. Screenshots looks great, as always. Have they said if the entire map will be open to you, or if you’ll have to unlock it in sections by playing the missions?
hornet1990
I’m sure I saw somewhere that the whole map is unlocked from the start.
E8_BALL_
All open from the beginning. Although i’ll be doing a little exploring at launch, still tempted to view the majority of the map, by mission structure alone, but a mammoth freeroam exploitation, is still mighty tempting too ;)
E8_BALL_
(exploitation, really? exploration rather.)
gazzagb
Awesome, thanks guys! Exploring is all I’ll probably do, the map is so big it will be months before I get bored enough to want to do the missions! I’m itching to pre-order it, but think I’ll wait a week or two to see if a PC version is announced.
E8_BALL_
If history is anything to go on, I belive IV for PC was announced, 2 months after console launch.
gazzagb
2 months? Not sure if I’ll be able to last that long!