WOW! Guinness World Records today confirmed that the launch of Grand Theft Auto V has broken six new world records including the Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours and the Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion.
Released on 17 September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles, the fifteenth title in the Grand Theft Auto series, GTA V, was the first main entry since Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008.
Developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, the critically acclaimed open world action-adventure video game sold 11.21 million units in its first 24 hours, and generated revenue of $815.7 million (£511.8 million), going on to reach $1 billion (£624.45 million) in sales after just three days on September 20 2013.
The figure smashes records previously held by the Call of Duty videogame series and blockbuster movies including The Avengers and Avatar.
Guinness World Records Editor-in-Chief, Craig Glenday, said: “GTA totally deserves to be recognized as an icon of modern British culture, and we’re thrilled to be able to feature the game in the record books. Gaming is no longer a niche hobby, as GTA 5 has proved, and how exciting that it’s taken on the might of Hollywood and won! I’m also doubly proud as a Dundonian to welcome this home-grown series back into the Guinness World Records book.”
Full list of Grand Theft Auto V record-breaking achievements:
1. Best-selling action-adventure videogame in 24 hours
2. Best-selling videogame in 24 hours
3. Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion
4. Fastest videogame to gross $1 billion
5. Highest grossing videogame in 24 hours
6. Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours
7. Most viewed trailer for an action-adventure videogame
The Guinness World Records 2014 book edition is on sale now at all major retailers. Find a full list here. Three iBooks are also available now at the iTunes store: “Awesome Animals,” (free download), “Colossal Constructions,” and “Incredible People.”
Source: The Guinness World Records
