It would seem that Niko Bellic’s car-stealing, carnage-creating antics have resulted in the book being thrown at him — that book being the Guinness Book of World Records, with Grand Theft Auto IV stealing not one, but three records in the process!
Grand Theft Auto IV was released on April 29, 2008 for XBox 360
and PS3 and has since gone on to break the following three records:
– Biggest Entertainment Release of All-Time
– Highest Grossing Video Game in 24 Hours
– Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product in 24 Hours
These three records can be added to another for GTA IV, which holds the accolade of being the most expensive game ever developed (a reported cost of US $100 million). The game took over three and a half years to create, with a development crew of over a thousand… I’m sure Rockstar will agree — money very well spent.
GTA IV has racked up an impressive tally by selling 3.6 million copies on its first day of release — thats a whopping US $310 million! This feat has established the game as “the most profitable entertainment release of all-time.”
Just to put this in perspective, here are the next highest earners in entertainment circles:
– Fastest-selling video game in 24 hours: Halo 3 (US$170m)
– Fastest-selling theatrical movie in 24 hours: Spider-Man 3 (US$60m)
– Fastest-selling book in 24 hours: Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows (US$220m)
With such an impressive haul, I hope Rockstar keeps up the momentum and develops the game further with the reported episodic downloadable content.
Now — I’m going to head back to Liberty City for some more explosions and car chases… I think I’m getting the shakes – yep! GTA IV is Officially more addictive than crack! Well… almost. ;)
[via: Guinness World Records]
It would seem that Niko Bellic’s car-stealing, carnage-creating antics have resulted in the book being thrown at him — that book being the Guinness Book of World Records, with Grand Theft Auto IV stealing not one, but three records in the process!
and 
and has since gone on to break the following three records:
You know, it’s funny. I cant argue with the numbers, but I can with the actual quality of the games. I couldn’t make it through GTA3 because it got so boring and repetitive. Later, when GTA-vice city came out, I thought I’d try it again. Nope. Still basically the same game, just some new names thrown out there, maybe change the maps too.
I don’t see what the big fuss is about the series.
Maybe I just want something new
Something good
In more than a few senses of that word “good”
Comment by Schutzenegger — May 13, 2008 @ 3:11 pm
>Schutzenegger
The game is meant for people who like to explore. It seems that you found it boring because all you did were the missions.
Comment by Frank — May 13, 2008 @ 10:14 pm
I agree. GTA4 however I won’t deny, the depths it has gone into is monumental, and for that it is a must buy. Never has a game given you such a complete experience. With that said I don’t think GTA4 should be dismissed because the series is what it is, you cannot ask for flying aliens or anything crazy like that. They created a world with concepts and stuck to that improving on what matters most, the depth of the content. In this new age of gaming, graphics n such will follow so I’m not one to praise those things. But I do agree with the post above, it does become repetivve, I’m not down for simulating crime n such unless it possesses a friggin amazing story, to me it’s pointless and boring. I’ll stick to games like Half-Life 2, Super Mario Galaxy, Brawl, COD4 you know.. stuff like that >.>
Comment by Matthew — May 13, 2008 @ 10:16 pm
Is that a typo, or did harry potter only sell two hundred twenty dollars worth of books?
Comment by brian — May 13, 2008 @ 10:18 pm
BRIAN IS A IDIOT 220 DOLLARS IS HE JOKING
Comment by ROBERT — May 14, 2008 @ 2:59 am
WITH SUCH A HUGE AMOUNT OF GROSS REVENUE TO BE EXPECTED, YOU WOULD THINK THE GAME WOULD REALLY HAVE BEEN OUT OF THIS WORLD, I MEAN IT’S THE BEST GAME BY FAR, BUT WITH THAT KIND OF MONEY, I WISH THEY INVESTED MORE MONEY INTO THE GAME.
Comment by DAN — May 14, 2008 @ 3:17 am
He just missed the m letter =)
Comment by A — May 14, 2008 @ 3:42 am
Robert types in all caps. Obvious superiority rite thar.
Comment by Tannyr — May 14, 2008 @ 3:43 am
well, bless his soul…
…cause i’m not going to.
Comment by more BRAINS than BRIAN — May 14, 2008 @ 3:46 am
What does Biggest Entertainment Release of All-Time? Are these real Guinness records or did you just make this up? I know that Titanic made 1.9 BILLION dollars in it’s 1997 theatrical release (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=titanic.htm), and certainly added at least 100 to 200 million more through TV sales and DVD sales.
I think GTA IV has quite a way to go to beat this record (of course it would need to sell 4 times the amount it sold in the first week… an unlikely occurence.
Comment by Richard Huffman — May 14, 2008 @ 4:13 am
I want GTA IV for PC!!!
Comment by Peter — May 14, 2008 @ 4:33 am
Wow… inaccurate much? Harry Potter 7 sold 8.3 million books in 24 hours… MORE THEN TWICE what GTAIV sold gamewise in 24 hours…. so HP7 is still the fastest selling entertainment release in history, just not the highest grossing (and thats only because GTA4 is 3x the price if not more.
So enough with the lies. Use the right terms, not biggest, not fastest, simply HIGHEST GROSSING.
Comment by Joe — May 14, 2008 @ 6:40 am
@Richard Huffman
@Joe
These figures are only for the first 24 hours of sale – not the whole sales revenue since release. ;)
Comment by Keyser Söze — May 14, 2008 @ 8:11 am
How is 3.6m x $60 a game $310 million?
Comment by Dan — May 14, 2008 @ 9:08 am
@Dan
I believe the data includes the GTA IV Special Edition release which retails for $90, as well as the value of the international exchange rate vs the US dollar — which is worth shit compared to the canuck dollar, the Euro, the pound, etc…
Comment by Dave3 — May 14, 2008 @ 9:46 am
Those are some pretty impressive numbers. Numbers that would not be achievable if it was only a PS3 exclusive.
Comment by Tyler — May 14, 2008 @ 1:06 pm
gta 4 needs a bigger arsenal for character creation for multiplayer. theres not much to choose from kinda lame.
Comment by Qucikman — May 14, 2008 @ 4:21 pm
In fine print on the last page of the Guinness Book of World Records it notes that all world records are held by Chuck Norris, and those listed in the book are simply the closest anyone else has ever gotten.
Comment by ladn3k — May 17, 2008 @ 5:46 am
Big whoop. All this shows is the consumerism and material world of our culture/generation.
Comment by Tyler — May 18, 2008 @ 2:59 am