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Last week, Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games confirmed what many had assumed to be a forgone conclusion: Grand Theft Auto IV sold well. Just how well? According to the publisher's internal figures, GTAIV sold more than 6 million copies globally in its opening week (3.6 million of which were dispersed on day one), generating revenues in excess of $500 million.
As part of the announcement, Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick said in a statement, "Grand Theft Auto IV's first week performance represents the largest launch in the history of interactive entertainment, and we believe these retail sales levels surpass any movie or music launch to date."
Today, that claim became as official as it's likely to get. The Guinness World Records committee has announced that GTAIV has set new records for Highest Grossing Video Game in 24 Hours and the Highest Revenue Generated by an Entertainment Product in 24 Hours.
Pegging GTAIV's first-day figures at 3.6 million units and $310 million in cash, Guinness Records matched up Rockstar's open-world crime spree to other major releases. According to the record-tracking group, Bungie and Microsoft's Halo 3 previously held the fastest-selling video game record with $170 million in its first 24 hours. Spider-Man 3's box-office debut of $60 million last May held the theatrical movie title, whereas the final book in J.K. Rowling's children's fantasy epic, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows, tallied $220 million in day-one sales.
Thank god for no obstructive people fussing on how violent it is, thus possibly slowing it's entry into the big book.
Good work Rockstar. An epic game to mark the next generation of gaming for years to come!
Truly Remarkable, I am just astonished. I am so proud of it, i think im going to cry! Good Job Rockstar, good job!
amazing....... I had a good feeling about this game... Now next on my list is the new brothers in arms... Its gonna be a money maker as well
The game is pretty much all i expected. Nice to see people who put out a good product get to reep the rewards from it.
It is simply a masterpiece!!! the records and the recognition prove it. If there would be another grand theft auto game...how even better would it be?
I heart Grand Theft Auto IV
GTA and Rockstar. Both top quality names. I'm happy for those folks at R*, with these results they don't need more convincement for continuing the GTA saga.
That's GGGREAT!* GTA IV Deserves it* no question ask? 
this is a multisystem release. it stands to reason that a game of this magnitude would sell well. halo 3 was a single system release. i think the sales that halo 3 did for being on one system is huge. while it doesn't eclipse the GTA release, you have to respect it.
not a very surprising statistic...current gen consoles selling the way they are + popularity of the GTA series = record breaking....playing through GTA IV now , I'm having a good time....not greatest game of all time good, but pretty fun
Let all the nay-sayers convince themselves that gaming is "just for kids" in the face of these monstrous sales figures!
GTA4 also got the record for "Most Criticized Game by People Who Have Never Played It"
40 Thousand copies, eh Glade_Gnarr? I don't think any game has ever sold 40 thousand copies before! Don't be insane! Heck...the world only has like a population of 60,000 people. Or is it 6 billion...hm...eh, whatever. Same thing.
excellent work rockstar, im so proud of one of my favorite developer companies that i've been following my entire life
thank you for not selling out to EA as well!
Hopefully this will serve as a testament of sorts to companies who, instead of putting out crappy game after crappy game and making terrible sales in a sad attempt of quantity over quality, will take as much time as they feel necesarry to make the game as good as it can be.
Rockstar Games & North and their Grand Theft Auto IV deserve a place in the Guinness World Records book! They should also get the title of best game and company ever! Period.
Hat off for Rockstar Games and Rockstar North! No. 1 in the world, always been my favourite company and always will! Congrats with this "achievement"
You have to keep in mind that a $60 game is going to generate a lot more gross (not net) profit than $5 movie tickets or a $30 book. Nevertheless, this is impressive.
somberfox
Comparing it to a book and a theater ticket is not very impressive when you consider that the game costs several times as much as they do. Heck the game costs almost as much as 11 tickets at the theater I go to.
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Um movie tickets in WI are 9.50, so its about 6 times more....
Finally, the game, heck the franchise deserves in the Hall of Fame.
Theres no denying it, video games are gonna eclipse the movie industry one day....just like in Assassin's Creed (Assassin's Creed takes place in the near future and an article of news in the games states that online piracy and video games led to the closing of America's last movie studio)
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