On Wednesday, Bloomberg reported that Rockstar Games is expected to make the long-expected announcement for the Grand Theft Auto (GTA) VI, ten years after its immensely successful predecessor was released. The report sent shares of Take-Two Interactive (NASDAQ: $TTWO), the parent company of Rockstar Games and Zynga, surging 8.8% in the premarket at the time of writing.
Rockstar to Release GTA VI Trailer in December
Shares of Take-Two Interactive Software were up around 9% in premarket trading on Wednesday following a report that Rockstar Games plans to announce the much-awaited Grand Theft Auto game this week. According to Bloomberg, Rockstar will release a trailer for the legendary video game next month to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary.
The immediate surge in Take-Two’s shares is no surprise, given that GTA’s launch could be one of the most significant entertainment releases this decade. The previous version of the game, GTA V, sold over 185 million copies and is the second-best-selling video game of all time after Minecraft.
Remarkably, GTA V is also estimated to be the most profitable piece of entertainment ever launched, more than any movie, TV show, or video game. Since its release more than ten years ago, GTA V has earned $7.7 billion, with some expecting it to cross $10 billion in the coming years.
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GTA VI Expected to Make $1B in First Week of Release
Having said that, the expectations for the upcoming GTA installment are not any lower. If anything, it is more likely that the new game will be a new record-breaker.
Rumors that emerged earlier in the year suggested that GTA IV is allegedly the most expensive video game ever created, with Rockstar Games looking to set new standards with its launch. According to the rumors shared by a hacker and then published by GTAVInews X account, the new game “will reportedly cost $2 billion and has been in development since 2014, making it the most expensive entertainment product of all time…”
That is surely an eye-popping budget for a video game. However, sales expectations for the game are even more remarkable. Notably, previous reports noted that GTA IV is projected to make $1 billion in its first week of launch. That is around 15% of GTA V’s revenue over the past nine years.
Furthermore, industry analyst Joost Van Dreunen predicts that the upcoming title will sell an impressive 25 million units upon release, setting extremely high expectations for its performance.
Like one of the previous blockbuster installments, GTA Vice City, the new game is also set in a fictionalized version of Miami and features two main protagonists. Take-Two Interactive will also be reporting its latest earnings result after market close today.
Do you think GTA VI will break all records regarding sales and profits in the entertainment industry? Let us know in the comments below.
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