As the gaming industry stands on the verge of the biggest entertainment launch in modern history, Take-Two Interactive’s latest earnings report has painted a remarkable picture of a company firing on all cylinders. While the countdown to Grand Theft Auto VI is now measured in days, investors, analysts, and players are witnessing something even more extraordinary: the continued dominance of Rockstar Games’ existing catalog and the surprising emergence of early discussions surrounding Grand Theft Auto VII. According to Take-Two’s latest financial update, Grand Theft Auto V has climbed to nearly 235 million copies sold worldwide, while Red Dead Redemption 2 is rapidly approaching the historic 90 million mark.
These figures are more than impressive sales milestones. They represent a level of sustained success rarely seen in entertainment history, placing Rockstar Games in a category occupied by only a handful of global media brands.
GTA V Continues to Defy Time and Logic
Released in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, Grand Theft Auto V has now spent over a decade dominating sales charts across multiple hardware generations. Take-Two confirmed that the game has reached approximately 235 million units sold as of September 30, 2026, helping push the overall Grand Theft Auto franchise to nearly 480 million lifetime sales.
The achievement becomes even more astonishing when viewed through the lens of gaming history. Most blockbuster releases enjoy a strong launch window before sales gradually taper off. GTA V ignored that rule entirely. The game survived the transition from PS3 and Xbox 360 to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, then again to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, while also establishing itself as a PC mainstay thanks to the enduring popularity of GTA Online.
For many years, skeptics wondered whether Rockstar had become overly reliant on GTA V. Now, with GTA VI about to launch, the strategy appears almost visionary. Few publishers can point to a thirteen-year-old title still selling millions of copies annually while simultaneously preparing its successor to potentially break every revenue record in entertainment.
Red Dead Redemption 2 Nears a Historic Milestone
While much of the spotlight naturally falls on Grand Theft Auto, Rockstar’s western masterpiece continues its own remarkable journey.
According to Take-Two’s earnings report, Red Dead Redemption 2 has reached approximately 89 million units sold worldwide since its 2018 launch.
That number places the game among the most successful releases in gaming history and highlights Rockstar’s ability to create multiple mega-franchises simultaneously. Only a select group of titles such as Minecraft, Tetris, and Grand Theft Auto V have managed to exceed the coveted 100 million sales threshold. With Red Dead Redemption 2 now within striking distance of 90 million units, crossing that barrier no longer feels impossible.
The accomplishment is especially notable given the slower release cadence of the Red Dead series compared to Grand Theft Auto. Despite receiving fewer updates and less post-launch content than GTA Online, Red Dead Redemption 2 continues attracting new players years after release thanks to its storytelling, technical achievements, and reputation as one of gaming’s finest open-world experiences.
GTA VI Is Already Exceeding Expectations Before Launch
If Take-Two’s earnings report showcased the company’s past success, GTA VI’s pre-launch performance offered a glimpse into its future.
Speaking ahead of the company’s earnings announcement, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick revealed that pre-sales for Grand Theft Auto VI are already “far in excess” of the publisher’s expectations.
The numbers being discussed are staggering. Reports indicate that GTA VI has already surpassed $750 million in pre-sales ahead of its November 19 release date, with projections suggesting the title could exceed $1 billion in revenue by launch day.
To understand the scale of this achievement, consider that GTA V famously generated more than $800 million during its first 24 hours and reached $1 billion within three days of launch. Industry analysts now believe GTA VI could challenge or surpass those records despite launching initially only on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The excitement surrounding GTA VI has become so intense that its gravitational pull is beginning to affect the entire gaming market.
Even NBA 2K27 Couldn’t Escape GTA Fever
One of the more revealing details from Take-Two’s financial discussions involved NBA 2K27.
While the basketball franchise remains enormously successful, CEO Strauss Zelnick acknowledged that the game’s sales fell short of internal expectations. According to reporting surrounding the earnings period, Take-Two believes anticipation for GTA VI may have influenced purchasing decisions, with some consumers choosing to save their money for Rockstar’s upcoming blockbuster instead.
NBA 2K27 still managed to sell approximately four million copies and became one of the franchise’s strongest entries, yet its performance demonstrates the unprecedented market influence GTA VI possesses before even reaching store shelves.
Few entertainment products in history have convinced consumers to delay or skip purchases across unrelated genres. GTA VI appears poised to become one of them.
The Most Surprising Earnings Call Topic: GTA VII
Perhaps the most unexpected development emerging from Take-Two’s latest media appearances wasn’t about GTA VI at all.
Instead, attention shifted toward Grand Theft Auto VII.
With GTA VI only days away from release, many assumed any conversation about the next installment would be years away. Yet Strauss Zelnick was already discussing the future of the franchise, suggesting that future Grand Theft Auto releases should benefit from improved development speed and greater production efficiency.
In comments discussing the future of Take-Two’s franchises, Zelnick stated that the company expects the “nature and velocity” of content creation to look dramatically different over the next decade, specifically including GTA among those evolving properties.
While he stopped short of announcing GTA VII or providing any timeline, the remarks are significant.
The thirteen-year gap between GTA V and GTA VI became one of the most discussed development cycles in gaming history. Rockstar spent years building technology, restructuring workflows, adapting to evolving console hardware, and creating what many expect to be the most ambitious open-world game ever produced.
Now that foundation may allow Rockstar to accelerate future projects.
That doesn’t mean GTA VII is around the corner. However, for the first time, both Rockstar leadership and Take-Two executives appear willing to openly discuss a future beyond GTA VI.
A New Era for Rockstar Games
The takeaway from Take-Two’s earnings report is clear: Rockstar Games is entering perhaps the strongest position in its history.
Grand Theft Auto V continues selling at a pace unheard of for a thirteen-year-old title. Red Dead Redemption 2 is approaching 90 million copies sold. GTA VI is already generating record-breaking pre-launch revenue. And discussions have quietly begun regarding how Rockstar can streamline development for the eventual arrival of GTA VII.
For years, critics questioned whether Rockstar could justify the lengthy development cycle behind GTA VI. With nearly 235 million copies sold for GTA V, 89 million for Red Dead Redemption 2, and unprecedented demand for GTA VI before release, Take-Two’s latest earnings indicate that the investment may have paid off in spectacular fashion.
The remarkable part is that the industry’s biggest story is still ahead. GTA VI has not launched yet, and Take-Two is already looking beyond it toward the next decade of Grand Theft Auto. If the company’s projections prove accurate, the conversation surrounding GTA VII may begin much sooner than anyone expected.