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The impact of GTA 5 cannot be understated; it's the second best-selling game of all time.
GTA 5 made $800,000,000 on its release date. It surpassed a billion dollars within the next three days. Over 150 million copies were shipped from stores. Only Minecraft has beaten it in sales, yet they have the advantage of being child-friendly.
There are multiple factors to GTA 5's explosive popularity. Rockstar Games put forth a ton of effort into this game. Fans were excited about several new features and more importantly, Rockstar had already built an impressive reputation. Suffice to say, fans were not disappointed.
Five reasons why GTA 5 found major success in the video game industry
5) It was heavily marketed
According to the Scotsman website, the development and marketing of GTA 5 cost $265,000,000. Hundreds of millions were spent advertising the game. It certainly paid off, given it broke industry records within a few days.
When the first trailer was revealed, fans could barely contain their excitement. Millions have already viewed it on YouTube alone. GTA 5 was a hype train that never slowed down. It was arguably one of the biggest games of 2013.
4) GTA 5 rode the momentum of GTA 4
GTA 4 was a critical and commercial success upon release. Like most GTA titles, reviewers praised it for expanding on the open world concept. GTA 4 mainly focused on realism, such as ragdoll physics and attention to detail.
Fans had high expectations for the sequel as they already knew how good GTA 4 was. Suffice to say, GTA 5 would bring it to them in a big way.
3) This was a return to Los Santos
GTA San Andreas is a beloved classic in the series. Liberty City was liked, but there is a special feeling with Los Santos. It finally saw its return to HD graphics in GTA 5. In more ways than one, this was a homecoming for old-school players.
Los Santos and Blaine County have large explorable landmasses. It remains the biggest map in GTA history. There is so much to do within the city and countryside. Best of all, Grove Street makes a memorable cameo.
2) GTA 5 had multiple protagonists
GTA 5 players were hyped at the announcement of multiple protagonists. Each of them represented different aspects of criminal life. Michael was a rich and retired veteran. Franklin was a relatively new up-and-comer while Trevor was the manisfestation of every psychotic player.
Multiple protagonists were an entirely new feature at the time. It was a formula that lent itself well to the overall gameplay.
1) It was a highly rated game
Upon release, GTA 5 was a smash hit among critics. The likes of IGN gave it glowing reviews. If it wasn't a perfect score, it was close enough. A positively received game would encourage more players to seek it out.
Critical reception is everything in the video game industry. The players wanted a fun experience with their games and GTA 5 gave them exactly that.
GTA 5 was a seminal release in the gaming industry. Blending creativity with ingenuity, Rockstar Games set a new precedent for open-world titles. GTA 5 is truly one of a kind.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
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