GTA V sells more than GTA III, San Andreas, GTA IV combined

Grand Theft Auto V has now sold-in more than 100 million copies worldwide since releasing in 2013, making it the second best-selling game of all time.

Thanks to the massively popular GTA Online and continual engagement strategies, GTA V continues outpacing Take-Two Interactive's forecasts. The game once again beat guidance in the company's Fiscal Year Q2'19 timeline by breaking the 100 million sell-in barrier (shipments, not direct sales to consumers) and pulling in strong microtransaction revenues.

"Sales of Grand Theft Auto V also outperformed our expectations. The game has now sold-in more than 100 million units," Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said during the FY Q2'19 earnings call.

Niko Partners analyst Daniel Ahmed's interesting observation notes that GTA V has now sold more copies than GTA III, Vice City, San Andreas, and GTA IV combined--a fact which should cement an online-driven service mode into all future Grand Theft Auto games. Also remember Red Dead Redemption 2, which has sold-in an astronomical 17 million copies so far, will have an online multiplayer mode called Red Dead Online.

This puts GTA V second only to Microsoft's indie darling Minecraft, which has sold 150 million units globally.

Insofar as digital earnings, GTA V and GTA Online helped Take-Two pull in $493 million in total net revenues in FY Q2'19. As you'd imagine, GTA Online was a primary driver for recurrent consumer spending (microtransactions, DLC, add-ons, etc), which comprised 49% of total net revenues or $241.57 million.

Propelled by NBA 2K19 and GTA V, digital earnings made up over 72% of Take-Two's sales earnings for the quarter, showing just how strong the company's engagement strategies really are.