Editor’s note: This article compares revenue figures only. The profit margin between video game and film production differs due to the disparity in unit price.
In its short time in theaters so far, Avengers: Infinity War has already proven itself to be a juggernaut, breaking Box Office records. The movie has taken the record for biggest Box Office opening weekend in history, a title previously held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It reportedly earned around $725 million in its first five days, and is the fastest movie to hit $1 billion. We’ll have to wait and see what Infinity War ends up taking over its lifetime, but if its progress so far is any indication, it looks set to be one of the top earning movies of all time. This got us thinking about the biggest launches in gaming, and more specifically, how they measured up to Infinity War’s first five days on the market.
Grand Theft Auto V
Games Which Crushed Infinity War’s Launch Figures
Grand Theft Auto V was recently crowned the most lucrative entertainment product in history so it’s no surprise that it also had the biggest launch in gaming history. The game made more in one day ($800 million) than Infinity War did in five ($725.5 million), a testament to just how popular the series is. In its first five days, Grand Theft Auto V raked in $1.15 billion, dwarfing the performance of Marvel’s fastest-selling movie yet.
To date, Grand Theft Auto V has made $6 billion, more than any film in history according to financial services firm Cowen. The game continues to dominate sales charts despite being five years old this year. This is largely due to the game’s ever-popular GTA: Online component, which has earned Rockstar a lot of money through microtransactions and from players purchasing new cosmetic items.
