GTA5 World Records

Poorly equipped skydivers aren't the only GTA 5-related items to come crashing down to earth lately; industry-wide records are tumbling too. Following an unbelievably prosperous launch period, in which the open-world title exceeded all critical and commercial expectations, international achievement keepers Guinness World Records have emerged to recognize the game's success.

After much collating, waiting and tabulating, Guinness's latest verdict is in: Grand Theft Auto V is now the proud owner of 7, yes 7, World Records. These planet-topping achievements include:

  • Best-selling action-adventure video game in 24 hours
  • Best-selling video game in 24 hours
  • Fastest entertainment property to gross $1 billion
  • Fastest video game to gross $1 billion
  • Highest grossing video game in 24 hours
  • Highest revenue generated by an entertainment product in 24 hours
  • Most viewed trailer for an action-adventure video game

Addressing the game's incredible achievements, Craig Glenday, Editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, praised the game's success, stating:

"we're thrilled to be able to feature the game in the record books. Gaming is no longer a niche hobby, as GTA 5 has proved, and how exciting that it's taken on the might of Hollywood and won!"

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For all of its mammoth success, the GTA series can't lay claim to every video game accolade offered by Guinness. Even the mighty criminal sim franchise pales in comparison to some of these trendsetting titles:

  • Best selling video game franchise of all time — the core Super Mario series is fast approaching 300 million unit sales, double GTA's 140/150m (though the former franchise has 12 years on GTA)
  • Longest wait for a video game sequel — GTA 5's five year development may have rankled on some fans, but imagine waiting 22 years for record holder Legend of Kage's 2008 return
  • Longest serving video game voice actor — Ed Boon's 22-year association with the Mortal Kombat franchise, both behind the scenes and on the mic (as vengeful ninja Scorpion) eclipses "Lazlow" Jones 12-year run on GTA
  • Longest-running active video game series — GTA's 16-year success story is less than half the length of Space Invaders remarkable 35-year career
  • Largest playable area in an open-world title — Just Cause 2's Panau island stretches out to an astonishing 400 square miles, more than 8 times the size of GTA 5's more densely populated Los Santos.

Just how much more success will GTA enjoy? Can any title top the game's sales in the 8th and latest console gen? Have your say in the comments below, and be sure to check out Game Rant's rundown of all of the latest GTA 5 news, right here.

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Grand Theft Auto V — including GTA Online — is out now, for Xbox 360 & PlayStation 3 platforms.

Sources: Player Attack, Guinness World Records