Video game experts are predicting the forthcoming Grand Theft Auto VI will be one of the best selling games of all time, and if the trailer views are anything to go by, they could be right.
Rockstar Games announced the sixth chapter of the Grand Theft Auto series will hit shelves in 2025, the first in 12 years. Some experts think it will make $1.5 billion in sales in the first 24 hours alone, but it has already broken one major record.
The trailer for the new game dropped on December 4 and quickly became the most viewed trailer debut on YouTube, according to the site's global data tracker. It earned more than 93 million views in a 24-hour period alone and set a new view record for a non-music video debut.
"The Grand Theft Auto series has been at the epicenter of entertainment for decades and we expect the YouTube community and its creators to reach new heights for years to come with Grand Theft Auto VI," Leo Olebe, global head of gaming at YouTube, told Newsweek in a statement.
"Setting this new all-time record is a testament to the cultural impact of the series and demonstrates why YouTube is the leading destination for gaming content and pop culture."
The trailer shows GTA's first female protagonist, Lucia, who is first seen wearing a prison uniform during what appears to be a parole interview. Lucia then appears with an unnamed male lead and goes with him on a series of Bonnie and Clyde-style crime sprees.
GTA VI is set in the state of Leonida, home to the fictional Miami-inspired setting of Vice City, a landscape last seen in the 2006 release GTA: Vice City Stories.
Bryant Francis, senior editor at Gamedeveloper.com, told Newsweek on the day of the trailer premiere that he expects GTA VI could earn more than $1.5 billion in its first day on sale.
"This is the only franchise I can think of that is equally beloved by players who purchase one-three games per year, and hardcore players who will spend hours upon hours role-playing in Grand Theft Auto Online. That combined passion for the sequel is building to an explosive launch in 2025," he said.
The new game will be available to buy in 2025 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S games and other entertainment systems.
Matthew Thomas Payne, associate professor of media studies at the University of Notre Dame, explained why people loved GTA so much.
"GTA is the 'Great American Sandbox Game.' It celebrates and critiques consumer excesses. It rewards player exploration and experimentation. And it updates American cultural myths and stories for new generations of players," he said.
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