Back in May of 2020, the game was available for free on Steam and is reported to have seen close to 20 million downloads causing the site to crash. It managed to rack up more than a billion dollars in just 24 hours of release.
Today, with a total of 16 editions, they’ve sold over 350 million copies and with their last instalment, Grand Theft Auto V with 150 million+ sales alone. However, we wonder how did this singular open-world franchise blow up? What led to its success? And why was it so controversial that Australia, Germany and Great Brittain were banning it? I mean, what else would a teenager want? It’s a no-brainer. More so, the cheats, guns and mods literally allowed you to jump into a fully customisable reality with a real ‘No Holds Barred’ feeling. Driving an Infernus down the Vice City coastal strip or doing The Green Sabre mission in San Andreas certainly has an unmatched charm. Since the late 90s, whenever someone copped a new gaming console – Be it an Xbox, Playstation or Windows, the first game on their wishlist was always Grand Theft Auto. What started off in 1997 has turned into a multibillion-dollar, pop-cultural icon despite years of controversy - here’s how. GTA or Grand Theft Auto is arguably the most sought after gaming franchise of this era.
