The sales of Grand Theft Auto 5 have famously performed highly long after release, remaining in charts since it launched. While it hasn’t quite matched the impressive record of Rockstar Games’ previous title, Red Dead Redemption 2 has helped Take-Two revenue beat targets in its third quarter.
Red Dead Redemption 2 managed to reach 23 million units shipped on its way to helping publisher Take-Two exceed their revenue target. Speaking to GameIndustry.biz, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick highlighted the success of their flagship titles online modes. “What’s really exciting is that during December, combined monthly active users of Grand Theft Auto Online and Red Dead Online took Rockstar to a new record,” said Zelnick.
Take-Two’s revenue reached $1.248 billion in the reported quarter, almost 100 million higher than their forecasts. This led to a gross profit of $350 million for the company. The most alarming statistic that came from Zelnick was the reveal that Red Dead Redemption 2 had shipped more copies in its first 15 days than its predecessor shipped in eight years following its release. This goes some way to explaining the heights Red Dead Redemption 2 has reached now with the reported 23 million units shipped up to this quarter.
Zelnick’s focus on how Rockstar’s online offerings have performed explains why there has been extensive continued support for both titles. Red Dead Redemption 2 recently added Rockstar’s take on a battle royale mode, Gun Rush, and continues to patch the online mode.
The ongoing success of Red Dead Redemption 2 will be interesting to follow, especially when focusing on how it compares against the rip-roaring mainstay that is Grand Theft Auto V. The game received critical acclaim for its storytelling and characterization, leading to the strong performance of the game on release. The future of Red Dead Redemption 2 will depend on the longevity of its online mode, which still remains unclear.
