April 2008General sourceWell documented
GTA IV: The Richest Launch in Entertainment
On the timeline · around April 2008 ·
What happened
Grand Theft Auto IV, following immigrant Niko Bellic through a reimagined Liberty City, launched in April 2008 to rapturous reviews. It sold over 3.6 million copies on day one and more than $500 million worldwide in its first week.
Why it matters
GTA IV was hailed as the biggest launch in entertainment history at the time, cementing Rockstar as a commercial force rivaling Hollywood.
Sources
- CNN. Grand Theft Auto IV steals sales records (2008) · General source
Related timelines
- History of Video Games → — A record-shattering blockbuster launch