Is Grand Theft Auto V the Greatest Game of All Time?

That’s a bold title, right? It has now been eleven years since Grand Theft Auto V was revealed to the world, and today, it’s still remarkably popular. We’ve seen a decade of GTA V, and while the timeline of the franchise has become something of a joke, there’s no doubting the value and resiliency of the game. Today, it’s one of the most lucrative, most highly-played, and most-watched games in the world, and it still picks up new users every day. We’re here today to answer an honest question – is Grand Theft Auto V the greatest game of all time?

There are many gamers out there that will instantly dispute that claim, absolutely refusing to place the crown on GTA V’s head. However, there are a few facts, figures, and statistics that might change their mind. Once you dive into the history of the title, it becomes hard to believe that it could be anything other than the greatest game of all time.

GTA V: Next Gen, Old Gen, and Everything in Between

In the last ten years (or so), we’ve seen GTA V release no fewer than four times. It has spanned three generations of gaming consoles and seen a hugely positive PC release smack bang in the middle of them. It has been remastered, reproduced, and today, the number of gamers enjoying it is still up there in the millions. However, it’s important to point out that the single-player portion of GTA V has gone relatively unchanged since day one, while GTA Online, the multiplayer portion, has flourished immeasurably.

In 2022, the GTA V Expanded and Enhanced edition launched, bringing forth a Grand Theft Auto V PS5 and XS release. Again, GTA V was being purchased by millions of people – many of whom had already owned GTA V in some form in the ten years prior. There can be no doubt that people are willing to re-experience Grand Theft Auto V over and over again, but is it really as popular as it seems?

Is Grand Theft Auto V really the greatest game of all time?

Let’s Talk Numbers

In 2021, it was revealed that in the space of 2020, Grand Theft Auto V had netted Rockstar almost $1 billion in revenue. Now, the vast majority of that revenue was secured via GTA Online, the real cash cow for the company, but it’s still technically the Grand Theft Auto V platform. Furthermore, at the end of 2021, it was revealed that for that year, GTA V was the most streamed game on Twitch. As time goes on, GTA V still ranks insanely high in terms of viewership on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming.

Image Credit: Statista

It doesn’t end there though, as there has also been an exponential rise in units sold as time has gone on. At the tail end of 2021, it was estimated that GTA V had sold more than 155 million units, with many more millions to follow with the launch of the Expanded and Enhanced edition. While it isn’t expected to top Minecraft, which is the most popular game ever by the number of sales, it will likely sit in second place forever.

On top of that, GTA V is one of the greatest games of all time, according to the sheer value of reviews from around the world. It’s one of the highest-rated games on Metacritic, and since day one, it has secured an endless array of top-tier reviews and rankings. Ultimately, Grand Theft Auto V still looks incredible, plays fantastically well, and these days, it boasts an insanely popular ‘RP’ ecosystem on PC.

Until GTA 6 is announced, GTA V will likely remain the undisputed king of gaming.

Read also: GTA San Andreas Cheat Codes