Grand Theft Auto 5 has shipped 32 million units to date, Take-Two Interactive revealed in its FY2014 third quarter financial report.
Take-Two reported GAAP net revenue of $1.86 billion, a huge year-on-year increase compared to the $415.8 million of the same quarter one year ago.
The publisher’s net income came in at $578.4 million, up from $70.9 million in Q3 FY2013. The company now holds cash and cash equivalents of $972.2 million.
Chairman and CEO Strauss Zelnick said Take-Two’s success was driven by “robust demand” for GTA 5, the “franchise record-breaking launch” of NBA 2K14, WWE 2K14, and strong growth in digitally-delivered revenues, mainly from GTA Auto Online.
Take-Two is following GTA Online’s metrics closely, and “learning as it goes”, but has no doubts about its financial sustainability.
“Monetisation comes with engagement,” Zelnick said. “We’ve made no bones about having fourth quarter expectations for GTA Online. Personally I feel very optimistic.”
Executives failed to accidentally reveal release dates for Evolve or BioShock Infinite’s upcoming DLC, or to reveal unannounced titles. Curses. Take-Two did, however, say that Evolve is “one big one” it has announced for the year, but had “nothing else to say” about releases in 2014 and 2015.
Take-Two did not comment on the possibility of next-gen ports of GTA 5. The CEO acknowledged investor – and gamer – frustration with Take Two’s tendency to keep its release plans close to its chest.
“Rockstar will make announcements as appropriate, and so will 2K,” Zelnick said. “But we feel very optimistic.”
Release calendar
- Sid Meier’s Civilization V: The Complete Edition – PC – February 4, 2014
- Borderlands 2 & Dishonored Bundle – Xbox 360, PS3, PC – February 11, 2014
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim & BioShock Infinite Bundle – Xbox 360, PS3, PC – February 11, 2014
- XCOM: Enemy Unknown: The Complete Edition – PC – March 4, 2014
- BioShock Infinite: Burial at Sea – Episode 2 (DLC) – Xbox 360, PS3, PC – TBA
- Evolve – Xbox One, PS4, PC – Fall 2014
- NBA 2K15 – TBA – Fiscal 2015
- WWE 2K15 – TBA – Fiscal 2015
