Those of you that were doubting Red Dead Redemption 2 to be a peak performer this holiday season…well, you don’t know Red Dead.
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Rockstar Games has just reported that the hit sequel, which launched late last month, has already sold more than 17 million units worldwide as of today. That easily outperforms the sales numbers of the original game, and within just a less than two week period. This game is an unstoppable beast in that regard.
The original Red Dead Redemption sold through 15 million copies since its initial release in 2011, becoming a modest hit for Rockstar Games before it moved on to its much more successful Grand Theft Auto V in 2013, which is nearing the 100 million sold mark. No word yet if Red Dead Redemption 2 will approach that point, but the fact it cleared 17 million in such a short time frame — and without Red Dead Online to boot — is impressive.
Rockstar previously noted that the game earned more than $725 million in its first three days of release, coming up in second place behind the $1 billion debut of Grand Theft Auto V. Obviously coming up second isn’t a bad place to be.
As a result of these numbers, Take-Two has managed to update its financial outlook for fiscal 2019, though it didn’t say specifically as to where the numbers now lie. More than likely, we’ll find out in just a few days’ time.
And sales aren’t likely to slow down for Red Dead either. As we stated in a previous story, Red Dead Online is set to go into beta sometime this month, introducing players to an interactive world filled with mini-games and opportunities, including the possibilities of joining up with a gang and getting into all sorts of trouble. It’s a smart move by the company, as the Grand Theft Auto Online component of Grand Theft Auto V has become a long-lasting factor for that game — one that still sees weekly updates years past its introduction. A date for the beta hasn’t been given as of yet.
Rockstar hasn’t commented on the sales numbers yet, but Take-Two chairman Strauss Zelnick did previously note that he was happy that the main game and the online portion didn’t launch at the same time. Looks like he had a point, as the single player portion has become a huge draw for players everywhere. No doubt Red Dead Online will continue to bolster that success.
And who knows, with an introduction on the PC front (which is still rumored and unconfirmed at this point), we could see even bigger sales from the game. Don’t be surprised if an announcement rolls around sometime next year, just as Grand Theft Auto V previously saw.
We’ll keep you informed as to what else gets added to the game in the weeks ahead. But, yeah, if you haven’t jumped into Red Dead Redemption 2, this is as good a time as any. Read our review if you want to find out why.
Red Dead Redemption 2 is available now for Xbox One and PlayStation 4.
(Hat tip to Variety for the scoop!)
