Fans of the "Grand Theft Auto" video game franchise are just two weeks away from getting their hands on the latest edition, which has taken almost a decade to make.
GTA VI, which comes 13 years after its predecessor, is expected to break sales records when it lands on November 19.
"It is going to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time," Chris Dring of The Game Business outlet told AFP.
The previous edition, GTA V, is still the second-biggest selling game ever, taking just three days to rack up $1 billion in sales.
The budget of GTA VI has reportedly ballooned to over $1 billion, with projections suggesting it could make several billion in its first week.
GTA VI has two main protagonists, former drug-runner Jason and newly released ex-con Lucia, who try to survive in Vice City, a reimagining of Miami.
Rockstar Games has spent eight years developing the sixth edition, a process beset by difficulties including the leak of development footage and code for the game online in 2022.
"They've spent a long time on this game, but they are probably the top game entertainment creators in the world," said Dring.
Analysts expect the game to have an impact on the entire video game sector, including on console sales and accessories.
Several other studios delayed the release of new games to avoid being caught in the hype cycle around GTA VI.
Analysis firm Sensor Tower said the game had already generated around $750 million from pre-sales. — AFP
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