Red Dead Redemption 2 Hits 85 Million Copies Sold, Now Among the Best‑Selling Games Ever

• long‑term critical reputation and word‑of‑mouth
• frequent discount sales across digital storefronts
• the continued popularity of the Red Dead franchise

The numbers highlight how large, cinematic open‑world games can maintain strong commercial performance long after their initial release window.

Where It Ranks Among the Best‑Selling Games Ever

With 85 million copies sold, Red Dead Redemption 2 now sits among the most successful video games in history. In commonly cited rankings of individual titles, the order typically looks like this:

• Minecraft — the best‑selling game ever
• Grand Theft Auto V — second place
• Red Dead Redemption 2 — third place

However, the comparison becomes slightly more complicated when Tetris is included. Tetris has sold enormous numbers across many versions and platforms over decades. When all of those editions are counted together, it still exceeds RDR2’s total sales, which can shift RDR2 down a position in broader “all versions combined” rankings.

Even with that caveat, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of the most commercially successful premium console games ever released.

GTA VI Is Now the Center of Take‑Two’s Growth Plans

While Red Dead Redemption 2 continues to perform well, Take‑Two’s earnings call focused heavily on the company’s next blockbuster: Grand Theft Auto VI.

The publisher reiterated that GTA VI is scheduled to launch in November 2026 on current‑generation consoles.

The company is betting heavily on the release. According to its projections, Take‑Two expects fiscal‑year 2027 net bookings to reach roughly $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion, a major jump compared with the $6.72 billion recorded in FY2026.

Executives indicated that the majority of that growth will be driven by the launch and early lifecycle of GTA VI.

A Rare Case of Long‑Term AAA Sales Power

The continued rise of Red Dead Redemption 2 illustrates a pattern Rockstar has achieved repeatedly: massive long‑tail sales years after release. Grand Theft Auto V, for example, remains one of the best‑selling games ever more than a decade after launch.

For Take‑Two, that longevity provides a powerful foundation as the company prepares for one of the most anticipated game launches of the decade.

With 85 million copies sold and still climbing, Red Dead Redemption 2 has firmly cemented its place in gaming history—while Rockstar’s next title aims to push those records even further.