'Red Dead Redemption 2' posts highest-grossing opening weekend ever
“Red Dead Redemption 2” had the highest-grossing opening weekend in entertainment history, according to publisher Rockstar Games.
The blockbuster video game set in the Old West earned $725 million in the three days after its release, the company said. “Red Dead Redemption 2” also shattered the PlayStation Network’s existing records for most pre-orders, biggest first day sales and highest sales after 72 hours.
“This is a game of rare quality; a meticulously polished open world ode to the outlaw era. Looking for one of this generation’s very best single-player action experiences? Here’s your huckleberry,” wrote IGN, the video game review site.
Shares of Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of Rockstar Games, rose more than 10 percent in trading Tuesday and were up more than 2 percent in midday trading Wednesday. The company is also known for publishing the popular “Grand Theft Auto” video games franchise.
“Red Dead Redemption 2’s” opening weekend sales eclipsed those of the highest-grossing movies in history. The game earned more in its opening weekend than “Avengers: Infinity War,” which took in $640.5 million, and “The Fate of the Furious,” which generated $541.9 million, according to Box Office Mojo.
“Grant Theft Auto 5” earned more than $1 billion in its first three days on sale, but it was released on a Tuesday, not over a weekend.
“Red Dead Redemption 2” has received “universal acclaim,” according to Metacritic, which gives the game an aggregated critical score of 97.