Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 has cemented itself as one of the greatest commercial achievements in gaming history. The game has sold over 85 million copies worldwide as of March 31, 2026 - a figure confirmed during Take-Two Interactive's Q4 FY2026 earnings call on May 21, making it the third-best-selling video game in history, surpassing Wii Sports (82.9 million lifetime) and trailing only Minecraft (350 million) and Grand Theft Auto V (225+ million).
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick highlighted the result directly: "Rockstar Games' Red Dead Redemption 2 achieved its highest level of annual unit sales since its launch year, with over 85 million units sold to date."
A Sales Trajectory Like No Other
The sheer pace of RDR2's climb up the all-time chart is remarkable. The game sold 23 million copies in its first two months after launching in October 2018, crossed 50 million by 2022, hit 79 million by November 2025, and now stands at 85 million in May 2026.
Six months ago, RDR2 had become the fourth best-selling game of all time at 79 million units - it has added roughly 6 million copies since then, despite receiving no major content updates, having an effectively abandoned online mode, and still not having a native PS5 version.
| Rank | Game | Publisher | Units Sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minecraft | Microsoft | ~350M |
| 2 | Grand Theft Auto V | Rockstar/T2 | 230M+ |
| 3 | Red Dead Redemption 2 | Rockstar/T2 | 85M+ |
| 4 | Wii Sports | Nintendo | ~82.9M |
With this milestone, two of the top three best-selling games in history are now made by Rockstar Games.
No Updates, No Problem
What makes the number especially striking is the conditions under which it was achieved. The 85 million figure was reached with no native current-gen console version, no 60 FPS mode on PS5 or Xbox Series X, no major DLC, no story expansion, and no meaningful Red Dead Online updates since 2022.
Red Dead Online stopped receiving content updates in 2022 when Rockstar shifted development resources toward Grand Theft Auto 6. Rumours of a potential Enhanced edition for current-gen hardware have circulated, but no official announcement has been made.
The Red Dead Redemption franchise as a whole has now sold over 112 million units - including the original 2010 game and its 2023 remaster. The franchise generates a fraction of the revenue that GTA produces, as Red Dead Online never matched GTA Online's monetization success, but in terms of pure unit sales it remains one of the most commercially successful franchises in gaming history.
What This Means for GTA 6
Take-Two's CEO described the company's fiscal 2026 performance as "exceptional" and stated the company believes fiscal 2027 will "establish new record levels of operating performance," driven by the November 19 launch of Grand Theft Auto VI. The evergreen performance of RDR2 alongside a packed release slate puts Take-Two in an enviable position heading into GTA 6's release window.
During the earnings call, executives stated Take-Two made more money than expected in 2025, citing "better than expected performance" from series like Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption, according to Take-Two CFO Lainie Goldstein.
For deal hunters, Red Dead Redemption 2 remains one of the best-value open-world games available - and its sales figures suggest millions of players agree. Check current key prices below and grab it before any potential GTA 6 hype drives renewed interest in Rockstar's back catalogue.
Buy Red Dead Redemption 2
Live deal tracker
Red Dead Redemption 2 is currently available from CA$6.79 - a strong entry point for one of the highest-selling games in history.
