While the press likes to openly pit videogames and movies against each other, mostly because they aim for that same target demographic of males between the ages of 12 and 25, often this rivalry is hard to quantify. Until something like "Grand Theft Auto V" shows up.
The latest in the series of phenomenally popular "Grand Theft Auto" games racked up a staggering $800 million in its first day of release. To compare that to recent movies, it's more than "Iron Man 3" and "Despicable Me 2" grossed in their entire theatrical life. And "Grand Theft Auto V" has only begun its long dominance over the home consoles, at least until the new systems come out this holiday season.
What's more is the critical reaction to the game, which rivals most Oscar-worthy prestige pictures. The Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game sport 98 and 97 ratings on critical aggregator Metacritic. Comparably, the highest-rated movie in theaters right now is "The World's End," with an 81 score (in limited release, indie documentary "Best Kept Secret" has a 100 but that's because only four critics have reviewed it).
"Grand Theft Auto V" is what every studio aspires to achieve but rarely does: the wickedly entertaining blockbuster that's also widely beloved by the critics.
[via Vulture]
