GTA V predicted to outsell Call of Duty in 2013

GTA V could outsell Call of Duty in 2013 if analyst predictions come true.  Arvind Bhatia of Sterne Agee estimates that GTA V will outsell Call of Duty this year, and sell 18 million copies in its first sixth months on the market.  A team of analysts at the investment firm estimate that Rockstar has spent $137 million dollars on development of the game thus far, believing that around 250 people have been working on the game for about five years.

GTA V could mean huge profits for Take Two in 2013, depending on how aggressively the game is marketed.  Rockstar recently announced that GTA V would be delayed from its original spring release date until September, putting it as one of the lead titles for the holiday season. Following the game’s delay announcement  Take Two Interactive’s stock dropped precipitously, and it’s likely due to the high expectations that investors have for sales of the popular franchise.

If GTA V does end up outselling Call of Duty in 2013, it would be the first time in a while that any game has been able to overthrow Activision’s juggernaut from the top sales spot.  It could also prove that it isn’t just shooters that drives gamers to retailers going forward.