Investment bank Piper Sandler expects the next instalment of the iconic Grand Theft Auto franchise to become the most commercially successful launch in the history of the gaming industry, WCCFTech reports.


According to the bank’s analysts, GTA 6 could sell more than 45 million copies within its first 24 hours of release.


The forecast is based on an analysis of sales figures from the biggest game launches of recent years, as well as activity within the GTA 6 community on Reddit. By the expected release date, the weekly audience of the r/GTA6 forum could reach 1.3 million users. Even using current figures—around 870,000 weekly visitors—an alternative forecasting model produces a similar estimate of approximately 46 million copies sold.


Analysts note that interest in the game continues to grow and could drive even higher sales figures. If the prediction proves accurate, GTA 6 would outperform the launch-day sales of GTA 5 by more than four times. Released in 2013, GTA 5 sold 11.2 million copies on its first day.