Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • GamesRadar+ Replay
  • Mario Day deals
Don't miss these
Ghost of Yotei gameplay showing Atsu sitting on her horse between bright pink cherry blossoms, looking at a distant fortification built against a mountain
Open World Games Best open world games to play in 2026 and completely forget real life exists
Grace Ashford at her FBI desk in Resident Evil Requiem, covered with monitors and documents
Resident Evil Resident Evil Requiem has sold over 5 million copies already, but Monster Hunter Wilds is still Capcom's fastest seller
Red Dead Redemption
Red Dead All Red Dead Redemption cheats for single-player
Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats
Red Dead Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats and every code available
Key art for Marathon showing a colorful cybernetic character with a gun taking cover
FPS Games Marathon is already the top-selling new game on Steam, dethroning Resident Evil Requiem
Slay the Spire 2 character in a skull mask looking shocked
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 beats Elden Ring Nightreign as Steam's biggest roguelike, as launch players rise 162,000% over the OG
GTA 6
Action Games GTA 6: Everything we know so far
Best single player games: Arthur Morgan in Red Dead Redemption 2.
Games The 25 best single-player games to play in 2026
A screenshot of Red Dead Redemption protagonist John Marston.
Red Dead After 16 years, Red Dead Redemption's John Marston actor completes Rockstar's epic Western, and breaks down crying
GTA 6 reveal trailer screenshot showing a young blonde woman standing near a sunny rooftop pool, wearing a white and gold bikini
FPS Games GTA 6 devs "must be quaking" over so much hype, Hell Let Loose lead says: "Is there too much that people are expecting?"
GTA 5 new
Action Games 25 Best Rockstar Games of all time, ranked
Kliff holds up a shield to take the strike of a barbarian dressed in a stag cloak in Crimson Desert
Open World Games With a map twice the size of Skyrim and larger than Red Dead Redemption 2, open-world game Crimson Desert is real big
Gideon talks to a tied up Leon in Resident Evil Requiem
Resident Evil Resident Evil Requiem sets series record on Steam with a peak of 260,000 fans here to spend time with "hot uncle" Leon
Big in 2026 hero image
Games Big in 2026: The ultimate guide to the video games that will shape 2026 and beyond
A character fighting a chicken in Fable.
RPGs As GTA 6 looms near Fable's fall release date, Xbox Game Studios head isn't super worried about Rockstar
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. Red Dead
  4. Red Dead Redemption 2

Red Dead Redemption 2 sells $725 million in 3 days, the best opening weekend in entertainment history

News
By Austin Wood published 30 October 2018

The Western adventure shattered several industry records in just a few days

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Surprise, surprise: Red Dead Redemption 2 is making Rockstar a whole lot of money. The studio announced today that sales of the Western adventure hit $725 million in its first three days, meaning it had the best opening weekend in the history of entertainment, not just video games.

That record comes with a small caveat: RDR2 released on a Friday and had the best opening weekend ever, not the best opening. The record for the best opening is still held by Rockstar's previous hit, GTA 5, which released on a Tuesday and sold $1 billion in its first three days. Which means that, overall, RDR2 had the second-best opening ever. So, you know, not bad in the end. 

RDR2 also set several sales records on PS4: most pre-ordered full game, biggest day-one full game sales, and biggest three-day full game sales on PlayStation Network. Rockstar specified PlayStation Network sales - in other words, digital sales - so the PS4 sales record that Spider-Man PS4 set last month is still in-tact. 

You may like
  • A screenshot of Red Dead Redemption protagonist John Marston. After 16 years, Red Dead Redemption's John Marston actor completes Rockstar's epic Western, and breaks down crying
  • GTA 5 new 25 Best Rockstar Games of all time, ranked
  • Red Dead Redemption 2 Red Dead Redemption 2's enigmatic spider web puzzle is the first thing that's gotten me genuinely excited for GTA 6

The nuttiest part of all this is that Red Dead Online, RDR2's multiplayer component, isn't even out yet. GTA Online turned out to be one of GTA 5's biggest earners - bringing in over $1 billion through microtransactions in around four years - and I'm willing to bet Red Dead Online will follow suit. 

As Kotaku reports, these sales are directly tied to the annual profit-sharing bonuses Rockstar employees receive, which is good to remember given the widespread reports of interminable crunch during the development of RDR2.

Here's everything you need to know about the Red Dead Online beta.  

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
Xbox One PS4 Platforms Xbox PlayStation
Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Social Links Navigation
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

Read more
A screenshot of Red Dead Redemption protagonist John Marston.
After 16 years, Red Dead Redemption's John Marston actor completes Rockstar's epic Western, and breaks down crying
 
 
GTA 5 new
25 Best Rockstar Games of all time, ranked
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2's enigmatic spider web puzzle is the first thing that's gotten me genuinely excited for GTA 6
 
 
Best games like Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 developer never thought the newly uncovered mystery would be found, says it's "absolutely wild"
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats
Red Dead Redemption 2 cheats and every code available
 
 
Grace Ashford at her FBI desk in Resident Evil Requiem, covered with monitors and documents
Resident Evil Requiem has sold over 5 million copies already, but Monster Hunter Wilds is still Capcom's fastest seller
 
 
Latest in Red Dead
A screenshot of Red Dead Redemption protagonist John Marston.
After 16 years, Red Dead Redemption's John Marston actor completes Rockstar's epic Western, and breaks down crying
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 fan accidentally deletes his fiancée's save file, pays Arthur's actor to apologize on his behalf
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2's enigmatic spider web puzzle is the first thing that's gotten me genuinely excited for GTA 6
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 is now a "legally distinct" Pokemon RPG thanks to one creative modder
 
 
Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 players almost solved a puzzle hidden for 7 years before finding they missed the actual start
 
 
Best games like Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 developer never thought the newly uncovered mystery would be found, says it's "absolutely wild"
 
 
Latest in News
Marathon Triage runner shell throwing out medic drone
New Marathon patch seemingly makes the whole game a touch easier as Bungie nerfs UESC enemies, to fans' relief
 
 
Grogu saluting in The Mandalorian and Grogu
New Mandalorian and Grogu TV spot doesn't give much away about the movie, but it does show Baby Yoda sneezing everywhere
 
 
Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in Star Wars: A New Hope
Star Wars fans are discussing why two major characters barely interacted, but I think it makes total sense
 
 
Overwatch x Project YoRHa
Overwatch's Nier collab is here, but with no voice lines and a price higher than the action RPG, players aren't happy
 
 
Ghostface in Scream 7
Scream 7's Ghostface star doesn't know who she kills in the new sequel: "I'm going to leave that up to the audience"
 
 
Tinker Bell in Peter Pan
After 16 years in development hell, live-action Tinker Bell is a "high priority" for Disney Plus
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford in Star Wars: A New Hope
    1
    Star Wars fans are discussing why two major characters barely interacted, but I think it makes total sense
  2. 2
    Overwatch's Nier Automata collab is here, but with no voice lines and a price higher than the action RPG it's based on, players aren't happy: "Hello Kitty got more than these folks"
  3. 3
    Capcom, where the hell are my Resident Evil Requiem amiibo?
  4. 4
    Rachel Weisz's new Netflix thriller is one of the streamer's biggest flops of the year so far
  5. 5
    Resident Evil Requiem now inadvertently features an in-game ad for a Half-Life YouTuber thanks to Capcom leaving in a fake website domain without registering it itself

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...