Back then, gaming was still in its awkward teenage phase. Most parents didn’t really know what to make of it.

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Was it harmless fun? Was it dangerous? Was it bringing your child closer to the devil? Who's to say.

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Still, these concerns are understandable given that some games can be pretty violent, profane, and long enough to compete with the time it takes you to queue at Home Affairs.

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If I were a parent without any context, I’d also be  wary of this new, strange, time-devouring hobby.

In our house, my folks were open-minded enough to allow it; but within boundaries.



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We had strict rules on the types of games we could play, and on how long we were allowed to play them.

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Also, unless the game could run on the family PC, you wouldn’t be able play it at all. Gaming consoles weren’t going to be bought just to encourage a hobby that might get in the way of homework, sports and sunshine.



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Still, despite this, my love for games only grew.

Recently though, my attention has shifted slightly. Not away from gaming, but toward something I never thought I’d care about: the business side of gaming.

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In today’s age, you can actually listen to the CEOs of these game companies talk about their ‘products’, and the numbers that surround them.



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And let me tell you, the gaming industry is no longer a niche hobby, it’s a massive sales, entertainment and cultural titan that’s becoming impossible to ignore.

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According to Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take-Two Interactive (and all-round fascinating business and leadership character with strong perspectives about AI in the creative field)

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‘The interactive entertainment industry actually generates more revenue than the music, TV and feature film industry combined.’

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Suuuuuuure. Of course I didn’t believe it at first, but when I started looking at the numbers, it all started to add up.


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Here’s an example of a title that stood out in particular:

Grand Theft Auto (one of my faves), developed by Rockstar Games and published by Take-Two Interactive, has continuously been topping charts since its inception in the late-90s.

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Some numbers:

• Grand Theft Auto 1 (1997) (released on MS-DOS, Windows, PlayStation 1 and Game Boy) sold around 6 million copies worldwide, generating $19 million in revenue within the European Union during 1998.‍
• Grand Theft Auto V (2013) (the latest instalment released on Windows, PlayStation and Xbox) earned $800 million in the first 24 hours, $1 billion in the first 3 days, and as of 2024 has sold over 200 million copies worldwide, generating more than $8.5 billion in revenue.

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To put that into perspective:

• Avatar (2009): The highest-grossing film, grossed $2.9 billion.
• Avengers Endgame (2019): Grossed around $2.8 billion.
• Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (2023–2024): Estimated to have grossed $2.2 billion, making it the highest-grossing music tour.
• Michael Jackson’s Thriller (1982): Estimated to have generated approximately $1 billion in revenue.
• Friends: Accumulated over $4.8 billion, primarily from syndication and streaming deals.
• The Big Bang Theory: Earned more than $4.57 billion through syndication, advertising, and streaming.

Staggering, isn’t it?

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These numbers aren’t even exclusive to GTA either. When you start looking at online multiplayers like Fortnite and Call of Duty, you’ll start seeing that these ‘silly’ video games can quickly gross 3x more than the highest-grossing films, TV shows, and music releases combined.

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In 2026, Rockstar Games plans to release their next instalment Grand Theft Auto 6, a full 13 years after GTA V, and it is anticipated to be the largest entertainment product release in history!

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So keep your eyes on that Take-Two Interactive stock 👀

It’s been pretty surreal seeing how far the industry has come since booting up Crash on that PS1 a million years ago. It’s wild to think that the same medium once dismissed and ignored, now stands at the top of global entertainment.

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As someone who grew up a little bit shy about loving video games, falling into this rabbit hole has been both eye-opening and strangely validating.

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If you’re into any specific games at the moment, please share them with me. I’m always on the lookout for something new 🙌