The PC version of Grand Theft Auto V has only been out for just over 48 hours now and it's already breaking all sorts of records on Steam. One record that the game just broke is the most users on a Non Valve Steam game at once, and at one point today, just over 300,000 users were playing the game at the same time which beat the record held by Skyrim by more than 20,000 users.

The game didn't sell as many copies of the original versions of course, but inlcding Pre orders, the game has already made roughly 100 million dollars which should put it somewhere on the list of 100 best selling Steam games ever.

WHat are your thoughts on the game's succes so far? Think it can do even better?

Besides the drugs, desensitization, sex, nudity, senseless murdering, theft, gore, language and various sociopathic acts, what is so great about this game?

Davideo7 : I think your list is what people think is great about the game.

Davideo7 :

It's fun.

Believe it or not, that's what most people care about these days.

The drugs are rarely touched upon, and when they are, it is early in the game, or when Trevor is involved. And Trevor is so obviously NOT a role model that I'm not worried about anyone emulating him, unless they literally are too stupid to live.

Desensitization is an issue in almost every video game not made by Nintendo these day. It's part of the world we live in. This is a bitter, jaded, cynical populace that has had enough and doesn't care.

Sex and nudity are two optional portions of the game. The only time I remember seeing nudity in the main game was an entirely optional visit to the strip club. At one point you have to go to the strip club in the main story, but all characters involved on this visit are relatively clothed. As thus, you are not required to see anything morally objectionable. You are able to, but this is on the gamers themselves, not the game. As for sex, there are sexual themes (again, mostly involving Trevor who wants to have sex with everything. Women, men, farm animals, but again, he is such a poor influence there is not one sane person who would attempt to emulate him). Outside of this, there is no "real" sexual content. The closest you get to "sex" are seeing breasts (optional, and only at the strip club for people who are creepy like that) and picking up prostitutes (who takes your money and just awkwardly rubs up against you in the car at an angle that doesn't allow you to see anything, and are, of course, clothed).

Senseless murdering is also a theme in almost every game that isn't a Nintendo game. This is not new.

Theft is practically in the title, I mean, what would Grand Theft Auto be with no theft? It would be awful hard to get from place to place, and it's no fun to save up money for a car that you might instantly total because drivers in these games suck. It's about fun.

Gore is relatively limited. The only time I myself was disturbed was a torture scene torwards the tail end of the game. It was particularly disturbing, and there's not a sane person alive who thinks that would be acceptable for them to do.

Language/Sociopathic acts are nothing new. Language is up to the writer's integrity, and I think the language in this game more than suits the atmosphere. Sociopathic acts are another common trope... and this time, Nintendo can't be excluded, they allow you to jump on and kill creatures who for the most part won't chase after you on a line. It's not even self defense as many (pirhanna plants) can't even move most of the time and you are completely free to avoid them.

The game is wicked fun, especially online. That's what makes it a great game. Whether it is because of all the things you listed or in spite of it, doesn't really matter.

GTA V is a great video game.

I'm a video gamer.

I play video games.

Ergo, I play GTA V... and like it.

Davideo7 : Persoanlly, most people that I know like the game mainly for the reason that it allows them to experience the thrill of what it would be like to do something that they would never so in real life.

Just to clarify in case my reply was confusing - I agree with David's assessment. I hate the GTA games. I think they are trash and the fact that they are so popular is sad in my opinion.

zanderlex : I personally love this game although it has most of what davideo7 listed theres a reason for that video games are generaly ment to get away from the life you have right now just for a little bit or just to have fun, the gta series allows you to do a lot of things you can't in real life and thats what so fun about it wether its going online and killing players for the fun of it or jumping out of a stollen jet at 50,000 feet in the air or blasting the army with a tank you somehow took from their base your always having fun and thats what you really need sometimes.

Man, I'll think it will do a lot better than it's doing now. All the time I'm seeing 'PC mashtur reec' comments all the console fanboys say 'but you don't have GTA V yet!' and that's what the PC lovers got, so I think it'll get even more popular than it is now already.

Also, zander and leggy just told what is so 'good' about the game. I've played it several times at a friend and in normal life you can not drive over people with a car or buy a weapon and shoot everybody in sight, but in this game you can. I think it's fun for about a hour, but after that it gets boring and not funny anymore. And almost nobody will thrive to be like the characters as they are so dumb, insane and unlikable, the only people who tried though are in jail by now. 
Do I think this is trash? No, but they could have been more original with this game though.