Grand Theft Auto V was released almost 7 years ago. In that time it has generated in excess of $6 billion from a $265 million production. At this point it would be easier for the treasury department to convert copies of GTA V into legitimate currency. No wonder then that RockStars prominent teenage driving simulator has now been declared the best selling game of the decade! Hardly surprising considering the popularity of the series, the pervasive monetisation of its online campaign and the fact that people must simply have forgotton that they own it. Its currently the sixth best selling game of this year?! Of course much of its venerable success can be attributed to its burgeoning online presence. What is a little harder to comprehend, though again no less shocking is that GTA V has also been deemed the “best” game of the decade.

In a poll created by LADbible, a most reputable publication that admittedly publishes some pretty amusing articles, the conclusion of over 9000 votes was that GTA V was the best game of the last decade. But is it really? Trying to establish a consolidating representative that adequately encompasses an entire decades worth of quality is a difficult task, particular one so objectively subjective. Evidently a games profitability and popularity are a significant measure of a games standards, as well as other contributing factors such as bias and the venerated ubiquity of the product. The GTA series has always received significant, though needless flack for its “controversial” depictions of females in their games, excessive language, gratuitous violence and flagrant abandon of one’s morals, but there’s also a growing trend that suggests the series, specifically GTA V is overrated.

Some argue that GTA V didn’t take the risks that IV did. Choosing to instead adhere to the traditional juvenile irreverence and vibrant locations that made Vice City and San Andreas such an exuberant place to violate. Embellishing the same scathing satire of American culture that has become the eminent social commentary of the franchise. GTA IV however was a ponderous bore. As bland as a Coldplay song called “Biege”. It was so committed to being gritty, nihilistic and grey (so very grey!) yet failed to populate its imitation Gotham City with any redeeming characters.

I personally don’t agree with the verdict, but I don’t dispute it either. There’s no other franchise that provokes the same dedicated fanfare as GTA. Perhaps The Last Of Us, Uncharted 4 and The Witcher 3 would be my own personal considerations, but I certainly don’t begrudge a game with such notoriety receiving such a prestigious accolade. Even if it is just LADbible readers.

What do you think? Is GTA V the best game of the decade? Let me know in the comments below. Cheers.