The 20-year-old classic is crushing newer titles and adding 2 million downloads monthly, proving Netflix Gaming isn't the flop many assumed while outperforming everything except Solitaire.

Breaking news: Netflix Gaming isn't a flop and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is thriving on the platform. According to Netflix, the 20-year-old classic has been downloaded more than 48.3 million times, a number that keeps climbing every single day.

It has consistently ranked as the second-most played game on the unlikely platform, just right below Solitaire. The award-winning Grand Theft Auto title requires an active Netflix subscription, yet it's still crushing the competition.

What would become this surprising success story began in December 2023 when Netflix struck a deal with Rockstar Games to bring the entire Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition to its platform.

All three games, including Grand Theft Auto III and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, landed on the service with improvements over their trouble-riddled console counterparts, courtesy of Video Games Deluxe, which now operates under the Rockstar Australia banner. While all three games enjoyed a fair amount of success on Netflix, Carl Johnson and the Grove Street Gang just hit different.

Within its first few months, the game was pulling in millions of downloads monthly. By the time Netflix had data from a year ago, GTA: San Andreas had already hit 25.2 million installs, making up the bulk of the trilogy's combined 36 million downloads.

It hasn't let up at all since. Even with GTA 3 and GTA Vice City no longer on the platform, the game remains dominant. During a 30-day period in May and June alone, the game racked up 2.5 million downloads. That's 1.5 million more than the nearest competitor, World of Peppa Pig (yes, really).

A game from 2004 is outperforming hundreds of newer titles, many specifically designed for mobile play. It's beating games based on current Netflix shows, games designed for today's generation despite its mature content, and even free-to-play titles that don't require a subscription.

Coincidentally, this is a recurring theme with the series. Grand Theft Auto 5, for example, is still one of the most popular games today despite its age. With that said, while Netflix has been scaling back its gaming ambitions in some areas, the numbers GTA: San Andreas are pulling in prove that the right content can still drive massive engagement.

With each subscriber paying monthly fees, those nearly 50 million downloads represent serious value for Netflix. Unlike traditional mobile games that rely on ads or in-app purchases, every player roaming Los Santos and San Andreas is already a paying customer.

Based on current trends, the game is adding roughly 2 million new downloads every month. At this rate, it could hit 60 million downloads before the year ends. For Netflix, the lesson is clear: quality branded content sells.

Now if only the first two Grand Theft Auto games can find their way on Netflix after being pulled from Steam.