Shops across the country opened their doors at midnight for one of the most eagerly anticipated game launches ever - Grand Theft Auto V.
GTA V is expected to smash sales records, shifting some 25 million copies in its first year and generating £1bn for developer Rockstar.
Enthusiastic fans queued to get their hands on a copy of the game, with industry experts predicting thousands of workers will take the day off or call in sick.
However, some gamers claim to have had a head start, receiving their pre-ordered copies of the title from Amazon up to four days before its official release.
The online retailer, which has sold out of the game, said it had launched an investigation into the claims.
"We have established processes in place to deliver new titles to customers on their release date and are looking into the circumstances that led to a small number of customers receiving this game earlier than intended on this occasion," a spokesman said.
At a reported £170m, Grand Theft Auto V is thought to be the most expensive video game ever made.
It cost its UK-based developer more than many Hollywood blockbusters, eclipsing the likes of 3D film Avatar.
Keza MacDonald, games editor at IGN.com, described GTA V as a "masterpiece" and "one of the very best video games ever made".
"Grand Theft Auto V is not only a preposterously enjoyable video game, but also an intelligent and sharp-tongued satire of contemporary America," she said.
