Rockstar Responds to GTA 6 Budget Rumors, Likely Still the Priciest Game Ever

Rockstar has firmly denied the speculation that the development costs for GTA 6 have exceeded $1.5 billion, addressing rumors circulating online. Despite this clarification, the game is still anticipated to be the most expensive video game ever produced. In a comprehensive report from Bloomberg regarding the development of GTA 6, Jennifer Kolbe, the head of publishing at Rockstar, labeled the rumor that the game's budget surpassed the cost of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai—estimated at $1.5 billion—as inaccurate. However, she did not disclose the actual budget for the game. This rumor appears to have originated from a July 2025 article by Gulf News, which suggested that while the Burj Khalifa cost $1.5 billion, GTA 6 might have a budget of $2 billion. Earlier this year, Business Insider reported an estimated budget range of $1 to $1.5 billion, based on insights from industry analysts during an interview with Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of Take-Two, Rockstar's parent company. Although Zelnick refrained from revealing the exact expenditure on GTA 6, he acknowledged that it was indeed a significant investment. While Rockstar asserts that the budget for GTA 6 is below $1.5 billion, it is still expected to be the most expensive video game ever. The only title that may rival GTA 6's budget is the space simulation game Star Citizen, which has amassed over $1 billion through ongoing sales of virtual spacecraft. In contrast, Bungie's recently launched extraction shooter reportedly had a budget exceeding $250 million. Additionally, reports indicate that the initial development cost for Concord was approximately $200 million. In 2023, documents uncovered during the Xbox Federal Trade Commission case revealed that The Last of Us: Part II and Horizon Forbidden West each exceeded $200 million in development costs. Last year also saw the unveiling of the staggering budgets behind Call of Duty games, with Activision investing $700 million in Black Ops Cold War alone throughout its lifecycle, yet GTA 6 is poised to outstrip them all. Bloomberg's report highlights that Rockstar has expanded to 4,711 employees across 12 offices, a substantial increase from the 2,441 staff present at the time of Red Dead Redemption 2's release in 2018. This growth over the past eight years has undoubtedly contributed to increased operational costs. According to Bloomberg, the colossal budget for GTA 6 is expected to yield quick returns, with forecasts suggesting up to 40 million copies sold and $3 billion in revenue within the first four months of its launch in November. The standard edition of the game is priced at $80, representing a $10 increase over typical AAA titles, while the Ultimate Edition, deemed essential by many, retails for $100. Furthermore, the anticipated launch of online multiplayer—potentially coinciding with the PC version's expected release in Q1 2027—will likely enhance revenue further. Consequently, even if the development costs are just below $1.5 billion, the financial risk appears manageable. In July, analysis from Newzoo estimated that GTA 6 generated around $180 million in digital preorders in the U.S. and the five largest European markets during the final week of June, following the launch of preorders on June 25. By applying GTA 5's player distribution data, Newzoo projected global first-week preorders for GTA 6 to reach approximately $260 million. Based on similar preorder trends, GTA 6 is currently projected to achieve cumulative sales between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion by the end of its launch week. GTA 5 set a record in 2013 by grossing $1 billion in just three days, making it the fastest-selling entertainment product ever, closely followed by Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Endgame, which took five days to reach the same milestone. GTA 6 is on track to surpass this achievement. GTA 5 has become the second best-selling video game of all time, with nearly 230 million units sold, trailing only Minecraft. It raises the question: will GTA 6 eventually outpace Minecraft's 400 million sales? In other developments regarding GTA 6, Bloomberg reported that Rockstar has committed to ensuring that its next game will not take as long to develop as GTA 6, although details about this future project remain undisclosed.