Grand Theft Auto 6 has been slow-cooking in Rockstar Games‘ kitchen for a long while now. But after a decade of building one of the most hyped video games of all time, the expenses are adding up.
In a new Business Insider profile of Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, the company boss declined to say exactly how much GTA 6 has cost. His only confirmation was that “it was expensive.” However, analysts are estimating the total bill could land somewhere between $1 billion and $1.5 billion.
How this budget eclipses even Hollywood
Anyone can see just how high the production budget is. But to put that into perspective, the upcoming game is also in a different league from most entertainment projects. Cinematic, narrative-driven games of this scale already cost hundreds of millions of dollars to make, and these already exceed the budgets of major Hollywood films. GTA 6, on the other hand, is reportedly pushing that ceiling much higher now.
The prequel, GTA 5, sold more than 225 million copies worldwide and even crossed $1 billion in sales within its first three days back in 2013. So the next entry in the brand’s massively popular franchise has a big record to beat more than a decade later. For context, Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 was one of the most expensive games ever made to date, which cost somewhere between $379 million and $550 million
Why GTA 6 may raise game pricing forever
Production cost is just one part of the story. Analysts cited in the report also expect GTA 6 to push beyond the current price ceiling for AAA games. One analyst predicted the game could even reach a three-digit price tag. This could be a tough move, especially at a time when consumers are already dealing with higher prices across consoles, games, and general living costs.