GTA 6’s development costs estimated to be over $1bn, as Take-Two head admits its an “expensive” endeavour
GTA 6 has reportedly cost Take-Two between $1 billion and $1.5 billion to develop, making it potentially the most expensive video game ever made. The staggering figure comes from industry analyst estimations reported by Business Insider following an interview with Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick. While Zelnick declined to confirm the exact development budget, he acknowledged the project “was expensive.”
The budget dwarfs other major recent releases. Horizon Forbidden West cost $212 million over five years with 300 employees, while The Last Of Us Part 2 required $220 million. These comparisons highlight how GTA 6’s estimated cost represents a significant increase in development spending within the gaming industry.
Zelnick’s understated acknowledgment underscores the scale of Rockstar Games’ investment in GTA 6, which has been in development for several years. The game’s development has involved substantial resources as Rockstar aims to build upon the success of GTA 5, one of the most commercially successful video game franchises of all time.
The massive budget reflects the current state of AAA game development, where large-scale productions increasingly require billion-dollar investments. GTA 6 is shaping up to be not just another major release, but a potentially record-breaking development project in terms of cost.