Entertainment
Analysts estimate Grand Theft Auto VI budget could exceed one billion dollars
The projected budget for the upcoming game far outpaces traditional entertainment productions, amid ongoing delays and labor controversies.
The short version
- Analysts estimate the budget for Rockstar Games' upcoming Grand Theft Auto VI is well over $1 billion, potentially reaching $1.5 billion.
- The game's development has spanned nearly a decade, with its official release date pushed back multiple times to its current target of November 2026.
- The massive scale of production has drawn scrutiny over workplace conditions, including employee allegations of intense crunch and anti-union actions, which Rockstar denies.
Key facts
- Industry analysts estimate the budget for Grand Theft Auto VI is between $1.1 billion and $1.5 billion.[Engadget]
- Rockstar Games has delayed the release of GTA VI several times, shifting its original 2025 launch target to May 2026, and subsequently to November 2026.[Engadget]
- Rockstar North co-head Aaron Garbut stated that GTA VI will feature 600,000 animations, which is double the amount used in Red Dead Redemption 2.[Engadget]
- The game has been in active development for nearly ten years.[Engadget]
- Employees have alleged intense crunch and late-night working hours during the development of GTA VI.[Engadget]
- Rockstar Games denied allegations that it terminated employees who were involved in unionization efforts.[Engadget]
What remains uncertain
- Rockstar Games has not publicly disclosed the exact development costs or official budget figures for GTA VI.[Engadget]