GTA 6 could be the most expensive video game ever! Check shocking amount

The development of video games costs tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars nowadays, but the upcoming GTA 6 could eclipse that with an estimated development cost that could be over a billion dollars!

GTA 6 is rumored to cost around $1-$2 billion, according to reports. (Representative Image) (Rockstar Games)

GTA 6 leak: Video games have become an extremely popular form of entertainment in the last few decades, not just for kids, but for adults too. It seems incredible that Michael Moon, an official representative of the board game maker Milton Bradley, famously claimed in 1977 that video games were “just a passing fad”. However, the ‘fad' has grown exponentially instead and the video game industry was estimated to be well worth over $200 billion in 2022, according to a Grand View Research report.

The development of video games now costs tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars, but the upcoming GTA 6 could overshadow that with an estimated development cost that could be in billions!

GTA 6: Cost of development

While the official figures are unknown, estimates put the development cost of GTA 5, which launched in 2013, between $250-$300 million. This includes development and marketing costs. While this amount is staggering for developing a video game, Rockstar Games has more than recouped the amount, with the game having a reported revenue of almost $8 billion worldwide and becoming the second-best-selling video game of all time.

However, the development costs of GTA 6 could eclipse those figures, with reports claiming that it could have an estimated budget between $1-$2 billion! At present, the most expensive game is Star Citizen which is still in development, with upwards of $500 million already spent. The leaked GTA 6 development cost would not only make it the most expensive video game of all time but also one of the most expensive forms of media ever developed. The news was revealed by @GTAVInewz in an X post. claiming that GTA 6 could become “the most expensive entertainment product of all time”.

Cost of each GTA 6 copy

This leak has fuelled rumors about the game's price, with reports claiming that GTA 6 copies could be priced at a staggering $150. Most video games nowadays cost $59.99, while the latest AAA titles for the current-gen consoles are priced at $69.99. Games come in several editions, with the standard edition offering just the game. The higher-priced versions offer several add-ons, such as exclusive skins, maps, weapons, currency, and other in-game content.

As soon as this rumor surfaced, it drew dismaying reactions from gamers on social media, with people clearly unhappy paying such a huge price for a game. Rockstar is currently $59.99 for the remastered editions of its previous GTA games such as GTA III, GTA Vice City, and GTA San Andreas, so the rumored price of GTA 6 shouldn't come as a surprise.

Do note that all the information is based on unofficial leaks and should be taken with a pinch of salt.