Is GTA 6 On Track To Become The Most Expensive Video Game Ever Produced?

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.'s TTWO Rockstar Games, the developers behind the wildly popular Grand Theft Auto (GTA) franchise, are currently working on the eighth main installment in the series, GTA 6, and it could potentially be the most expensive video game ever made.

According to INTER, a well-known GTA YouTuber, the next GTA has an estimated budget of more than $1 billion. This staggering figure includes development, marketing and other expenses associated with the game's release.

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Fans who have been keeping a close eye on the development of GTA 6 will not be surprised by the reported high cost of the game's development. As per INTER's video, the game's development budget alone is estimated to be at least $250 million dollars.

This already significant figure could potentially rise even further when factoring in the extensive promotional activities typically associated with the franchise.

As of now, the top five most costly games ever produced are: Square Enix Holdings Co Ltd SQNXF Final Fantasy VII, which cost $145 million; Activision Blizzard Inc.'s ATVI Call of Duty 2: Modern Warfare at $250 million; CD Projekt S.A's Cyberpunk 2077 with a budget of $316 million; Sony Group Corp. SONY Interactive Entertainment's Destiny, which was made with $500 million; and Cloud Imperium Games' Star Citizen, which is the most expensive game to date with a budget of $543 million.

Despite the lack of official confirmation from Rockstar Games, speculation about the release date of GTA 6 continues to circulate online. 

As reported by Games Radar, GTA 6 could be hitting shelves in 2025. This speculation is part of a larger rumor that the game will be set in a modern-day version of Vice City, a popular location from previous games in the franchise. While it's impossible to know for sure whether this rumor is accurate, the sheer number of leaks pointing to a modern Vice City setting suggests it could be more than just wishful thinking.

Then there are the rumors that GTA 6 could arrive even sooner, with a potential release date of 2024. A Bloomberg article previously quoted "current and former Rockstar staff" who suggested the game was at least two years away from release, which would put it on track for a 2024 launch. This speculation was further fueled by Microsoft's recent response to the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority, which stated, "The highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be released in 2024."

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