GTA 6 set to be more expensive than previously thought, official government document reveals

An official document from Rockstar North has revealed the studio has spent over $2.1 billion on salaries since 2019, which will make the production costs for Grand Theft Auto far higher than previously expected.

Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto 6 has been in pre-production since around 2018, shortly after the release of Red Dead Redemption 2, and "in earnest" development began in 2020, according to Take-Two Interactive, the publisher of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

According to official government documentation pulled from Rockstar's financial statements, Rockstar North has spent over $2.1 billion on salaries and wages since 2019, and by the time that Grand Theft Auto 6 releases in November this year, the studio will have spent an estimated $3 billion in total.

Previously, analysts expected Rockstar to have spent $2 billion by the end of GTA 6's development, including game development, salaries/wages, marketing, and long-term production. While that figure hasn't been confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two Interactive, it's been widely reported by multiple outlets citing Rockstar's financial statements. If these figures are accurate, and they appear to be, GTA 6 will be the most expensive video game ever made, shattering any previous record holders, including Rockstar itself.

To put GTA 6's development costs into perspective, Cyberpunk 2077 is estimated to have cost CD Projekt Red $436 million, Red Dead Redemption 2 anywhere between $370 and $540 million, and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II $300+ million. If you are interested in more GTA 6 news, the title is expected to have a next-gen breakable glass system.