Is GTA 6 really worth $2 billion? Here’s what we know and what’s just hype

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 16, 2025, 00:04 IST

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Internet buzzes about Grand Theft Auto 6's rumored two billion dollar budget. This figure surfaced from hacker screenshots after a major leak in 2022. The leak revealed early gameplay footage. The alleged budget includes development, marketing, and post-launch content. If true, it surpasses the cost of the Burj Khalifa and makes it the most expensive game ever.

Is GTA 6 really worth $2 billion? Here’s what we know and what’s just hype

Image : Rockstar Games

If you thought Rockstar was just making another open-world crime game, think again. The internet is absolutely losing it over a wild claim that GTA 6 has a $2 billion budget, yes, billion with a "B." That’s more than it cost to build the actual Burj Khalifa. But before you start imagining a game that delivers pizza in real life or drives your car for you, let’s take a closer look at where this figure came from... and whether we should believe it at all.

The GTA 6 hacker leak was real and it rocked the gaming world

Back in September 2022, Rockstar suffered one of the biggest leaks in gaming history. Over 90 gameplay clips of GTA 6 in early development hit the internet, and fans instantly went into detective mode. The footage was raw, buggy, and clearly unfinished but undeniably real. Rockstar later confirmed the breach, though they didn’t mention anything about money.

That’s where the alleged hacker’s screenshots come in.

In the days following the leak, screenshots surfaced from conversations supposedly between the hacker and other bad actors. In those chats? Claims that the hacker had access to everything from GTA source code to consumer data from big names like 2K, DoorDash, and Bank of Brasil.
Oh and they casually dropped the bombshell that GTA 6’s budget was around $2 billion.
Let’s be clear: this number is not officially confirmed. It came from screenshots posted by anonymous sources on forums, not Rockstar or its parent company, Take-Two. The alleged figure reportedly includes development, marketing, post-launch multiplayer content, and potential DLCs.
That’s not unthinkable for Rockstar. The studio has always gone big: Red Dead Redemption 2 cost nearly $540 million over 8 years and had an opening weekend worth $725 million in sales.
Still, we’re talking about a rumor from a hacker, not a verified document or financial report.

How does $2 billion stack up? Spoiler: it’s absolutely insane

To put that figure into perspective:

GTA 5 had a reported budget of $265 million.
The Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest skyscraper? That cost $1.5 billion.
Avengers: Endgame had a production budget of $350 million.
Cyberpunk 2077, one of the most expensive games to date, clocked in around $316 million.

If GTA 6 really costs $2 billion, it would officially be the most expensive video game in history, and probably the most expensive entertainment product ever.
Also read - Former Rockstar Games president Leslie Benzies shares excitement for GTA 6, calls studio’s vision “Unique”

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About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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