How much did GTA 5 cost to make?

After the recent GTA 6 budget rumors, the question of “how much did GTA 5 cost to make?” has been brought up again. Although Rockstar Games released the latter back in 2013, it is still considered one of the most ambitious games to date. While the studio has not provided any official figures to date, according to Wikipedia, the GTA 5 cost is expected to be around $265 million.

This article explores more about the development cost of the title.

Note: Some parts of this article are subjective and reflect the writer’s opinions.

Exploring the GTA 5 cost to make and other details

Expand Tweet

Note that the GTA 5 cost mentioned above is an estimated figure provided by gaming industry analysts at the time. Barring Grand Theft Auto 4, Rockstar Games has never revealed the development costs of its projects to date.

While Leslie Benzies stated that the development cost of GTA 4 was $100 million, this was an estimated round figure. Thus, knowing the exact GTA 5 cost may not be possible unless Rockstar Games itself provides details.

Also read: Is GTA 4 Definitive Edition coming to PS5?

The Wikipedia page for the 2013 game states that the GTA 5 cost was initially estimated to be approximately $137 million. However, it surpassed the budget and is believed to reach around $265 million.

It is worth noting that Grand Theft Auto 5 was regarded as the most expensive video game of that period. However, the rumored GTA 6 budget of $1 billion could end up making the forthcoming game much more expensive.

Also read: GTA 6 voice actor for Brian Heder could be Stephen Root, believe fans

Expand Tweet

While the GTA 5 cost is widely accepted to be $265 million, Rockstar Games may have spent more over time. GTA Online remains active with thousands of gamers still playing it. The studio also releases new DLCs every six months. Thus, if we consider the cost of the online multiplayer, the budget may have already surpassed the $265 million mark long ago.

Rockstar continues to profit from the game. According to Take-Two Interactive’s recent Earnings Call, GTA 5 has sold over 215 million copies to date. While the company did not disclose the earnings, we can expect it to be in the billions.

Also check out:

About the author

Mridul completed his post-graduation in Mass Communication, Journalism, and Media Studies. His career as a journalist began at Sportskeeda, and he has been associated with the Esports & Gaming division for over 1.5 years. He has produced 1600+ articles on Grand Theft Auto, his favorite gaming franchise of all time.

Mridul writes detailed and well-researched articles, relying solely on official sources and reputable insiders for credible information. His immense love for the GTA series shines through in his work, which resonates with readers, with five of his articles having crossed the 100,000 reads mark each. Overall, his reads count stands at close to 8 million.

GTA: Vice City served as Mridul's introduction to Rockstar Games, and he has dedicatedly made his way through the publisher's catalog since then. If given a chance, he would love to drop into the world of Bully and relive his school days. However, he would like to recommend Grand Theft Auto 4 to beginners due to the depth of its narrative and in-game mechanics.

Know More

Edited by Dinesh Renthlei