Rockstar Denies GTA 6's Rumored $1.5 Billion Budget

Rockstar Games has officially dismissed claims that Grand Theft Auto VI has a development budget exceeding $1.5 billion, ending years of speculation surrounding the cost of its highly anticipated release.

The clarification comes from Rockstar's head of publishing, Jennifer Kolbe, who addressed the widely circulated figure during an interview with Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier.

According to FandomWire, Kolbe rejected the $1.5 billion estimate but declined to reveal how much Rockstar has actually spent developing the game.

Despite the denial, Bloomberg suggests that GTA 6 is still likely to be the most expensive video game ever produced, considering the scale of its development and the resources involved.

Rockstar's workforce reportedly increased from 2,441 employees in 2018 to 4,711 across 12 offices in 2026. However, these figures represent the company's overall workforce rather than employees exclusively assigned to GTA 6.

The project also underwent significant changes during development. Early plans, reportedly known internally as Project Americas, involved locations inspired by both North and South America before Rockstar narrowed the setting to Vice City and its surrounding regions.

Rockstar initially intended to develop GTA 6 alongside Red Dead Redemption 2, but the latter required additional resources, delaying progress on the next Grand Theft Auto installment.

Although the exact production cost remains undisclosed, GTA 6 represents one of Rockstar's largest development efforts to date.

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.