Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to become the most expensive video game ever developed, with industry estimates putting its combined development and marketing cost between $1.5 billion and $2 billion—more than the reported cost of building Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Rockstar Games has confirmed GTA 6 will launch on November 19, 2026, while pre-orders have officially opened. Although the studio has not revealed the game’s budget, analysts believe total spending has reached as much as $2 billion after more than a decade of development.
If those estimates are accurate, GTA 6 cost more to make than the $1.5 billion Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building. The skyscraper was completed in around six years, while GTA 6 has spent more than 12 years in development.
The game’s massive budget reflects its scale. Rockstar has invested years in building a highly detailed open world, advanced artificial intelligence, realistic graphics, motion capture, voice acting and a global marketing campaign expected to be among the biggest in gaming history.
Despite the record investment, analysts expect Rockstar to recover its costs quickly. GTA 5 generated $1 billion in revenue within three days of its 2013 release and has gone on to earn nearly $8 billion through game sales and GTA Online.
With one of the largest fan bases in entertainment, GTA 6 is widely expected to break launch sales records, with some analysts forecasting it could recoup its multibillion-dollar budget within days of release.
