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GTA 6 Latest News: Cost of Burj Khalifa? Rockstar Reveals Truth Behind $1.5 Billion Development Budget Rumours as Fans Wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 Release

GTA 6 Latest News: Cost of Burj Khalifa? Rockstar Reveals Truth Behind $1.5 Billion Development Budget Rumours as Fans Wait for Grand Theft Auto 6 Release
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GTA 6 Latest News: The scale of Grand Theft Auto VI has become almost as intriguing as the game itself. After years of development, a growing workforce and expectations of a massive commercial launch, fans have been trying to work out how much Rockstar Games has invested in its next blockbuster.

The studio has now pushed back against claims that the game cost more than the Burj Khalifa, but it has not revealed the actual budget. Meanwhile, another big question remains unanswered: when will GTA 6 Online arrive, and will players have to pay extra for it? 

GTA 6 Development Cost: Rockstar Rejects the $1.5 Billion Claim

Rockstar Games has challenged reports suggesting that GTA 6 cost more than $1.5 billion to develop. The figure gained attention after reports compared the game’s alleged budget with the cost of building Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, which was widely reported at around $1.5 billion.

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In a Bloomberg report on the making of GTA 6, Rockstar head of publishing Jennifer Kolbe rejected the claim that the game had exceeded that amount. However, the company did not disclose its actual spending, leaving fans and industry analysts without a confirmed figure.

Earlier estimates had suggested that GTA 6 could cost between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick also declined to provide an exact budget when asked about the game’s development.
“It was expensive,” Zelnick said.

The comment acknowledges the scale of the investment but does not establish a precise amount. Rockstar’s response also does not mean the game was inexpensive; it only challenges the claim that the budget exceeded the reported Burj Khalifa figure. 

GTA 6 Latest News: Why GTA 6 Could Still Be the Most Expensive Game Ever Made?

Even without a confirmed budget, GTA 6 is expected to rank among the most expensive video games ever produced. Its long development period, large workforce and detailed open world all point to a substantial investment.

Rockstar’s workforce has grown considerably since the release of Red Dead Redemption 2. Bloomberg reported that the company had 2,441 employees when that game launched and has since expanded to 4,711 staff across 12 offices.

That growth helps explain why production costs can climb during a project that runs for years. Developers must build the world, create characters and animations, record performances, design missions and test the game across a wide range of situations.

The game also aims to deliver a highly detailed environment, with Rockstar developers describing the work required to make individual locations feel alive. The company has not published a complete breakdown of GTA 6’s development or marketing spending, so the precise contribution of staffing, technology and promotion remains unknown. 

Originally published by Sunday Guardian on Oct 18, 2026 Read the full article at sundayguardianlive.com
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