If it wasn’t obvious enough from UK public records and analyst reports, Grand Theft Auto 6 is an expensive game. Even Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick admitted as much, though he wouldn’t pin an exact number to the same. But while he’s keen on ensuring Rockstar Games has unlimited financial support, Zelnick is more than aware of the risks.
“Development costs have gone up and up. And we really do aim to deliver the highest quality entertainment on Earth,” he revealed to Bloomberg recently. “And that is costly. And AI influence is not withstanding. We haven’t seen those costs decline yet. Maybe we will. Maybe we won’t.”
Despite various high-profile failures over the years and the triple-A bubble under increasing scrutiny, however, Zelnick shows no signs of slowing down. “That’s a high-stakes game for big boys only. And I’m cool with it.”
Of course, this is the next mainline Grand Theft Auto. The last entry, Grand Theft Auto 5, was released in September 2013 and has sold over 225 million units worldwide as of May 2026. It’s shown no signs of slowing down either, and even Grand Theft Auto Online continues to be a huge moneymaker, with leaked data alleging $1.3 million in revenue daily.
Still, the pressure is on to deliver, especially with Grand Theft Auto 6 launching on November 19th for Xbox Series X/S and PS5. Zelnick has talked about this and how he’s “a billion” times more scared of it than other releases, but added that “the minute you stop running scared, you better get a different job if you’re in the entertainment business.” Wise words or wishful thinking? We’ll find out when launch marketing begins this Summer for the title.
