Take-Two CEO on the GTA 6 Delay; Development Start, and Estimated Budget
OPla G
16 May 23:30
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0Take-Two quarterly financial report, as usual, was accompanied by a media briefing with its CEO. This time, the discussion featured an unusually large focus on GTA 6 — a title that, according to Strauss Zelnick (and it’s hard to argue with him), is the most anticipated entertainment product of all time.
Still, it may not be far from the truth. For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) officially cost $700 million, and GTA 5 reportedly had a $265 million budget. So, it’s entirely possible that GTA VI required a full billion. And if marketing costs — often equal to development expenses — are factored in, the total might well approach two billion.
On the Delay
The CEO explained that the delay, which occurred about six months before release (suggesting it was originally planned for late November?), was necessary to meet the studio’s high standards for a game that aims to exceed all expectations. He also reaffirmed confidence in the new date: May 26, 2026 — and historically, Take-Two games don’t get delayed once a firm date is announced. Moreover, it’s a good way to reassure everyone the game will come out. But then again, what else could he say? Even if another delay happens — something we don’t rule out — it’s still too early to talk about it.Development Start
Mr. Zelnick revealed that Grand Theft Auto VI has been in development “in earnest” since 2020. This indirectly supports the widely accepted theory that work began in 2018 after the release of RDR 2. As we know, it’s long been Rockstar Games’ practice to transition straight into the next big project after finishing the previous one.Estimated Game Budget
Rumors that the development of GTA 6 has cost $2 billion have been circulating online for a while. However, these claims lack credible or even semi-reliable sources. At some point, the figure simply appeared and was widely repeated. Recently, media outlets misinterpreted IGN’s reporting and echoed this supposed real cost — now said to exceed $1 billion. Yet, there’s no direct quote from Take-Two’s CEO confirming any of this. It’s likely that such numbers are just analyst estimates.Still, it may not be far from the truth. For instance, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War (2020) officially cost $700 million, and GTA 5 reportedly had a $265 million budget. So, it’s entirely possible that GTA VI required a full billion. And if marketing costs — often equal to development expenses — are factored in, the total might well approach two billion.
