GTA V is the Single Most Expensive Video Game in History - Budget is Even More than Hollywood Films

GTA V has the highest budget recorded in history even after adjusting for Inflation. Comparing GTA V to Top Hollywood movies we see that its budgets exceeds even the likes of Avatar. Comparison of Budget between GTA V and other AAA Titles and Hollywood Movies is given.

[mafiahajeri]

Almost 6 years in the making... 9 days left...

[lnvisibleMan]

Has Rockstar released any info on the game's recreational activities. Loved poker in Red dead redemption. hopefully that makes a comeback.

[Peppino7]

It also makes a crapload of money so it definitely pays off instead of being a financial bust.

[ZodTheRipper]

265 Million ...that is simply insane for a video game. I hope it pays off for Rockstar in the end. People who pirate this should be ashamed of themselves.

[Ezz2013]

wow, that's alot of money for a video game

but all that money is not what makes it good game
i hope it's more like GTA:SA than GTA4
because i didn't like GTA4 at all

really the only game i loved the most from Rockstar this gen was RDR that was incredible game
i might be the only one though who didn't like the rest of their games this gen

[Angeljuice]

Yeah, I loved all the activities in Red Dead.

Lets hope this game doesn't go the way of "John Carter", can't see it happening at all but they're gonna have to sell in unprecedented numbers to get that investment back (they must be slightly nervous).

[Hydrolex]

this game is going to sell, they can easily double or triple the money

[FamilyGuy]

Let's see, 10 million copies sold at $30 each (We know they don't get the full $60) = $300 million

I'm positive it'll sell more than 10 million copies, probably 10 million on each console PS3 & 360, if not more

Rockstar, that name seems so fitting...

[DoomeDx]

Source. Where did they say it took them 6 years to make this!?

[mafiahajeri]

Too bad you can't report my comment for being "fake" eh!?

[GarrusVakarian]

Dan Houser said they started work on GTA5 as soon as GTA4 was finished.

[wannabe gamer]

it doesnt say 6 years, but the article that is the source to this article says 5 years. either way it all seems like there is no real source for any of this info

[PiTCHBLaCK]

Just to add to this, GTA IV Made 310M on release day alone! A World record for any Game or Movie.
http://www.theguardian.com/...

so I can only assume GTAV Will do better since it has more Advertising. Was watching the GB/SF Football game and there was a GTA V Commercial for the PS3!.

[humbleopinion]

I wouldn't bother asking for sources. The "article" author didn't even make the obvious distinction between development budget and marketing budget, while comparing the dev+marketing budget of GTA to development budget alone for other games. Modern Warfare 2 for example already ecplised 250M$ total budget according to similar sources, split 50:200 between dev and marketing respectively.

[TomShoe]

ITS HAPPENING

http://cdn.smosh.com/sites/...

[Pope_Kaz_Hirai_II]

red dead on pc next rockstar plz.

[Shadowsteal]

Get a console, pc gamers like you whine so much when it comes to stuff like this.

[Panthers]

Whats wrong with wanting an awesome game on your console of choice? Some people really prefer PC.

[JetsFool3500]

Nahh id rather have gta 5 being ported to pc & next-gen B4 Red Dead

[0ut1awed]

@Jets
I agree. I want it on my pc but owners of the PS4/X1 should also hope a pc version comes out.

If it does then it is highly likely they will make ps4 and xbox one versions since the architecture is so similar.

[Alexious]

Almost there.

[SonyPS360]

Then another week or two until everyone calls it "over rated", and undeserving of any praise it may have gotten.

[johndoe11211]

The game looks awesome and I hope it does well but this is the problem with the gaming industry right here. No company should spend this kind of money behind a video game regardless of the title. When companies do this and the game does not recuperate the money it took to make it the public and used game sales get blamed. This is the argument devs and microsoft were using to justify all that DRM bs. Gaming companies must find a way to make quality games without spending this kind of money otherwise we will never see the end of them trying to shove DRM down our throats or trying to get rid of the used game market.

[mafiahajeri]

GTA is a exception to the rule, which I agree with btw. GTA is a game that is released every couple of years, almost 6 this time. Look at COD they released like 6 games on different platforms while GTA was being made. The care that is taken into the devolpment justifies the cost of devolpment.

Don't worry GTA will make their money back and then some...

[DamntaionEternal]

LOL Grammer Nazi -------------->

[mafiahajeri]

Lool

[Relientk77]

Grammar

[Trenta27]

That made my day. Thank you.

[wenaldy]

Halt, grammer zeit!!!

[NeXXXuS]

Oh, the irony.

[ZBlacktt]

And it's not even a Next Gen game. They'll make it back easy being a multiplatform and having massive preorders.

[mafiahajeri]

Their going to port it though...

[SemRex]

Hopefully. But considering how they're treating GTA: Online almost like a separate game, I'm thinking they might let the the single player game stay on current gen and have GTA:O eventually carry over.

[cell989]

Plus they have a big install base

[Panthers]

This game is going to have legs. They can make a small investment to update it to next gen and boom, another huge amount of sales.

A lot of the people who buy it now will get it again.

[wannabe gamer]

ok this is i think the same exact thing that was said about GTA 4 and then completely debunked by rockstar. so yea here we go again

[culpepper516]

if this is true they'll clearly bring it to next-gen. so many people would buy the game again. open world games are set to show the most improvement next gen

[JewyMcJew]

I certainly hope so! If it goes PC, it goes next-gen. (I think that applies to everything for the next 5 years... wohoo!)

[ufo8mycat]

To be honest I wouldn't play it again if it came out on PS4/XBONE

You will be playing the same exact game again - the only difference would be the graphics.

Would still be the same gameplay,city,missions,story etc.

Maybe 2 years down the track, I could play it again.

I replayed GTA4 2 years after completing it the first time.

I think they should wait couple years before releasing GTA 5 for PS4/XBONE. Maybe 'Complete edition' with all the DLC?

[KwietStorm_BLM]

No, it wouldn't just be the graphics improving, it would be the performance, the draw distance, the loading/startup time, live streaming and gameplay recording, and they possibly even up the player count online. I wouldn't even think twice about buying it again, especially if it gets a upgrade discount. GTA isn't just any game for a lot of people.

[vigilante_man]

I agree. It would only be a port.

If they can create GTA V with the small memory footprint of 360/PS3 imagine what they could do with next gen Ram if they started from scratch.

Maps would be bigger, with better detail, with instant loading, with more things going on at the same time.

Someone is going to make an amazingly awesome sandbox game with the next gen technology. I just wonder who?

[JewyMcJew]

I thought Star Wars: The Old Republic tool the crown for most expensive.

[SatanSki]

Yeah, analysts estimated developement of SWTOR took $150-200M but there were claims it was $300M. Since author apparently isnt very well informed im sceptical.

[Grave]

All that money and still not releasing for pc as the same time as consoles is shameful.

[ravinash]

PC would have a big jump in graphix, so if they are porting it to next gen consoles, it will probably come out at the same time as them.

[Edi007]

If they dont make a next gen and pc release they will lose on it

[fattyuk]

Yeah ok lol

[HeyImBen11]

... serious? There are alone in the US avout 3 million PREORDERS and they only need ~4,X million copies to be sold to earn this 265 million.

[OrangePowerz]

That`s not correct if you mean with 4 million Take Two/Rockstar would earn 265 million as they get only a share of the 60 bucks retail price, some of it goes to retailers and some of it goes to the platform holder and the rest to Take Two/Rockstar.

[Double_O_Revan]

False. They don't get 100% of each sale transaction. A percentage goes to the retailer, shipping, packaging, etc.

They'll need closer to 7 million, or maybe even more I think.

[Edi007]

yes but 265 take retaileres part and taxes off

[TheOneWhoIsTornApart]

I think they mentioned the possibility for next gen release already. You are right about them needing to release on PC and next gen to sell far more copies.

[GarrusVakarian]

Lol, GTA4 made $500 million in one week sales.

So,no.

[xXxSeTTriPxXx]

Gta5 will make that back in day1 sales lol.

The world would have to explode for this game not to sale anywhere between 8-10mil copies in a couple of hrs after release.

When I check my friends list, if 20 ppl are on I bet you atleast 17 will be playing it.

Gta is a cod type selling game don't know what rock you've been living under.

[InTheZoneAC]

what's the difference between gta and cod?

quality...

[Angeljuice]

The trouble with your comment is that developers only receive about 1/3 of the retail price after paying off all the other involved parties, so 10,000,000 sales wouldn't break even. 15,000,000+ and you're into profit.

[SpideySpeakz]

OK mister expert.

[PiTCHBLaCK]

They'll get there money back. GTAIV Made 310M on release day alone.

[ufo8mycat]

Edi007

PC won't sell that great for obvious reasons

PS4/XBONE so early would probably sell but not as much as expected, due to the smaller install base compared to PS3/360.

They will make back the $$$$ EASILY with PS3/360 sales

They should wait a couple years before porting it to PS4/XBONE because:

1) They systems will have a larger install base
2) There would be more people willing to play GTA V again after 2 years compared to earlier - since they would have already played/completed GTA V on PS3/360. (Theres no way I would buy GTA V on PS4 in say 6 months, just to play the same game again after I ahve recently completed it)

[TNTgamer]

$170 million for those of you that didn't click through.

[HeyImBen11]

Its 265 million, you should click it yourself.

[ABeastNamedTariq]

£170M = (approx.) $265M.

[TNTgamer]

My bad, Yes I am from the UK

[SonyPS360]

@TNTgamer

Then why did you use the dollar sign?

[Rimeskeem]

dont worry rockstar it was all worth it

[asiatico]

60 dollars feels like a steal with this game if you compare it to many other games out.

[wannabe gamer]

no its more like the this game feels the way a 60 dollar game should and the rest are overpriced at 60 or even 50

[Angerfist]

So true, how often do i think, damn if it was 40 i get it. GTA5 is worth 100

[BLAKHOODe]

How much more would it have cost to release it on the PS4/X1?

[clouds5]

I dont care. Bring it to PC.

I have to stop myself thinking about how much better this game would be if it could use the power of the PC or at least ps4/xb1. Makes me angry!

[GarrusVakarian]

Better graphically yeah, but it's still going to be the same great game no matter what platform it's on. If you can't enjoy it because it isn't maxed out on a PC then that's a shame.

[wannabe gamer]

mods...that is all

[Jovanian]

'it's still going to be the same great game no matter what platform it's on.'

Not true, better controls for PC (mouse for shooting, driving wheel for driving), better graphics for PC, more user control and freedom for PC (independent FM), and endlessly entertaining mods for free

Back when I had console GTA 4 was fun to an extent, but then was boring. Rebought it on PC years later and it was a much better experience, how GTA was meant to be played

[clouds5]

I'm not a dev or anything but when you do an open world game that means that you have massive amounts of data that you want to have active because there is so much stuff going on and everything has to be seemless. The ps3/360 are extremely limited especially in the RAM department... They must have used hundreds of tricks to make such a massive world and I'm sure if they had access to 8gb instead of 512mb the game would be much different.

So I was more talking about the POTENTIAL an open world game like GTA could have on the PC or at least PS4/xb1.

It's gonna be a great game but still limited in some areas because of the ram compared to what future open world games will be like on newer system.

That said, GTA IV was a buggy rushed uninspired port for PC. Horrible port! And still it was much better and extremly fun experience on PC because of the modding community. Want to be Iron Man and blow up tanks and choppers in Liberty City? No problem. Go on youtube :) Its amazing what people have done...
So GTA V --> PC go go.

Piracy is an issue on all platforms. But PC sales are still good especially since steam has gotten popular.

[InTheZoneAC]

maybe you're mad that the entire pc community can't pirate the game?

[Jovanian]

says the console player whose 'community' downloaded early leaked copies of the game a couple weeks back

[Angels3785]

An AUTHORIZED download and the files were dug through....kinda like any game pre loaded on steam....except this version was unplayable so who cares if it was downloaded early....

[Are_The_MaDNess]

just to say it. loads of times steam preloads are zipped up in encrypted files. but this choice is the devs choice tho.
RS could have done the same thing with GTA5 on the PS3 aswell. if they really wanted.

[Are_The_MaDNess]

would say 60+ FPS is more important than better Graphics. sure they can set in better AA and better AF and longer LODs, but what i really want is a smooth and fast experience. bring it to PC guys!
got my PSN Pre-order ready and my PSN Wallet all filled up for this and i cant wait.
would buy it again on day one for PC even if its coming out on the same day.

[cell989]

Good luck dl that massive chunk of data lol, plus the Dlc layer on, I'm going physical media on this one

[wannabe gamer]

if you look at the article and the source it cites, it is just another article with no source. so this is an article from a untrusted site using another untrusted site as its source of which has no source

[OrangePowerz]

They spelled Gran Turismo wrong :)

I miss Shenmue from the list.

[MightyNo9]

Waste of money.

[Mr-SellJack]

This is y it'll suck bad!
Nothing new in the game,everything is done b4 and people will claim it's new
Total waste of money

[BlaqMagiq24]

So you played it already? Care to do a review?

[Mr-SellJack]

Please enlighten me and tell what's new?
Only difference is that GTAV does it best untill MGS V. And Final Fantasy release because it has 5 frickin years of development

[SonyPS360]

Again, you must have played it, since you're clearly so informed on what the game is like. So tell us all about it.

[GamePeace]

All this Money for a boring, uninspired game like GTA. Glad The Last Guardian, Deep Down ecc. are coming to Ps4... instead of this massoriented game for donkeys...

[PiTCHBLaCK]

You must work in Law Enforcement...just Guessing.

[---stone---]

$265 million... quick math @ $60 a pop, we're looking at approximately 4.4 / 4.5 million copies of GTA5 sold to break even. Spread that over ps3 and xbox360.

That money is easily made back within a week, most likely in a few days. Wouldn't surprise me at all if 5 million copies were retail store sold(disc) and digital downloads were covered on day one.

#cantwaitforgta5goddamnit

[tracyllrkn]

The publisher only makes 45% of revenue, so they need to sell 9.5M copies at full retail price to break even.

[vigilante_man]

Do not forget that they got money last time for being 360 timed exclusive on DLC, and this time they are getting Sony money for PS3 bias in advertising.

Anyone want to guess just how much Microsoft paid? Or how much Sony are paying?

[Masterman280]

Whoever pirates, downloads illegally has no soul!

[SmielmaN]

Boom. This. ^^^^

[Are_The_MaDNess]

agreed and this come from a PC gamer as many of you says pirate everything...... (not true!)

[Angels3785]

this game will be pirated to high heaven...I guarantee it...It WILL come to PC no doubt. But quote me on this how many millions will be lost to pirates.

[Are_The_MaDNess]

then i will say you will have to watch it be on top 10 on steam for months.

ofc there will be pirates! there always is. but the sales are always higher if they treat the users with the respect they deserve.

[Angels3785]

Not denying that at all it will be in top 10 steam, but millions of dollars will still be lost.

[Rezka]

And it will be worth it c:

[kingmushroom]

consoles rule, we get to play GTA5. so much for PC master race...my ass.

[Are_The_MaDNess]

really uncalled for......
yes the game would be playing better on a gaming PC with higher framerates. but really now. there is no need to make a huge fuzz about it.
alot of websites are taking pre-order money for the PC version around the world. its just a matter of time before its releases. there is no need to be an ass about it.

after a few months we will see if im right or not.

[kingmushroom]

ah GTA5 one more week away...can't wait. Shits gonna be Epic.

[tate]

Imagine if one Hollywood film or video game developer decided to skip a sequel, just 1 sequel ; and donate that money to cancer research or to the 3rd world countries for medicine and food..!!!! just imagine. and guess what , imagining is where all that money is going to. imagining virtual worlds and characters for entertainment is where 280 million dollars is going too.! incredible.

[dmeador]

You act like that virtual world soaks up the money. That 280 million eventually gets put in a paycheck for someone. Maybe you should take your paycheck for the next 5 years for the work you are doing and donate it?

[tracyllrkn]

45% of revenue goes to the publisher. So they'll need to sell 9.5M+ copies full retail price to break even.

[Jovanian]

Just so you folks know, most of that budget goes to marketing and not the actual game

Like, idunno, making a gigantic banner that covers an entire building

[Scatpants]

Good thing this game is going to make at least a billion dollars.

[Angels3785]

That's some good money....

[noctis_lumia]

i hope its more like gta san andreas than gta 4

sry but gta4 was garbage FOR ME,unlikable character,too many restrictions for a gta game

gta 5 looks to do everything right

[OrangePowerz]

Agree

[ajax17]

More than Avatar! Dayom! I wonder how much the music cost by itself...

[badboy776]

GTA5 is guaranteed to sell over 20million. So how much profit is that?

[GarrusVakarian]

37 trillionbazillionsqwazillion dollars.

[vigilante_man]

A couple of quid. Just enough for a pint and a bag of chips, with a few bob left in my pocket!

[jah-Fu]

pretty...pretty....pretttyyy.. ...prettyyy good

[LostPotato]

I'm not interested in buying this game right now.

If it ever comes out on the PC on cheap Steam sale then maybe.I'm to busy playing Saints Row 4 and Total War Rome 2 right now.

I except the game to sell millions and set another record of course. Nothing will change that.

[Tainted Gene]

why is Shenmue missing from the list???

It production costs were over 100 million dollars back in 1999 and was THE reason SEGA had to drop out of the console making business.

[Shad0wRunner]

Between FFXIV ARR, Diablo 3 and GTAV....im gonna have my hands VERY full the rest of this year.

PLUS I got my PS4 on preprder, too. ZOMG! O_O

[TBONEJF]

HUGE BUDGET MEANS BETTER BIGGER GAMES for GTA they should of compare from III/VICE CITY/SAN ANDREAS those other games can never be bigger than GTA

[brianunfried]

I'm pretty sure the previous record was held by Red Dead Redemption with $100 million, wonder why it isn't on the list.

[Mac420]

Some of you guys don't seem to realize they aren't getting all the money from a $60 price tag. They said they spent $185 million on production cost for Max Payne 3 an needed to sell 4.5 million copies first month to break even. So I'm guessing 12-15 million copies then they will start seeing profit. They also spent $80 million on Red Dead which R* said was a shot in the dark an profitted around $400 million. Don't think there worried to much about money, Max Payne 3 killed them tho sold around 450,000 first month, doubt they ever saw profit but there still sitting on RDR's profit. Money def doesn't seem to be an issue for them. On another note I'm glad this didn't come out on Next Gen would have turned out like GTA 4 rushed just to please ppl that are obsessed with eye candy. Gameplay > Graphics any day!

[cunnilumpkin]

"GTA V is the Single Most Expensive Video Game in History - Budget is Even More than Hollywood Films"

bzzzzzzzz.....wrong!!!

Star Wars The Old Republic (development and advertising) - 300-500 million, and that was for one single platform

http://www.escapistmagazine...

I won't touch this game till it hits pc, expect the announcement 2 weeks after console release

no desire to play this masterpiece in sub-hd with jaggies everywhere

[annus]

That's just one analyst, all the reports have it clocked in at 200 million. Pretty funny to think they put in so much money for a game to die so fast.

"However, that number refers to the development cost and doesn’t factor in marketing expenses or royalty payments to Star Wars license holder LucasArts."

That's what I could find in reference to the $500 mil.

[Bolts]

There is no way in hell I'm playing a game with less than 720p native in this day and age. My last sub HD game was The Last of Us and thats where i draw the line. I'm done with this generation. I don't care what this game brings, either they update this to the PS4 or the PC because I'm not looking at shitty blurry last gen textures ever again.

[claud3]

They will make their money back and 4x's that

[TheFutureIsBlue]

Hey R*, I know how you can get all that $ back. Release it on next gen!

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Spot on.

[MultiConsoleGamer]

Folks, this is why there is going to be a next gen console version, among other reason.

And we know a PC version is inevitable. Might as well release it on the Wii U and make a version for the next iPad, which is more powerful than the current batch of consoles.

[Kydawg]

Gotta spend money, to make money.

[IWasHere]

The most expensive Grand Theft Auto today. Which cars could you buy for this money?

[NBT91]

Isn't a budget the max you CAN spend and not the actual cost though?

[kaozgamer]

$265 million budget? They probably have the next gen console versions and pc version in development

[Denatsu]

If everyone bought the regular edition, they would have to sell a little less than 4.5 million copies to break even.

[arkard]

A lot more than that. 60 $ you spend when buying a game doesn't all go back to the game makers. They will need closer to 8 million to break even.

[MilkMan]

ROFL, please stop.
Just stop.
I wanna see Rockstars financials on this before I believe that load of malarkey.
LOL, 250 million.
(whew, I needed that laugh)

IF, it was that much and that's a HUGE "IF".
80% of that is advertisement.

Man, the net bugs out sometimes.

[Denatsu]

can't wait!

[Kidmyst]

Hope they make back double the Money then make a new Red Dead three times as big as the last.

[sypher]

Shame they didn't include Shenmue in the list.

[Johnsonparts23]

That's insane. But, Avatar cost more. It's studio budget was around $250 million but Cameron put up another 100 or so of his own money. Still, for a video game this is nuts.

[PickAShoe]

so uh, is hot coffee coming back? lol

[c0nflikt]

Isn't Bungie's destiny about as expensive or they think it is?

[iliimaster]

to this day i have yet to complete any game for GTA yeah its hella fun but on the missons where u have to follow someone with a car across town chasing someone for ever n then loosing them all to start from Zero and do it all over again... missions like that is what kills me and i end up putting the game away and thats how its been for every GTA game ive had

[GTAallday]

It is Vinewood after all.