Rockstar's anticipated next entry in its legendary series, GTA 6, is expected to make an obscene amount of cash. Considering that its predecessor, GTA 5, sold more than 200 million units across its lifespan, it's not surprising that analysts expect the sequel to make $3.2 billion in its first year of sales alone.
Add an expected billion in preorder sales before launch, and we're really cookin' with gas; the momentum of such an economic event will apparently kick off a new era of "renewed interest" in video games. These predictions come from a report from the reliably sober Financial Times, based on DFC Intelligence data (thanks, IGN), and suggest that GTA 6 will easily be 2025's biggest entertainment release. That honour apparently went to the film Inside Out 2 in 2024, which generated just under $1.7 billion, for comparison. When it launched in 2014, GTA 5, grossing $1 billion, was considered the biggest entertainment release in history.
FT estimates that GTA 6 has cost Take-Two Interactive somewhere in the range of the high hundreds of millions of dollars, to as much as a truly silly $2 billion to develop (take that, Concord). Despite that, CEO Strauss Zelnick seems to be pleased with how matters are proceeding, telling FT: "I never claim victory before it occurs. That said, I think Rockstar Games will once again deliver something absolutely phenomenal… Certainly, the anticipation is high."
Will the launch of GTA 6 be the most consequential in the industry's history, expected to succeed even in the face of fraught economic conditions in many countries? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
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In other news, water is wet!! More on the evening news.
In all seriously, it's a crazy amount how much money rock star is gonna make and that's without the online shark cards!
Well thanks, Captain Obvious. Who didn’t know this would happen. Of course this game is going to make a lot of money! It’s an extremely popular series and this is a highly anticipated game! Don’t forget the sun will rise then set tomorrow.
"The momentum of such an economic event will apparently kick off a new era of "renewed interest" in video games."
No. It'll launch an already existing interest in this already popular ip.
Its going to be the biggest game ever made.
I will be surprised if GTA 6 makes 6 dollars in its first day
$1.8 billion minimum on opening weekend alone. Its the most anticipated game in history. I’ll say it will lead the top 10 for several months too.
@LifeGirl GTA V will be 12 years old when VI comes out. A new GTA is such a massive event that people that have fallen off of gaming in the last 12 years might pick up a console/PC just to play it, so I think it's entirely possible that there will be a renewed interest in gaming for many, many people.
I really don't understand the fuss over GTA these days. I played the series up to IV (including the remastered trilogy) and seem to be the only gamer alive not to play V but it just really didn't interest me. I doubt I'll play VI either. For me GTA is in the same category as Fifa (now FC) or COD without the annual facelift. An easily identifiable casual game for the masses. It's very likely I'll be always busy playing something else to ever get on board
I’d go for Dollar dollar bill, y’all
Because fact into doubt won't go.
And so many still believe it won't make any money at all.
This should be filed under the 'goes without saying'. Talk about stating the obvious.
@PeaceSalad Brass Eye predicted 'news' would turn out like this with the advent of satellite TV. If they knew the internet was coming they'd it would've been even more satirical.
I really think the GTA formula is starting to become stale but equally, I'm surprised more developers haven't copied the formula.
This will absolutely sell bucket loads but I'm less excited about this game myself than I've ever been about a GTA game.
Call me crazy but could GTA6 sell tens of millions of consoles alone? Could PS5 end up outselling PS2? I mean this game will sell 100 million copies if not more and I bet a huge portion will be on PlayStation. There’s a lot of folk out there who would buy a console just for a new GTA
@Darude84 Me too, Wu-Tang forever 😎
I’ve said it before, but I do think GTA6 may crash the industry rather than cause increased interest. Theres the rumor that GTA6 may release at a higher price point than games currently, and, if that is true… it’ll be good for Rockstar and no one else. I’m praying it’s $70 like everything else.
No game sell more than the mighty grand theft auto franchises.grand theft auto 6 is going to be the biggest selling video games since grand theft 5.word up son
I am as big a fan of GTA as they can get, but the game has to come out first. Rockstar hasn't let me down yet, but in the era of corporate greed, rushed launch dates, and post launch patch jobs, I will buy this when we learn it's actually good based on reviews and tech analysis.
@Kiryu-Chan You're not alone. I played two in the series. Will probably never return. It was great though. There's enough new experiences to be had.
@riceNpea It’s beyond satire now isn’t it? You almost have to laugh. A lot of the old lot, Morris and Brooker etc… have all said it would be night on impossible to satirise todays world. Peter Capaldi even said politics are too cruel to even make light of nowadays
@PeaceSalad so true. You can't satirise much of what's been going on since covid because it's self-satirising; reality is practically indistinguishable from satire, beyond it even, into the realms of absurdity. What really gets me riled is that so much of it is dressed up as righteousness when all it does is serve to divide.
I hope the new GTA doubles down on its satire and attempts to send up as much as it can, be as 'offensive' as it wants.
@riceNpea Absurdity is correct mate. It seems that if you hold a mirror up to most now they like what they see. I’ll continue my retreat into the hills and woodlands I think 😂
Almost time to play GTA V then. Though at this point might as well hold out for the remaster on PS6. 😂
@PeaceSalad I wish you well in the woods, though you'll probably get vilified for spoiling the environment 😄
@rjejr you've got to play it just to experience the majesty that is Trevor. What a character!
Mad GTA5 came out during the PS3 generation and it’s still in the charts 10 years later.
No doubt GTA6 will still be top 10 in 2035 too!
I hope so, but if the recent news pieces are true it won't
I'm excited for the same reasons as other entries - the unparalleled sense of place. The soundtrack in particular is so immersive in GTA games. Having been forced to live in Florida for eight years also makes it enticing to me as that state does manage to encompass everything about America for better and far far worse. Not interested in online at all. I think to be properly invested in that part of the game, you'll leave little time for anything else and my backlog of quality single player games is at an all time high.
Teens will be the money makers.
As a 50 Y/O, I could care less.
Great now it's time to buy some stock in Rockstar
Well they have set a 10 year+ plan for it what do you expect
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