GTA VI is Anticipated to Surpass $3 Billion in Sales Within Its Inaugural Year
Grand Theft Auto 6 is projected to generate over $3 billion in sales during its first year
Rockstar's highly anticipated open-world crime game is currently scheduled for release in fall 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, with no PC version announced yet; it's expected to follow later.
Financial Times Report
According to a recent
Financial Times report, based on analysis from research firm DFC Intelligence, GTA 6 is projected to generate over $1 billion in pre-orders before launch. The game is widely regarded as the biggest entertainment release of 2025, surpassing any film or competing game.
DFC forecasts total revenue of $3.2 billion in the first year post-release. For comparison, the highest-grossing film of 2024, "Inside Out 2," earned just under $1.7 billion worldwide. In 2013, Grand Theft Auto 5 broke records by achieving $1 billion in sales within three days of launch—a feat still unmatched in the entertainment industry.
Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar's parent company Take-Two, told the Financial Times: "I never claim victory before it's achieved. But that said, I think Rockstar Games will once again deliver something absolutely phenomenal... Expectations are certainly high."
Most Important Thing Ever Released
The enormous expected revenues of GTA 6 are matched by equally large development costs. Estimates from the Financial Times suggest these costs range from hundreds of millions of dollars to possibly $2 billion. There's a lot at stake, not just for Take-Two and Rockstar, but for the entire gaming industry. Analyst Mat Piscatella predicted last year that GTA 6 would spark a "renewed interest" in video games, calling it "likely the most important thing ever released in the industry, so no pressure."
GTA 6 is the kind of game that sells consoles. Sony's PS5 Pro is also expected to benefit greatly from the interest in the game. Keep in mind that GTA 6 will not be available on PC at launch; players will need to own a PlayStation or Xbox. Furthermore, the online component of GTA 6 will undoubtedly be packed with microtransactions, similar to the current GTA Online where you can purchase Shark Cards to make life in the world easier. Microsoft and Sony will get their share of those revenues.
As the Financial Times notes, the almost certain success of GTA 6 comes amid one of the toughest periods for the video game industry in recent memory. Since 2022, more than 33,000 people have lost their jobs, with major layoffs at companies like Microsoft and Sony. Take-Two has also faced layoffs and studio closures.
All eyes are now on Rockstar for a definitive release date for GTA 6, or, as some predict, the possibility of a delay until 2026.
Big thanks to Rockstar Games for the images and Financial Times for the info!
