‘Grand Theft Auto’ Developer Rockstar Games Reportedly Hasn’t Paid Taxes In Ten Years

Rockstar Grand Theft Auto V

In a development that is sure to shock gamers everywhere, Grand Theft Auto and Red Dead Redemption developers Rockstar Games and publishers Take-Two Interactive have apparently paid no corporation tax in the United Kingdom in ten years.

According to a think tank group known as TaxWatch UK the United Kingdom branch of Rockstar, Rockstar North has obviously been paying some taxes to the government but has apparently been receiving more in tax breaks then it has been paying back. According to this report, the Grand Theft Auto developer has claimed well over £42 million in Video Game Tax Relief between 2015 and 2017 alone. However, Take-Two and Rockstar North claim that they have only made roughly £47.3 million between 2013 and 2018 in sheer pre-taxed profit. And this claim is raising some eyebrows.

Since it was released in 2013, Grand Theft Auto V has been the single most profitable piece of entertainment media in history. While video game companies are often shy about releasing actual sales figures and expenditures regarding their games, it is estimated that Grand Theft Auto V has made well over $6 billion between game sales and money raked in from microtransactions with $5 billion of this in sheer profits. This has caused TaxWatch to raise some serious questions regarding what Rockstar and Take-Two are claiming and are demanding an investigation into the company and its practices.

As of the writing of this article, Rockstar and Take-Two have not commented on the report.

What do you all make of this news? Does it surprise you that Rockstar and Take-Two might be avoiding paying any taxes in the United Kingdom? Can Grand Theft Auto V possible be making so little money for the company? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Grand Theft Auto V is now available on Xbox One, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360 and PC.

Source: gameindustry.biz

Trey Griffeth

Trey Griffeth

Lover of video games, comics, and movies! Writer of all things that involve them!