Solo Developer Spends $10,000 on AI Tokens to Create Taipei GTA Clone

A solo developer has created a free, open-world browser game inspired by Grand Theft Auto (GTA), set in Taipei, and reportedly attracted over 1.2 million players within three days of its release. The game, initially called Taipei GTA and later rebranded as TAIPEI RUSH, allows players to explore real Taipei landmarks like Taipei 101 and Ximending, complete missions, and interact with a dynamic police system. The developer, known as aicodewithme on Threads, built the game using more than 30 AI models, including DeepSeek, Qwen, Kimi, and GLM, through a custom platform called AICodeWith.

The project cost the developer approximately $10,000 in AI tokens over a month, with the developer spending five to six hours daily overseeing the work. Despite the game's success, the reported player count has not been independently verified, as no public tracking service exists for browser games hosted outside platforms like Steam. The developer's claim, repeated by outlets like Tom's Hardware and Techtroduce, remains unverified but has garnered significant attention.

The game's development highlights the potential of AI-driven coding, where a single person with the right tools and a modest budget can create a complex 3D open-world game. This stands in stark contrast to the estimated $265 million budget for GTA V, demonstrating how AI can reduce development costs dramatically. The developer has not yet announced plans to monetize or expand the game, leaving its future uncertain but its impact on the industry undeniable.