By Sagar V. Mankar 
The gaming industry is buzzing with speculation about Grand Theft Auto 6’s potential pricing strategy, as industry analysts and developers weigh in on whether the highly anticipated title might break the current $70 standard for AAA games. This discussion has sparked broader conversations about the future of video game pricing in an era of escalating development costs.
Latest Industry Speculation
Matthew Ball, a prominent analyst at Epyllion, recently released his “State of Video Gaming in 2025” report, suggesting that some industry insiders are “hoping” GTA 6 might push the pricing envelope to $80 or even $100. This move, if implemented, could potentially pave the way for other publishers to follow suit by breaking this “key price barrier,” addressing the growing disparity between development costs and retail prices.
Industry Leaders Speak Out
The discussion around GTA 6’s pricing comes at a crucial time for the gaming industry. Despite skyrocketing development budgets and global inflation, base game prices have remained relatively stable. The industry only recently moved from the long-standing $60 standard to $70, a change that Take-Two helped pioneer in 2020.
Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Michael Douse has publicly supported higher game prices, arguing that prices should reflect a game’s “quality, breadth, and depth.” He noted that development costs are “outpacing pricing trends,” creating a challenging situation for studios. “Everyone’s just waiting for GTA6 to do it,” he added.
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick also expressed a similar statement during the Q2 FY24 earnings call in November 2023 that industry prices are “very, very low” compared to the number of hours of gameplay games offer and player perception of their value.
Capcom’s president Harushiro Tsujimoto went even further at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2023 (via Kotaku), noting that development budgets have increased “100 times” since the ’90s Famicom era. He argued that “raising unit prices is a healthy option for business” given rising industry wages.
In February 2024, Ubisoft’s CEO joined the discussion while justifying Skull and Bones’ $70 price point, introducing the concept of “AAAA” games. Reports suggest this title’s development costs reached between $650 to $850 million over ten years, according to YouTuber Endymion’s sources within Ubisoft.
However, Zelnick’s stance appeared to soften by May 2024, as he offered a more measured perspective during the last quarter of the financial year 2024. Without directly addressing GTA 6’s pricing, Zelnick emphasized the company’s commitment to “delivering more value than what [they] charge” and ensuring that pricing decisions are “good news for the consumer.” This statement suggests a more conservative approach to pricing strategy.
Why $100 Might Not Be Realistic
Despite the speculation, there are several compelling reasons why GTA 6 is unlikely to launch at $100:
- GTA Online Proven to be “Cash Cow”: The Wall Street Journal reports that GTA Online generated $500 million in the 2022/23 financial year through microtransactions and subscriptions, demonstrating the strength of post-launch monetization. Earlier reports suggest that GTA Online’s success even led to the cancellation of GTA 5 story DLC featearing Trevor as secret agent.
- Market Accessibility: A $100 price point could potentially limit the game’s reach, affecting initial sales and the subsequent online player base.
- Historical Pricing Patterns: Video game price increases have historically been gradual, with the jump from $60 to $70 taking nearly 18 years to implement.
Looking Ahead
While a standard edition price of $100 seems unlikely, some industry experts suggest that if any increase occurs, it might be “more modest,” potentially landing around $80. Special editions, however, will likely continue to be priced at $100 or more, following current industry practices [e.g. Star Wars Outlaws Ultimate Edition costs €129.99].
The final pricing decision won’t be revealed until pre-orders begin, expected later this year if GTA 6 maintains its fall 2025 release window. We’ll probably get more information about it in the company’s next earnings call, which is scheduled for February 6, 2025.