You may have seen reports that Grand Theft Auto VI will cost $80 or $100, stated either as a fact, a leak, or a rumor. It’s not true, at least not yet.
Matthew Ball, the CEO of media analyst and consulting firm Epyllion, recently gave a presentation about the state of the modern gaming industry. It goes over trends like live service games, how different platforms have evolved over time, difficulties in game development, the rise of PC handhelds like the Steam Deck, and other topics.
On slide 215 of the presentation, Ball explains, “In 2025, GTA VI’s impact on industry playtime and spend will be mixed as it launches console-only and (severely) cannibalizes hours/spend on other titles. But some gamemakers hope GTA VI will be priced at $80-100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles move up to $60, $60 [games] to do $70, $70 [games] to $80, etc. Recall that packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today—even though budgets are at all-time highs, and player growth is stalled.”
Budgets for modern AAA games have skyrocketed, as studios push for bigger projects and players demand larger and more advanced games. However, the expected price for most large games is still $60-70. Ball’s argument here is that big games are cheaper now than at any point in history when adjusted for US dollar inflation, and that game studios have moved more content to paid DLC packages to compensate, which players are typically not happy about.
The presentation is simply stating that some studios would like Grand Theft Auto VI to set a new baseline pricing for the industry. Presumably, the excitement for the much-anticipated game will drown out complaints about higher pricing, and game studios releasing similar big-budget titles would face less public backlash by matching the new expected standard.
This is not a leak, a rumor, or even speculation about how Rockstar might set prices for Grand Theft Auto VI. It’s just an analyst stating the (reported) opinions of other game studios and publishers. Some edition of GTA VI could very well end up costing $80 or more—the Ultimate Edition of Red Dead Redemption II was priced at $100 at launch—but nothing has been confirmed yet. Most outlets and social media accounts are covering this as such, but others are misreporting it as a leak coming out of Rockstar or a “controversy” that the game “could retail at anywhere from 80 to 100 dollars.”
Either way, the escalating budget and scope of major games is clashing with demand from players, so typical game pricing will likely continue to increase until there’s a significant shift in the industry. If paying around $100 for a new game sounds crazy to you, then vote with your wallet and don’t buy the $100 game.
As the saying goes, “I want shorter games with worse graphics, made by people who are paid more to work less, and I’m not kidding.”
Source: Matthew Ball
