GTA 6 is one of the most hyped games in history. With fans going wild over oft-created theories about when the next trailer will be released, becoming wholly disappointed every time they turn out to be wrong. Whether it comes in 2025 or early in 2026, I'll be online when day one is finally announced. The question is, how much will it cost to play on day one?
According to a recent report by Mathew Ball, some publishers are hoping the initial price point reaches somewhere between $80-$100.
"In 2025, GTA VI's impact on industry playtime and spending will be mixed as it launches console-online and (severely) cannibalizes hours/spend on other titles. But some game makers hope GTA VI will be priced at $80-$100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles to move up to $60, $60 to do $70, etc."
It's been less than 5 years since most $60 games moved to the forever-debated price point of $70. With the ever-colorful online opinions against the still-fresh price point mixed with the stagnating console market, I have to wonder if this is a Hail Mary on the part of publishers. Will $80+ games save these developers or hurt the waning faith in the market?
I've read impressions about what people are willing to pay for a GTA VI, but I think these publishers are starting to misunderstand something. They're not Take-Two, and their games aren't Grand Theft Auto VI. However, that invites the question: do people care?
Some gamers are willing to spend, some aren't
I started writing long-winded paragraphs detailing how popular games like Baldur's Gate 3, Black Ops 6, and others would never go for more than their asking price, but every time I finished it, I felt like I was lying to myself. For every guy like me who's not willing to shell out that kind of cash, I see others willing to spend $250 or more to roll for a motorcycle skin in games like Once Human. Some people are totally fine with that.
While I despise the idea that gamers would ever pay such an exorbitant amount for a game, for every guy like me, someone else is willing to dole out the cash. As a result, this could quickly become a balancing act where publishers could use GTA VI as a launching point to test the market with higher-priced games. We already see special or ultimate editions going for well over $100, so the base game costing somewhere below that becomes a natural progression.
However, I have some hope. While communities across Reddit and X are only a splash in the pond, it's rare to see a unified front between them. Whatever social media I browse, they're all laughing at this.
Funny of them to assume that if GTA6 is worth $100, their games will be too.
jrkong via Reddit
Rockstar is literally one of the only AAA companies that has the reputation and goodwill to charge that much. Companies will go out of business if they start charging that much for garbage games.
El_Mountain_Man via X
At $80, I would wait for a sale. At $100, I would set sail.
SmoothLeadership1796 via Reddit
They haven't learnt yet with game sales being down due to the $70 price tag. Go for it!
pixelatedG via X
Some threaten piracy, while others are more legal-minded, saying they'd wait for a sale. Others bring up exceptional points like developer reputation. No matter the rationale, they're all saying the same thing, "No."
Not every game is GTA 6
Games like Baldur's Gate 3 exist where you can find players who may have been willing to spend an extra $10 to $20, but games like Far Cry aren't Baldur's Gate 3. Sure, Far Cry is a massive open-world game with millions in development costs, but even Far Cry occasionally fails to find an audience. Ubisoft games will often reach deep discounts within months, marking a decline in their sales. Would Ubisoft be willing to charge $80 for an AAAA-experience Far Cry? Given their current situation, maybe, but wouldn't that drive their audience further away?
What about publishers like Microsoft or Sony? Would they be willing to drive their prices higher? In a move that could push more users into the Game Pass ecosystem, what if Microsoft made games like Fable $90? Suddenly, Game Pass Ultimate is looking real tasty at $20 a month. Maybe Ubisoft would want to drive users to their subscription service.
With the rising development costs increasing as life progresses, developers and publishers want to offset those expenses. Other than jamming even more microtransactions into games, maybe publishers want to ask for more money rather than find a way to lower development costs or get more gamers to, you know, buy their games. We get to be the guinea pigs.
Gamers may be willing to spend more for a game if they know it's good or the developer has an excellent reputation, but not every company is Take-Two or Larian. Companies can push the idea that their games are AAAA, but at the end of the day, you can't fool gamers. Only hard work and dedication to the craft will push gamers to a place where they'll be willing to cough up more money for a product. Then again, maybe there are gamers willing to spend whatever they're charged, and I'm part of a dying breed.
Whatever happens, I know this guy isn't spending a dime more than $70 for any game. How about you? Would you be willing to pay more for a game, or would it largely depend on what it is? Let us know below or on social media; I'll make sure to check it out.
