Highly anticipated: Following numerous delays and missed deadlines, GTA 6 is expected to finally launch on November 26 for PS5 and Xbox Series. While online speculation suggests it could cost significantly more than the typical $70 - $80 price for most AAA titles, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has hinted that it may not be as expensive as rumored.
Speaking to reporters at the Interactive Innovation video game conference in Las Vegas this week, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company aims to deliver value to its customers, adding that Grand Theft Auto VI will launch with a "very reasonable" price tag.
According to Zelnick, "How you feel about something you buy is the intersection of the thing itself and what you pay for. Consumers need to feel like the thing itself is amazing and the price they were charged was fair for what they got."
Zelnick also said GTA VI will be the "most spectacular piece of entertainment on Earth," hinting at a premium price tag to match the content on offer. He added that despite recent price increases, video games have effectively become cheaper when adjusted for inflation, seemingly justifying higher prices across the industry.
Zelnick's statements suggest the new GTA may not cost $100+ after all, but the emphasis on "value" rather than affordability implies it could still be priced above most new AAA games. Either way, given the speculation around a $100+ price tag, even $80 would likely feel like a win for many gamers.
AAA game pricing remained largely unchanged at $60 for more than a decade before major publishers raised it to $70 with the launch of the PS5 and Xbox Series. Nintendo has gone a step further, charging $80 for Mario Kart World. Microsoft is also expected to price upcoming titles in the Gears of War and Bethesda franchises at $80.
Rockstar Games began working on GTA VI as far back as 2014, but the game was only officially confirmed in 2022 following years of leaks, rumors, and speculation. Reports suggest its production cost could approach $2 billion, potentially making it the most expensive game ever developed – surpassing titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare (2019), and Genshin Impact.