When games start costing $100 or more, we’re all going to look back and laugh about the good old days when $70 felt like a splurge.
As the timer to the arrival of Grand Theft Auto 6 continues to tick down, anticipation builds up. It's not just the game's content that has people talking though — it's the potential price tag, too.
With skyrocketing development costs and inflation on the rise, industry insiders are speculating that GTA 6 could be the game that finally breaks the $70 barrier, potentially ushering in a new age of $100 AAA titles.
Back in the good old days, one could snag a top-tier game for as low as $40. Sadly, those time are long gone and in recent years, we've seen the standard price for AAA games creep up to $70, with special editions often costing much more. Luckily for gamers, this increase hasn't kept pace with the rising development costs.
Rockstar Games, never one to do things by halves, has reportedly poured $1 billion into developing GTA 6. With that kind of investment, many are wondering if they can really afford to sell it for just $70. Michael Douse, director of publishing for Baldur's Gate 3, doesn't think so.
He's gone on record on X, saying, "Almost all games should cost more at a base level because the cost of making them (inflation, for one) is outpacing pricing trends." In fact, Douse believes the entire industry is "just waiting for GTA 6 to do it."
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If GTA 6 does launch with a $100 price tag, it could set off a chain reaction. Other developers and publishers, who've been itching to raise prices but feared consumer backlash, might seize the opportunity to follow suit. Before we know it, $100 could become the new normal for AAA titles.
Of course, it's not just about the base price. Modern games often come with a ridiculous amount of editions, DLCs, and microtransactions. Douse has also criticized the trend of using "vague content promises" to justify higher prices for "ultimate editions." If $100 becomes the new normal for base games, could we see "ultra-ultimate editions" pushing $200 or more?
Maybe the real question should be, would you be willing to shell out $100 for GTA 6? On one hand, development costs are undeniably rising, and inflation is real. On the other hand, game companies like Activision, EA, and Take-Two are posting record profits. Do they really need to charge more?
For now, it's all speculation. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has been coy about GTA 6's pricing, talking about delivering "great value" without committing to a number. We'll have to wait until fall 2025, the game's projected release date, to know for sure.
Regardless, whether it's $70, $100, or somewhere in between, GTA 6 is set to make waves in the real-world economics of the gaming industry. Start saving those pennies, folks — you might need every last one.
