Gaming Industry Eyes $100 Price Tag for GTA VI, Analyst Suggests
The gaming world is abuzz with speculation following a report from industry analyst Matthew Ball, who suggests that Grand Theft Auto VI could debut with a price tag of up to $100. This pricing strategy, if realized, might set a new standard for AAA titles and spark a significant shift in the gaming industry’s pricing model.
Ball’s insights, featured in Epyllion’s State of Video Gaming in 2025 report, emphasize the immense expectations surrounding the upcoming GTA VI. The game, anticipated to break records across the board, is rumoured to be the most expensive game ever developed, with production costs estimated between several hundred million to as high as $2 billion. For comparison, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War cost $700 million, while the initial costs for Genshin Impact stood at $100 million before factoring in annual updates.
A $100 Benchmark for AAA Games?
Ball believes the unprecedented development costs of GTA VI could provide Rockstar Games and parent company Take-Two Interactive with the rationale to price the game between $80 and $100. Such a move could pave the way for other developers to follow suit, raising the average price of AAA games to offset escalating production costs.
This potential pricing increase builds on a trend that began with the launch of NBA 2K21 in 2020, which marked the first major AAA game to break the $60 price standard, raising it to $70. While controversial at the time, the move reflected the growing budgets required to create modern games.
Ball argues that even at $70, GTA VI would be one of the cheapest games in the franchise’s history when adjusted for inflation. He estimates the real-term average price for a GTA title would be approximately $91. Despite this perspective, many gamers are likely to resist a higher price point, particularly if other companies use GTA VI as justification to increase their own game prices.
The Cost of Innovation and Development
Rising game prices are not solely tied to improved graphics or larger open worlds. Factors such as increased wages, complex development pipelines, and even external issues unrelated to gaming contribute to inflated budgets and extended production timelines.
Rumours about GTA VI’s potential price have circulated for months, with some suggesting figures as high as $150, though such speculation is more plausible for special editions rather than standard releases.
Implications for the Industry
A $100 price tag for GTA VI could trigger a ripple effect across the industry, normalizing higher costs for AAA titles. Ball predicts that $80 could become the new standard for premium games, a significant jump from the $60 baseline that held steady for over a decade.
As the gaming industry continues to balance innovation with consumer expectations, the pricing of GTA VI may serve as a turning point, reshaping perceptions of value in an era of ballooning development costs. Whether gamers are willing to accept this new reality remains to be seen, but all eyes are on Rockstar and Take-Two as they prepare for what is likely to be the year’s most anticipated release.
