As we're hopefully approaching a GTA VI release, there have been some ongoing discussions regarding its pricing and how this might shape the future of not only Rockstar but also the gaming industry. A potential imposition of premium pricing affects GTA 6 in some ways and may even be feasible, but is it likely to happen?
Is $100 and Above Unreasonable For GTA VI?
A price tag of $100 might seem excessive and possibly even beyond what some players would be willing to pay. And, to be fair, it is a lot of money upfront. From another perspective, is $100 really excessive for the time you spend playing?
Assuming you go to the movie theatre, you may pay $10 for 2 hours of entertainment. If the pricing is $100 for GTA VI, you would only have to play for 20 hours to extract as much value as in the movie theatre. This is where we introduce the subscription model.
Subscription
While this may be a little far-fetched for the base game, it is not entirely unlike seeing a subscription model, similar to GTA+, returning for multiplayer. Theoretically, the subscription model is rather sustainable for games that focus on continuous updates due to the recurring revenue. In the long run, if you stay subscribed over a certain period of time, Rockstar would eventually earn more than a $100 fixed price. However, this has been confirmed not to be included on day one.
Offering a frontline title with a premium price in a subscription service, day and date, will push consumers to that subscription service for at least a period of time ... it won't affect decisions
- Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Take Two Interactive
That said, the CEO of Take-Two Interactive acknowledges the potential but opts for fixed pricing anyway. Ultimately, utilising a subscription model for the base game also falls short on the psychological aspect:
- Subscriptions don’t come with a sense of ownership of the product. They're perceived as borrowed products.
- Dedicated players are ready to spend thousands of hours on the game. Therefore, expense fatigue may hit after realising how much money you've spent.
- Offering a subscription for the base game would amplify financial strain, as we may see a return of GTA+ and the shark cards.
Why a $100 Price Tag is Economically Viable
As we can assume, the demand for GTA VI is pretty high, and the series has a loyal fan base. This would imply price inelasticity, though there is a limit to every product. We have already seen games exceed the 3-digit sum, for instance, NBA 2K25 and Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024. Realistically speaking, had games adjusted to inflation, they'd be priced well over $100, yet they are not. The average mid-1990s game was priced around $50, equivalent to about $110 adjusted to today's inflation. This makes a $100 price tag totally justifiable, even if it's above the average price of a game today. So, the main problem is seeking acceptance among consumers.
While speculative, the price hike is likely to make a number of players drop off, but the extra revenue is to be made up for those who are willing to buy. That is assuming the game is rather price inelastic. So there's only one question remaining: where can we draw the line where it becomes elastic?
Would Premium Pricing Imply an Industry Shift?
This question is somewhat debatable as one title does not set industry standards, but due to the popularity of GTA VI, it may contribute. Even so, psychologically speaking, the player may rationalise since we expect the game to bring hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of entertainment.
This is not entirely risk-free as $100 would be a price beyond what we normally pay, and that might also set higher expectations on the quality aspects of the game. Perhaps, a justification would be needed to set that price. We've recently seen prices jump from $60 to $70, and a jump to $100 would be bold for a base game, to say the least.
Balancing Premium Price and Microtransactions
Another reason why $100 for the game may be difficult to achieve is that we already have subscriptions and microtransactions in GTA. This could result in many players believing they’ve already paid a generous amount, only to pay more. So, for Rockstar to balance a premium price while incorporating microtransactions and subscriptions on top may be rather difficult.
Ultimately, whether $100 is reasonable or not is a subjective matter, varying from player to player. However, this could very well establish a new pricing standard for future AAA games. The real question is - how much are you willing to pay for GTA VI?