GTA 6’s $2B Budget May Push Game Prices to $100

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By Rahul Somvanshi

The next Grand Theft Auto game is stirring debate about game prices. Some game makers hope GTA 6 could sell for $80-$100, up from today’s standard $70 price for new games. This potential price discussion reflects bigger changes happening in how games are made and sold.

Making modern games costs more than ever. Reports estimate GTA 6′s development costs ranging from hundreds of millions to potentially $2 billion, making it one of the most expensive games created. Yet game prices haven’t kept up with these rising costs. Industry analyst Matthew Ball explains that after accounting for inflation, a $70 GTA 6 would actually be the cheapest Grand Theft Auto game ever released – about 30% less than the original games cost in their time.

Michael Douse, who handles publishing at Larian Studios, points out a key problem: “A good company raises salaries in line with inflation so their staff don’t die or something, but games prices haven’t risen with inflation.” The gaming industry is already feeling this squeeze. Since 2022, over 33,000 people in gaming have lost their jobs, including workers at major companies like Microsoft, Sony, and Take-Two (GTA’s publisher).

The timing matters too. GTA 6 is set for Fall 2025, but only on gaming consoles at first – PC players will need to wait longer. The game’s release could boost sales of new gaming consoles, similar to how popular games often drive hardware purchases.


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Mat Piscatella, who studies the gaming market, calls GTA 6 possibly “the most important thing to ever release in the industry.” If GTA 6 launches at a higher price point, other game makers might follow this pricing approach. Think of it like when one company sets a new market standard – others often follow that lead.

But higher prices bring higher expectations. As Douse notes, “The responsibility for a game developer is to make sure that the game they show lives up to that promise, and that investment from the player.” At a higher price, players would expect something truly special.

Ball thinks GTA 6 might actually stick closer to $70 or $80, despite some hopes for $100. Even a smaller price increase could signal big changes for gaming’s future. The real question isn’t just about one game’s price – it’s about whether the current way of pricing games can keep up with the cost of making them.

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