As the talk over the worth of Grand Theft Auto 6 rages on, one developer of the unique Saints Row — itself closely impressed by GTA — has mentioned he hopes Rockstar fees $100 for it, insisting it’s the one sport on the earth that may get away with it.
Strauss Zelnick, boss of Rockstar guardian firm Take-Two, is usually requested how a lot Rockstar will cost for what is anticipated to be the largest leisure launch of all time. And every time he’s requested, Zelnick dances across the query, pointing to delivering worth for purchasers.
Including gasoline to the scrutiny is the business’s current bounce from $70 to $80 for some video games. If Nintendo is charging $80 for Nintendo Swap 2 video games like Mario Kart World, and Microsoft, as many anticipate, jumps to $80 for its video games from subsequent yr after backtracking on doing simply that this yr, then it is arduous to see GTA 6 priced any cheaper.
Followers usually baulk on the concept of forking out $100 for GTA 6. However in accordance with Chris Stockman, the design director of the primary Saints Row sport, GTA 6 “deserves” to be $100.
In an interview with Esports Insider, Stockman responded to the suggestion that GTA 6 would be the first $100 online game.
“They’re the one ones that may get away with it, Stockman mentioned. “I don’t assume it’s a rising tide that floats all boats. I feel that there’ll be an incredible quantity of backlash if everybody switched to $100. Not all video games are created equal. I feel GTA is the one one that may get away with it, and I hope they do. I actually hope it’s $100. I feel it deserves to be $100.
“The scope and magnitude of this manufacturing deserves that price ticket, however not all the things is handled equally. It could be a catastrophe if everybody tried to match them.”
Stockman right here is saying the sheer scope of GTA 6 shall be of a magnitude greater than any online game earlier than it. Definitely it’s rumored to have the most important improvement finances of all time. Rockstar has barely proven any of the sport, so it’s unclear precisely how massive and diversified an expertise will probably be. Nevertheless it looks like a protected wager that barring the worst catastrophe in online game historical past, GTA 6 will rewrite the file books in the case of essential and industrial acclaim.
However is the world prepared for the bounce to $100? Earlier this yr, a $100 GTA 6 was mooted by Epyllion CEO and analyst Matthew Ball in a prolonged presentation on the state of gaming in 2025. Close to the top of the presentation, Ball mentioned that “some gamemakers hope GTA 6 shall be priced at $80 to $100, breaking the $70 barrier and serving to $50 titles to maneuver as much as $60, $60 to do $70, $70 to $80 and so on.”
“Packaged sport costs have by no means been decrease in actual phrases than they’re at present — though budgets are at all-time highs and participant progress is stalled,” Ball wrote. “GTA 6 might re-establish packed online game costs after many years of deflation regardless of rampant value progress.”
Different analysts have poured chilly water on the $100 suggestion although, saying that such is the large pleasure round GTA 6 that there’s merely no have to restrict the sport’s potential viewers by pricing some out of the expertise.
Certainly, just lately revealed analysis claimed that if Rockstar have been to go along with $100 for GTA 6, it will truly value the corporate cash, with the income “candy spot” remaining $70.
Worth is simply one of many many unanswered questions swirling round GTA 6. One other is what Rockstar plans to do with GTA On-line. Might the corporate cost extra for entry to GTA On-line? Will or not it’s a standalone free obtain? Might Rockstar promote a subscription? Will Rockstar and Take-Two actually maintain GTA On-line obtainable at no further value, as earlier than?
Hopefully it gained’t be lengthy earlier than we get solutions. GTA 6 is due out Could 26, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Collection X and S.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].