It’s almost surreal to say this, butGrand Theft Auto 6is officially less than a year away from being released. Although there are some people who may express complete apathy towardsGTA 6, it cannot be understated how important the game’s launch will be for the gaming industry at large. For as much flack as Rockstar Games has gotten these past few years, the company still knows how to craft genre-defining single-player experiences. Considering how well Rockstar’s titles have sold in the last decade,GTA 6may potentially have the most successful video game launch of all time, surpassing even the likes ofGTA 5.
Rockstar Games hasn’t shown any uncut gameplay footage ofGTA 6yet, but the newly-released screenshots and trailer for the game suggest that it could have one of the most detailed open worlds ever created. For a game of its scope,GTA 6’s graphics are incredibly realistic, even more so than Rockstar’s last title, 2018’sRed Dead Redemption2. It seems like the game has everything, from immensely impressive wildlife and water physics, to dynamic weather and underwater environments. These shiny new features have likely cost Rockstar a pretty penny, though, and in spite of some recent events regarding another Take-Two franchise, that will likely be reflected inGTA 6’s price point.
Despite What Happened With Borderlands 4, GTA 6 Will Likely Cost $80 at Launch
There Was Initially a Lot of Uncertainty Surrounding GTA 6’s Price Point
Back whenGrand Theft Auto 6was first announced in December 2023, a lot of gamers were unsure about what price Rockstar would set it at. Some fans were confident that the game would cost $70, like most AAA titles at the time. Others, however, believed that Rockstar would charge an exorbitant amount of money forGTA 6, to capitalize off the game’s guaranteed popularity. AfterNintendo introduced the $80 price tag withMario Kart Worlda few months ago, though, many ultimately concluded that Rockstar would charge a minimum of $80 forGTA 6, as well. However, a portion of people still think that the game could cost less than that, due to an incident involvingBorderlands 4.
Since Borderlands 4 Costs $70, Some Gamers Think that GTA 6 Will Cost $70 As Well
Earlier this month, Gearbox Software announced thatBorderlands 4would be released for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC at a $70 price point in September. This came as a shock to many people, sinceGearbox executive Randy Pitchfordhad previously suggested that the game would cost $80 on social media. Much to the relief of most gamers, however, Gearbox has seemingly decided against charging above the standard $70 MSRP for its upcoming looter shooter.
Despite costing $70 or less in the U.S. and most international territories,Borderlands 4strangely costs more than $80 in Europe and the U.K.
Gearbox Software and Rockstar Games, for those who don’t know, are both owned by Take-Two Interactive. Since they’re under the same umbrella, some gamers have surmised thatBorderlands 4’s $70 price pointwill be indicative ofGTA 6’s price point, as well. However, fans probably shouldn’t get their hopes up. Unlike publishers like EA, Take-Two Interactive has not explicitly stated that it has no plans to charge $80 for its upcoming titles. The option to charge more than the traditional retail price for its games, then, is still on the table.
Take-Two Interactive Would Make a Lot More Money By Charging $80+ for GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto 6is probably one of the few games out there that would sell at any price tag (within reason) no matter what. Even if Take-Two Interactive and Rockstar Games decided to charge $120 for the game at launch, it would likely still sell millions of copies in a matter of days. Because theGrand Theft AutoIP is incredibly strong, it’s improbable that Take-Two Interactive will miss out on the opportunity to make extra money by charginga higher-than-usual price for the game.Given the current state of the industry,GTA 6will probably cost $80 at launch, but it wouldn’t be surprising if it ends up costing even more than that.
