Charging $100 for GTA 6 Is a Bad Idea

The idea of Rockstar Games charging $100 for the base edition of Grand Theft Auto 6 is not going down well with fans of the franchise. While it’s easy to understand why the company might consider it - GTA is a dominant global franchise and Rockstar is one of the most successful publishers in gaming history - this pricing approach doesn’t make sense to me from either a business or player experience perspective. In fact, it risks undermining GTA 6's potential reach and long-term profitability.

Charging $100 for GTA 6 Is a Bad Idea

GTA Online, Not Box Sales, Is the Real Moneymaker

At the core of this issue is the fact that Rockstar doesn’t primarily make its money from selling games. The company’s most powerful revenue engine is GTA Online, a service that continues to generate significant recurring income through microtransactions. If GTA 6 launches with a $100 base price, I believe Rockstar will effectively reduce the size of the player base that could later be monetized through its online services. That feels like a risky tradeoff for a short-term bump in revenue.

Especially now, when people around the world are facing economic pressure due to rising living costs, pricing the game out of reach for a portion of the audience seems poorly timed. For a company that benefits most when more players are engaged long-term, shrinking the addressable market at launch just doesn’t add up.

Charging $100 for GTA 6 Is a Bad Idea

The Biggest Threat to GTA 6 Might Be GTA 5

In my view, one of the most overlooked challenges facing GTA 6 is the sheer staying power of GTA 5. It’s still performing exceptionally well, even a decade after release. Just last month, GTA 5 sold over 358,000 copies on PlayStation alone. That kind of momentum is rare, and Rockstar needs a clear strategy to get those players to move on.

Setting the price of GTA 6 too high risks slowing that transition. Players have spent years building up their characters, assets, and routines in GTA 5. Asking them to pay a premium just to start over could be a dealbreaker for many. The switching cost is already high in terms of time and familiarity, and adding financial cost on top of that only makes the move to GTA 6 less appealing.

It’s also worth noting that games today aren’t just competing with each other - they’re up against every other form of digital entertainment. TikTok, YouTube, Netflix - all of these demand time and attention. Rockstar needs to make the move to GTA 6 as smooth as possible, not more difficult.

Charging $100 for GTA 6 Is a Bad Idea

Premium Editions Can Still Capture Willing Spenders

To be clear, I’m not suggesting Rockstar leave money on the table. If the company wants to offer a $100 or even $120 deluxe version of GTA 6 with early access, bonus in-game currency, or other extras, I think that’s perfectly reasonable. Many players are willing to pay for those upgrades, and this model is already common across the industry.

But the base edition should remain accessible. A lower entry price helps Rockstar attract the broadest possible player base, many of whom will go on to spend money in GTA Online. From what I see, this “best of both worlds” model - affordable standard version, optional premium upgrades - makes far more business sense than trying to charge a flat $100 from the outset.

Charging $100 for GTA 6 Is a Bad Idea

Pricing for Reach, Not Just Revenue

I understand the appeal of a higher price tag. On paper, it may look like an easy way to increase revenue, especially for a franchise as established as GTA. But when you step back and consider Rockstar’s long-term goals, the reality is more complicated. This is a live-service business now, not a boxed product business. The more people who buy in, the more potential there is for ongoing engagement and monetization.

Rockstar already owns one of the most profitable franchises in entertainment history. But even the strongest brands need to be smart about player acquisition and retention - especially in an age where attention is more fragmented than ever.

In my opinion, pricing GTA 6 at $100 would do more harm than good. It would shrink the launch audience, slow down migration from GTA 5, and put unnecessary pressure on the player community. A more flexible pricing strategy, anchored by a reasonably priced base edition and supported by premium tiers, would be the smarter and more sustainable path forward.

Source: Alinea Analytics