A 0 price tag for GTA 6 could break the pricing logjam, says an analyst

Video games have never been more widespread or more elaborate, but the industry that creates them is currently facing a challenge unprecedented headwinds amid rising costs, intense competition and a stagnant player base. A new market analysis suggests that breaking the current $70 price barrier for games could and does help alleviate some of the challenges Grand Theft Auto VI could be the one to do it.

“In 2025 GTA VI“The impact on player hours and revenue will be mixed as it is only coming to consoles and will heavily cannibalize hours/spending that would be used on other titles,” reads a slide from Venture capitalist, analyst and author Matthew Ball's presentation “The state of video gaming in 2025” (above GameSpot). “But there is hope that Take-Two will set a price GTA VI at $80 or even $100, breaking a key price barrier and allowing the rest of the market to move higher as well.”

That prospect is one of several factors that Ball believes could contribute to the future growth of the gaming industry, alongside things like PC gaming handhelds, the Switch 2, new genres and franchises, and an overhaul of how mobile markets are regulated. Take-Two may not require additional money, but it will increase the price GTA VI could provide cover for other companies to increase their prices as well. The increasingly eroded middle ground could rise from $40 and $50 to $60 and $70, the argument goes. On the other hand, in the current zero-sum environment, raising the cap could also lead to even more money being diverted from smaller companies and lesser-known franchises.

A screenshot shows how much of the gaming market is dominated by the top franchises.

This isn't the first time someone has come up with the idea GTA VI potentially breaking the current price barrier of $70. Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick was I've asked about this in investor meetings in the past and responds that the company always wants to over-deliver in terms of quality and value. This non-binding answer certainly doesn't close the door GTA VI Priced at $80 or even $100, Take-Two was one of the first companies to bring existing games into the $70 range with the launch of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Previously, premium boxed games cost $60 since the launch of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. remained stagnant for about 15 years even as most other things around them became more expensive, including development budgets. When GTA 3 When the game came to the PS2 in 2001, it cost $50. If it were like that adjusted for inflationit would cost $90 today. And there are actually many big blockbusters, such as: Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 And Assassin's Creed Shadowsalready have $100 versions for players who want limited edition skins, premium battle passes, additional in-game items, etc. and Early Access to be able to play before the official launch (the ultimate edition of Monster Hunter Wilds is even more at $110).

In his analysis, Ball points to a number of reasons why companies are so hesitant to increase game prices, or at least are now taking a consistent approach to selection. The very fact that game prices have not changed significantly in the past has added to their “stickiness” and causes gamers to pay an inordinate amount of attention every time price increases are discussed. Other factors include competition from the rise of free-to-play games such as Fortnite And Genshin Impact and the desire to reach the largest possible player base for Battle Passes, DLCs and other paid add-ons. Plus, it's no secret how many people are already conditioned to wait just a few months for big discounts on everything but the best-selling games.

Nintendo recently showed that price increases aren't the end of the world if they're done wisely. An additional $10 was charged The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom although it still has the same hardware as the $60 model Breath of the Wild. The game still sold over 20 million copies, and that didn't mean it either Pikmin 4 would suddenly also cost $70 (although it would definitely still have been worth it). Baldur's Gate 3 was only $60 on PC, but could have been another obvious contender for an $80 or even $100 game.

“I don’t like the artificiality of post-retail pricing structures,” said Michael Douse, publishing director at Larian Studios. wrote online last year. “Use the inflated base price to sell a subscription and use vague content promises to inflate the Ultimate Editions to make the base price look better. It all seems a bit dangerous and disconnected from the community. I think a game should be priced according to its quality, breadth and depth. I'm not against higher prices, but this arbitrary uniformity just doesn't make sense to me. It feels so frivolous.”

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