GTA 6 might be the most expensive Rockstar Games title ever

GTA 6 has been the subject of discussion ever since GTA 5 was released back in 2013, with fans of the franchise speculating about graphical quality, locations, protagonists, and more.

However, the potential price tag of the game is an aspect that is frequently overlooked by fans, and Rockstar Games doesn't really have a great track record when it comes to discussions involving money.

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GTA 6 may be priced higher than previous games in the franchise

Fans hoping for GTA 6 to be priced similarly to previous versions should brace themselves for bad news. The most obvious reason for a higher price would be the inflation rates all over the world. Things get more expensive over time, and considering the speed at which technology seems to be developing, games aren't going to get any cheaper.

Another very interesting thing to note is how Rockstar Games have priced their games in the past. Here's a rough summary that shows the prices of their game upon release.

Game	Launch Price (in USD)	Release Date
GTA 3	$50	October 22, 2001
GTA Vice City	$50	October 29, 2002
GTA San Andreas	$50	October 26, 2004
GTA VC Stories	$50	October 31, 2006
GTA 4	$60	April 29, 2008
GTA 5	$60	September 17, 2013
Red Dead Redemption 2	$60	October 26, 2018
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy — The Definitive Edition	$60	November 11, 2021

It's easy to notice the trend of the $10 increase after a couple of years. However, upon careful inspection, one can correlate the price hike with the financial depression of 2008. Taking the COVID-19 pandemic into perspective, the trend could repeat itself.

Additionally, when it comes to GTA 6, Rockstar won't be the sole organization making the calls. Its parent company, Take-Two Interactive, will also play a major role in making these decisions. Back in March of 2021, CEO Strauss Zelnick said:

"We announced a $70 price point for NBA 2K21, and our view was that we’re offering an array of extraordinary experiences, lots of replayability."

This statement was made during the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media, and Telcom Conference. He added:

“The last time there was a frontline price increase in the US was 2005-2006, so we think consumers are ready for it.”

So irrespective of whether fans are ready or not, a price hike is almost guaranteed this time around. This speculation could also be supported by the fact that GTA Online fans had to pay more to access the next-gen port on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

GTA 6 continues to be a hot topic on social media. Insiders and experts point to a release date between late 2024 and early 2025. This almost guarantees next-gen eligibility, but it likely won't be available to players on the PS4 or Xbox One.

Another route that Rockstar and Take-Two Interactive could take is to release the base game at a low price and then charge extra for DLCs. GTA 5's story never got any additional content, but GTA 6 could opt for a different approach. The Expanded and Enhanced DLC is more of a port than a content expansion, but it is still priced at $9.99.

However, this is all speculation based on previous events and current trends. For now, fans can stay assured that GTA 6 is under active development and that efforts are being made to ensure an early release date.