Gaming industry ‘hopes’ GTA 6 will be $100

Analysts have projected the game will bring in $1 billion in pre-orders before it even launches.

At a recent industry presentation on the state of gaming in 2025, an analyst suggested that Rockstar and its parent company Take-Two could use GTA 6 as an opportunity to "re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth".

A video game industry analyst has said that there is “hope,” in the games industry that GTA 6 could cost up to $100 so that other companies could raise their default prices as well.https://t.co/0s2cXc03EB pic.twitter.com/DTJ9jCESrJ

— VGC (@VGC_News) January 19, 2025

Matthew Ball, CEO of video game production company Epyllion, said in the report: “Some gamemakers hope GTA 6 will be priced at $80 to $100, breaking the $70 barrier and helping $50 titles to move up to $60, $60 to do $70, $70 to $80 etc.

“Packaged game prices have never been lower in real terms than they are today — even though budgets are at all-time highs and player growth is stalled,” he added.

“GTA 6 could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth.”

GTA 6, which is due to drop in late 2025 on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, is the long-awaited follow-up to 2013’s record-breaking GTA 5. 

Analysts have projected it will make an eye-watering $3 billion in its first year on sale, with $1 billion in pre-orders before it even launches.

According to market research firm DFC Intelligence, GTA 6 could make $1 billion just in pre-orders alone.

The company told the Financial Times that it expects GTA 6 to generate $3.2 billion in revenue in its first 12 months on the market.

Not only is this twice as much as GTA 5 made in the same timeframe, but it’s also far more than any movie that came out in 2024.

Ball’s report has sparked a discussion about the value of video games and the likelihood that Rockstar would actually go through with an $80 to $100 price range for GTA 6. 

(I don't think they'll do $100, though some have reported as such. I'd bet they stay at $70 base, and if not, then $80. What I said is many in the market hope for $80 if not $99.99)

— Matthew Ball (@ballmatthew) January 19, 2025

Taking to social media to follow-up on his report, Ball said he doesn’t actually think Rockstar will go to $100 with GTA 6, betting instead it will stick with $70 or at a push go for $80.

“What I said is many in the market hope for $80 if not $99.99,” he clarified.

When asked by a follower if the price hike would be accepted by consumers considering the current "season pass" model of content delivery, Ball responded: "Can't really speculate on a game that is barely even revealed. But the $70 bump from $60 in 2020 (which bought under 3 years of inflation control) was pretty without issue."

GTA 6 is scheduled for release in autumn of this year, however, considering that it has already been pushed back numerous times, fans are taking that projection with a pinch of salt.