It's not much of a stretch to say that Grand Theft Auto 6 will likely be one of the most successful, fastest-selling video games of all time. The long-awaited follow-up to 2013's GTA 5 will be Rockstar's first new game in almost eight years, and with mainstream gaming exploding over the course of the last decade, the sky is the limit for GTA 6's reach and profit margins.
But something else has transpired in the years since Rockstar's last outing: the advent of the $70 dollar game, followed swiftly by Mario Kart World setting the precedent for $80. There's a lot of uncertainty surrounding the cost of many upcoming AAA releases, exemplified by the recent controversy about Randy Pitchford and Borderlands 4's price. That fiasco has died down, and it's been confirmed that BL4 will be $70 instead of $80, as some had feared, but publisher Take-Two is going to have to move on to GTA 6 soon. And while Borderlands 4 selling for $80 would have caused some considerable backlash, one could very easily swallow that price point—or an even higher one—for the next Grand Theft Auto.
Take-Two's Comments on GTA 6's Pricing Raise Further Questions
Strauss Zelnick Recently Spoke on GTA 6's Cost
With Take-Two coming off the heels of Borderlands 4's pricing debacle, it's not particularly surprising that the topic would be broached again. That's precisely what happened during a Variety interview with Strauss Zelnick, head of Take Two Interactive. On the subject of GTA 6's price, Zelnick said that the announcement "will come from Rockstar in due time." He went on to suggest that GTA 6 will have "variable pricing," which can be attributed to special additions and the like, and that the game's price will gradually decrease over time.
It should go without saying that Zelnick's GTA 6 price comments are vague, perhaps intentionally so, but one can extract valuable information from them nonetheless. For example, it's notable that Zelnick didn't immediately rule any particular price point out, indicating that GTA 6 could cost well over $60. And with $70 being more or less the norm for AAA games now, and GTA 6 being about as AAA as a game can be, few would bat an eye at that price tag. Which is why it's important that Zelnick didn't simply confirm this: he may be leaving the door open for an $80 price point.
But gamers aren't exactly worried about GTA 6 being $70, or even $80, really—many are concerned about it being as much as $100. Most of this fear stems from recent, abrupt leaps in game pricing, and GTA 6 feels the most rife for yet another dramatic leap. Again, if any game could theoretically get away with costing $80 or more, it's GTA 6, for better or worse.
GTA 6's Price Is Still a Mystery
Thus, Take-Two and Rockstar are at an impasse with their consumer base. It's unlikely that Zelnick or any other representative will be forthcoming about GTA 6's price before they have to, as audiences will probably purchase the game regardless of its price. A premature price reveal would just stoke animosity, and probably wouldn't have much of an impact on overall sales.
Many are concerned about GTA 6 being as much as $100.
Also worth noting are Zelnick's comments about variable pricing, which seem rather obvious until analyzed through the lens of the $80-$100 narrative. Like many AAA games, one can probably expect GTA 6 to have one or two "upgraded" editions, which would come with extra content or other perks to incentivize spending a bit more cash. But perhaps Rockstar will be more aggressive with this model, offering at least one version of the game for $100 or more, with a basic edition being a bit less. One thing's for sure: audiences should prepare for the possibility of GTA 6 being $80. This price can be justified in the wake of Mario Kart World, and if it were going to be less, Zelnick probably would have said that to Variety, ensuring audiences and earning goodwill rather than leaving more questions hanging.
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- November 19, 2026
- ESRB
- Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rockstar Games
- Publisher(s)
- Rockstar Games
