GTA VI Price Surge Could Set Trend for $100 AAA Games, Analysts Warn

Gamers might have to grudgingly wait until 2026 for Grand Theft Auto VI, say industry analysts — but there’s something else to be concerned with. The premium price anticipation of this new title, from Take-Two/Rockstar, for GTA VI (GTA 6), is so strong that they may simply build on the hype and price the title base at $100. What is even more worrying is the fear of other AAA titles following suit.

Analyst Matthew Ball of Epyllion believes that GTA VI could influence game pricing, although that comes from his “State of Video Gaming in 2025” presentation. In fact, he notes, while prices for packaged video games have dropped in real dollar value over the past 44 years, the cost of movies concerts, and Netflix have all gone up.

GTA VI Could Set $100 Price Trend for AAA Games, Analysts Predict, Sparking Concerns Among Gamers

This transition could bode ill for the gaming business, regardless of the size of your studio. AAA games that once cost $50 million to develop 15 years ago now have production budgets ranging from $200 million to $500 million or more. As for unit sales, Minecraft and GTA V are still the top two best-selling packaged games of all time. It is hoped that GTA VI will smash that iconic price point, with Take-Two’s flagship title potentially sitting at $80 to $100 at retail. While a $70 GTA 6 price point would be the lowest in the franchise’s history, Ball anticipates the average price to be about $91.

This could lead to a $10 increase in game prices across the board, pushing $50 games to $60, $60 games to $70, and $70 games to $80, and so on. Gamers, especially those who play AAA titles, might need to adjust their budgets if this trend becomes a reality. It’s important to note that these prices are for base editions, meaning Deluxe and Premium versions could cost even more. Ball also discusses the impact of generative and agentic AI on games and the renewed interest in handheld AA/AAA gaming due to the success of the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.

Interestingly, while PC and console gaming have seen shifts in entertainment preferences, Ball shows that PC gaming has grown 20%, while console gaming has stagnated since 2021. This growth is attributed to the benefits of PC, such as a larger library, better backward compatibility, multitasking, PlayStation exclusives on PC (albeit delayed), premium Roblox games, and the rise of Windows-based gaming handhelds.

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