Surprising no one, Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) is fast becoming the most anticipated title of 2025, after breaking multiple records for its announcement trailer alone. Now we all knew the sixth installment was coming, but with a ridiculously long wait between GTA 5 and GTA 6, it was becoming almost comical how fans were reacting to every little teaser, leak, and rumour about gaming’s worst-kept secret. And here we are, with another one that actually isn’t that unlikely… unfortunately, for our pockets.
GTA 6 Could Cost Us a Fair Whack
The latest rumor hitting the streets is surrounding the cost of the upcoming sixth installment of gaming’s most over-the-top and controversial series. Originally reported back in September 2023 by NicheGamer – see the tweet below -, the rumor has been swirling again, and this time, with some thought, they’re not as outlandish as you may think.
Grand Theft Auto 6 rumored to cost $150 on release. Link below: pic.twitter.com/pZO4jvoOZQ
— Niche Gamer (@nichegamer) September 5, 2023
It’s no secret that Rockstar Games have been taking their sweet time with GTA 6. From developing Red Dead Redemption 2 to those less-than-playable remasters of GTA 3, Vice City, and San Andreas, they have been busy, but many fans think they should have spent all that time on the next crime-faring entry instead. Of course, they’ve also been supporting the micro-transaction moneybag that is GTA Online, with the studio raking in billions from that over the last ten years.
All that aside, with the reported size and scope of GTA 6, it’s inarguable that the game has been in development for years. If leaks are to be believed, since 2018 in fact. That’s six years, or seven by the time of release, which is a huge amount of time for a company of Rockstar’s size to devote to one project, even if it is GTA 6.
And with that extended time comes the cost of development, mostly aimed towards the developers on the project and their salaries, as well as the numerous actors involved, and all the other staff that go into creating such a potential masterpiece. With a reported budget of $2 billion, it’s no surprise that the company may want to recoup some of the outlay, and the best way of doing that quickly is to pump up the cost of the product they’ve spent so much on.
Good Business Practice, Terrible for Fans
It’s almost guaranteed that the upcoming GTA 6 is going to include microtransactions. At this point, as much as most gamers fight against it, they’re here to stay. From the lootbox, and gambling nature of EA FC’s Ultimate Team, to the hundreds of skins available in games like Call of Duty: Warzone, Fortnite, and more, we’re not getting away from them.
It’s arguably why we’ve had to wait so long for GTA 6, with the constant stream of income from GTA Online enough for Rockstar to take their time with it. However, all of that may not be enough for Rockstar at first, and it’s always good business practice to recoup as much as possible as quickly as possible when launching a new product.
After Strauss Zelnick’s interview in November 2023 – subsequently taken out of context by many and misunderstood -, it’s also evidence to the contrary, and that it looks like the developer may not be inflating the price. Perhaps knowing the product is going to sell is enough for them? If we’re all honest, GTA 6 is almost certainly going to break gaming records left and right, and like the recent success of Palworld, that’ll be across all platforms it’s on and with relative ease.
What do you think? Is the price of GTA 6 likely to skyrocket? And if the standard edition is so eye-watering, how expensive are the Limited and Collector’s Editions going to cost? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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