GTA 6 Expected to Break the $70 Glass Ceiling

According to a report by Epyllion CEO Matthew Ball, there’s “hope” in the gaming industry that GTA 6 could lead a new wave of pricing for AAA titles, potentially shattering the current $70 ceiling.

Matthew Ball’s analysis, presented in a report on gaming’s 2025 eventual landscape, states that GTA 6 might not only redefine video game pricing but also validate years of rising development costs. If the game lands in the $80-$100 range, it would become the most expensive mainstream title ever released.

The video game industry has long grappled with stagnant retail prices despite ballooning production budgets. Epyllion CEO points out that packaged game prices have “never been lower in real terms,” even as development costs and expectations from players have soared. With production estimates for GTA 6 climbing into the billions, the game’s pricing could set a precedent for future AAA releases.

Michael Douse, publishing director at Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios, weighed in on social media, acknowledging the tension between rising development costs and consumer expectations. “Games prices haven’t risen with inflation,” Douse said, adding that developers must ensure their products justify the investment from players.

While $70 is now the norm for current-gen titles, an $80 or $100 price tag would represent a bold leap. “GTA 6’s pricing strategy could serve as a litmus test for how much players are willing to pay for blockbuster games,” said industry analyst Mat Piscatella. He added that GTA 6 might also reignite broader interest in gaming, potentially lifting console sales and bolstering a struggling industry.

Slated for release in fall 2025 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, GTA 6 is shaping up to be a monumental launch. Analysts predict the game will rake in $3 billion in its first year, with $1 billion in pre-orders alone. This massive revenue, however, comes against a backdrop of significant challenges for the industry, including over 33,000 layoffs since 2022 and major restructuring at companies like Microsoft, Sony, and Take-Two Interactive.

GTA 6 won’t launch on PC, meaning fans will need a console to play it, at least at launch. For many gamers, this could mean buying a PlayStation 5 Pro or Xbox Series X/S – another potential hurdle given ongoing hardware shortages.

As of January 2025, in sold copies, the Grand Theft Auto series has achieved the following:

• Grand Theft Auto (1997) – 6 million; 
• Grand Theft Auto II (1999) – 1 million; 
• Grand Theft Auto III (2001) – 17.5 million;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) – 20 million;
• Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) – 27.5 million;
• Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories (2005) – 8 million;
• Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories (2006) – 4.5 million;
• Grand Theft Auto IV (2008) – 25 million;
• Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars (2009) – 200,000;
• Grand Theft Auto: Episodes from Liberty City (2009) – 160,000;
• Grand Theft Auto V (2013) – 205 million.

By August 2024, Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online had generated approximately $8.6 billion in revenue.