With ever increasing hardware prices, gamers might be more willing to drop $80 or $100 on GTA 6 than they otherwise would be, according to one analyst.
Fresh off the announcement of the GTA 6 price, we talked to a few gaming analysts about what an $80 Standard Edition and an $100 Ultimate Edition (that paywalls some crucial features) could mean for the Rockstar Games behemoth and the industry at large.
Joost Van Dreunen reckons the slightly higher asking price won't have an effect on how well the game sells. In fact, higher hardware prices across the board might help Grand Theft Auto's case.
"I expect that precisely because gaming hardware has become largely unaffordable for consumers, the existing player base will eagerly spend on those experiences they know will be worth their time," Van Dreunen tells GamesRadar+. "Why spend $1,000 on a new console when you can spend only a fraction on one of the best franchises around?"
Hardware prices are on the up and up. The Steam Machine launches with an eye-watering starting price of $1049, Xbox Series X|S consoles just saw another price bump, and PS5 price tags went up earlier in the year as well - and things aren't slowing down. Valve recently said it doesn't expect component costs to come down any time soon, while Xbox expects prices to multiply in the next year.
"Gaming is increasingly becoming a luxury category. Its economics have historically centered around a winner-takes-most model, and GTA 6 raises the bar again," Van Dreunen adds when asked if the game's price sets a precedent that other companies might follow. "Publishers who can clear it will pull further ahead, and those who cannot will have to compete on distribution instead, finding new channels, bundles, and pricing models to reach players the blockbusters don't."
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