As discussions continue about the price of GTA 6, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has explained that the company's goal isn't to maximize prices.
Speculation was rampant for a long time as to how much Rockstar Games would be charging for GTA 6, and some were even worried that it would end up as high as $100. However, we finally got the answer back in June when GTA 6 pre-orders opened up that Take-Two was going with the $80 price point that Mario Kart World breached last year when the Nintendo Switch 2 launched. But just like Nintendo, that $80 didn't suddenly become the new standard price for releases from the publisher.
During an investor Q&A, Zelnick is asked why GTA 6 was given the expanded price only for NBA 2K27 to announce it will be releasing at the standard $70 price when it launches in September. Zelnick explains: "We've said this many, many, many times. Our goal is to deliver way more value to consumers than what we charge them." He adds that "the real cost of a AAA video game is a whole lot lower today than it was 20 years ago."
He explains, "to say that we expect that Grand Theft Auto 6 will be an incredible bargain as experiences go is a gross understatement, because Rockstar Games is known for over delivering." He cites that it's been 13 years after the launch of GTA Online and it's still bringing "record-setting engagements at times." Zelnick adds that the engagement is "our goal" and that "our goal is not to maximize price."
Zelnick also acknowledges that "given the hype around this title, I mean, I think we could have made any number of other pricing choices," but adds that "our focus is on delivering way, way, way more value than what we charge for something." And while "pre-orders are exceptional," he notes that "one thing we certainly don't do is take a victory lap before we run the event" as pre-orders can be cancelled.
Granted, analysts expect that GTA 6 will unsurprisingly have a strong launch, with it expected to make up to $5 billion within its first week.
