While a prominent analyst valued Rockstar’s game at $100 this week, another stepped in with a counterpoint.

Earlier this week, we reported that Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities believes Grand Theft Auto VI will cost $100 (roughly 40,000 HUF) for the base edition. However, WCCFTech asked Rhys Elliott of Alinea Analytics for his take on the potential pricing, and he challenged Pachter’s forecast—insisting that Rockstar and Take-Two’s game will not be that expensive.

“A $100 base price for Grand Theft Auto VI would be a bad idea for three reasons. The real money-maker is Grand Theft Auto Online and its recurring revenue streams, so limiting GTA VI’s total audience at launch for the sake of a quick profit would be unwise. Let’s not forget that we are in the midst of a global cost-of-living crisis. Rockstar needs to pull players from Grand Theft Auto V, and higher switching costs would limit the number of people moving from GTA5 to GTA6. The reluctance of players to leave GTA5 is likely one of GTA6’s biggest threats—a challenge the franchise has never faced before. Ultimately, live service games are mostly zero-sum in today’s saturated attention economy. GTA6 isn’t only competing with other games; it’s competing with TikTok, Netflix, and even GTA5 itself.

Rockstar could easily charge $100 (or even $120) for a premium edition of Grand Theft Auto VI that offers one week of early access, perhaps bundled with a Shark Card. Players with disposable income will pay. It’s the best of both worlds and the standard for AAA releases today. While ‘higher price = more revenue’ might sound logical at first, it doesn’t hold up from a business perspective when viewed from a broader angle. Grand Theft Auto is the highest-grossing media property of all time. Grand Theft Auto V alone has sold 215 million copies and continues to grow. Just last month, GTA5 sold 358,000 copies on PlayStation. So, while Rockstar could charge $100 for the base version of GTA VI and the market would likely accept it, they shouldn’t ask for more than necessary. Rockstar is a smart developer with considerable autonomy under its publisher. I believe they will make the right decision and price the base edition at $80,” Elliott said.

This seems like the most sensible approach. If Rockstar or Take-Two demanded $100, it would cause an uproar across the industry, with some groups calling for a boycott. While such a strong IP as Grand Theft Auto wouldn’t be irreparably harmed, why risk spoiling what will otherwise be the biggest entertainment launch in history on May 26?

Source: WCCFTech