Take-Two Boss Knows You're Paying More For Gas, Groceries--Says You'll Buy GTA 6 Anyway

Strauss Zelnick, head of Take-Two, commented on new video game pricing and said he did not disclose GTA 6’s cost. He said many people face economic challenges from rising everyday expenses, but they will not skip GTA 6 if it delivers what they want. He stated that entertainment demand follows compelling offerings. He also noted that new game prices have declined in real terms over the past 30 years, citing GTA 5’s $60 launch price in 2013 versus about $85 today after inflation. He said the standard AAA price is $70 and has not kept pace with inflation, leading companies to add microtransactions to offset rising development costs. A Bank of America analyst suggested charging $80 for GTA 6 to encourage broader industry pricing changes, and said consumers are ready for $80 games.

"Strauss Zelnick, the head of Rockstar owner Take-Two, has commented on the price of new video games, and while he did not reveal how much GTA 6 will cost, he said people are going to line up to buy it because it will be so compelling."

"Speaking to IGN, Zelnick said he is "sensitive to the fact that so many people are facing economic challenges" these days with rising gas, grocery, and rent prices-just to name a few. However, he said people aren't going to skip GTA 6 just because prices of many other things in their lives may be increasing. "If you give people what they want in the entertainment business, they will come out for it," he said."

"Zelnick pointed out-as he has done before-that the prices for new games have actually declined over the past 30 years. For example, the price of GTA 5 when it launched in 2013 was $60 USD. Today, that's about $85 due to inflation. The standard going rate for big AAA games today is $70, and that price has not risen with annual inflation levels."

"Companies not raising prices has led to numerous developments in games that many people don't like, including more microtransactions. The thinking is that if companies refuse to charge more for games, they will find other ways to generate revenue to help offset increasing development costs. A Bank of America stock analyst said Rockstar should charge $80 for GTA 6 to help encourage other publishers to raise prices as well, which in turn may help the industry overall become more sustainable."

Read at GameSpot