For better or worse, Grand Theft Auto VI could become a turning point for the video game industry. In particular, there has been plenty of debate over whether its higher price could set a new standard for other AAA releases. Amid those discussions, the head of Take-Two Interactive has defended the price of both editions of Rockstar Games’ upcoming title.

Strauss Zelnick, CEO of Rockstar Games’ parent company, discussed the matter during a recent interview. The executive said the company always tries to offer consumers more value than what it charges and noted that game development costs are higher than ever.

GTA VI will cost up to $100, but Strauss Zelnick believes it’s a fair price

For months, fans and industry analysts have debated how much the next installment in the series could cost. Some analysts even predicted that Take-Two Interactive could charge as much as $150 or more for the base edition. The actual price turned out to be considerably lower, although the official announcement still sparked plenty of discussion.

At the end of June, Rockstar Games ended the speculation and confirmed that Grand Theft Auto VI will be available for $79.99 on Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 with its Standard Edition. Meanwhile, the Ultimate Edition, which includes access to exclusive stores and additional content, will cost $99.99 on both platforms.

While Mario Kart World for Nintendo Switch 2 also launched at $80, most other AAA releases have remained at the $70 price point. That’s why the price of GTA VI has generated so much debate.

In an interview with IGN, Strauss Zelnick emphasized that the pricing decision was based entirely on the value proposition, arguing that the open-world game offers a tremendous amount of value to consumers. He also believes the additional content included with the Ultimate Edition justifies its higher price.

“Our objective is always to deliver substantially more value than we charge, and we believe that price allows us to do that. We also offer a premium option for those who want to take advantage of it. Even in that case, we believe the price is set in a way that delivers substantially more value than what we charge,” the executive said.

The Take-Two CEO also stressed that the company’s goal isn’t simply to raise prices, arguing that the price selected for Grand Theft Auto VI reflects the current market conditions.

“And that’s the perspective with which we look toward the future,” Zelnick said during the company’s investor meeting on August 7.

Grand Theft Auto VI costo

Take-Two CEO discusses pricing for upcoming games

Naturally, there are concerns that GTA VI could establish a new standard for the industry, potentially encouraging other companies to increase the prices of their own games. It remains to be seen how other AAA publishers will respond, but Take-Two Interactive appears to have a clear strategy.

During the interview, Strauss Zelnick explained that the fact Grand Theft Auto VI costs at least $80 does not necessarily mean that the company’s other games will follow the same pricing model. According to the executive, pricing “depends very much on each individual case,” pointing to Mafia: The Old Country, which launched at $50.

During a question-and-answer session with investors, Zelnick also pointed out that AAA game development costs are significantly higher today than they were in the past, while game prices have not kept pace with inflation.

Despite those challenges, the head of Rockstar Games’ parent company reiterated that the goal is to exceed consumer expectations. He also noted that players remain extremely excited about GTA VI despite its price tag of up to $100.

During the meeting, Zelnick confirmed that preorders have been “exceptional”, although he declined to provide figures that would give investors a better idea of how many copies have already been sold for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.

“The experience you have depends on the combination of the experience itself and the price you pay for it. So to say that we expect Grand Theft Auto VI to be an incredible bargain is an understatement, because Rockstar Games is known for exceeding expectations,” the executive said.

Meanwhile, fans won’t have to wait much longer for another look at the highly anticipated open-world game. Rockstar will soon release an extended look at GTA VI through Netflix, with the video becoming available for free on other official channels six hours later.

The unusual marketing strategy has already sparked debate among fans, particularly because Netflix subscribers will get access to the video before everyone else. The duration of the upcoming extended look also remains unknown, although Netflix has seemingly fueled speculation that the presentation could be considerably longer than a traditional trailer.

For now, one thing is clear: Take-Two does not appear to be adopting a single price for all of its future games. Instead, the company plans to evaluate each release individually based on its scope, production costs, and the value it offers players.