Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has defended the decision to price Grand Theft Auto 6 at $80, stating that the game's value proposition will make it an "incredible bargain."
In a recent investors call, Zelnick addressed the elevated price point for GTA 6 and the continued $70 price for NBA 2K27, reiterating Take-Two's commitment to delivering substantial value to consumers. He noted that the real cost of producing AAA video games has decreased over the past two decades, while pricing has not kept pace with inflation. "Our goal is to continue to overdeliver for our consumers because how you feel about any experience is the intersection of the experience itself and what you paid for it," Zelnick explained.
He expressed strong confidence in Rockstar Games' ability to exceed expectations, stating, "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 overdelivering." The standard edition of Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch at $80, with an additional Ultimate Edition available that promises exclusive vehicles, weapons, apparel, and story content.
While acknowledging that GTA 6 represents a price increase, Zelnick clarified that this adjusted pricing strategy will not apply to all Take-Two titles. "Our goal is not to maximize price," he stated. "So in this case, I think what we’ve decided to do makes a whole lot of sense in the context of what we’re delivering, and that’s the lens through which we’ll look going forward as well."
Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to release on consoles on November 19. The first gameplay trailer is set to debut on August 27 at 12 p.m. PT/3 p.m. ET on Netflix, followed by a YouTube release six hours later.