The video game industry seems to be quietly anticipating that this year's blockbuster release, Grand Theft Auto 6, will set a new standard for pricing, according to Matthew Ball, CEO of the investment analysis firm Epyllion.
In a report by IGN, Ball was quoted as saying that Rockstar's latest addition to the franchise “could re-establish packed video game prices after decades of deflation despite rampant cost growth” at the The State of Video Gaming in 2025 event.
The report also indicates that industry players “hope” Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two Interactive will leverage the excitement around the release to increase starting prices for new titles to between US$80 and US$100 (RM355 and RM445).
Ball expects publishers will most likely maintain status quo with a US$70 (RM310) release for the title, or with a smaller price hike to US$80 (RM355), similar to the previous shift in 2020 that saw prices rising by US$10 (RM45) from US$60 (RM265).
The saving grace for Malaysian gamers is that the Steam platform (PC, Mac, Linux) employs a regional pricing system, recommending an appropriate price for developers/publishers by taking into account local incomes and costs of living, rather than directly converting prices from US dollars.
However, developers may choose to ignore these recommendations.
Grand Theft Auto 6 is expected to launch in the latter half of this year.
