Much has been written about Grand Theft Auto VI’s absurd MSRP, and much more will be written once the game releases next week on November 19th, 2026. Whether you’re willing to pay $80 (or $100 for the Ultimate Edition) is a different story, but according to industry analyst Rhys Elliott, GTA is one of the few games that can justify this price tag.
In a lengthy post on Twitter, Elliot (who works for Alinea Analytics) writes, “GTA 6 is as inelastic as things get in entertainment. People will pay anything to get their mitts on this one, which makes it *seem* like the perfect Trojan horse for an industry-wide price rise.” As he explains, publishers are going to take the wrong lessons from GTA 6, which is sure to sell millions of copies right out the gate. While Mario Kart World has managed to sell incredibly well, and Nintendo has found success with other $70 titles, Elliott believes only a handful of big games could rightly charge that much.
Elliott posits, “Sony could manage $80 on a marquee PlayStation Studios game (the next God of War or Naughty Dog game, for example). And Xbox could with Forza (once it’s off Game Pass, that is). FromSoftware also has the cache to do it – as does a brand like Harry Potter with Hogwarts Legacy 2. The sports games could as well, but they’re already squeezing players for more revenue with premium editions (with early access and perks).”
I’m not sure if I’d agree with that. There are so few games priced at $80 right now to really make concrete claims. Sony has also had a very bad year with even Wolverine “flopping” despite being a premium PlayStation game for $70. I’m all for more flexible pricing in games, which Nintendo actually does pretty well, but upping things to $80 right now amidst an economic crisis is going to cause more harm than good.
Elliott does seem to conclude with that same sentiment, though. “So not all games were created equal, and mid-tier AAA publishers – and also bigger publishers offering smaller games or remakes – will price downward at 40 – 60,” he writes. If publishers can bring back the AA market, I do believe more people would be okay with $70, even.
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Written by Peter Glagowski
Peter has been a freelance gaming and film critic for over seven years. His passion for Nintendo is only matched by the size of his collection.
