It’s no mystery that the gaming industry is at a low point. Several live service games have been canceled, and game studios have shut down everywhere.
Many industry insiders have been speculating about what would save the industry at this troubling time. One suggestion is a change that could set a new precedent for games—but gamers aren’t going to like it.
How GTA VI’s Price Tag Could Save the Industry
In a recent presentation from Epyllion’s Matthew Ball looking at the state of Video Gaming in 2025 (via VGC), it’s suggested that giving Grand Theft Auto VI the price tag of $100 could save the industry and set a new standard for other studios to follow.
The idea is that Grand Theft Auto VI is considered one of the most anticipated games of the year and that people will be willing to pay whatever the cost of the game. By coming to the market with this price tag, other developers are expected to follow suit, and the profits from the increased price could remedy the steadily rising production costs when it comes to developing video games.
How Did We Get Here
The issue of video games and their costs has been discussed over the years. While the prices of AAA games have remained stagnant so far, the development cost has gone way up over the past few years—. The only significant increase in price has been the jump from $60 to $70, which occurred when games transitioned to new-gen consoles.
Current standards for modern games demand a lot more work and people to complete a project. So when an AAA game costs $200 million to produce, studios expect it to be a big hit, or else they will be in the hole for a lot of money.
That’s kind of the reason why tie-in games are so rare nowadays. Sure, having a Return of the King game for Lord of the Rings was affordable in the 2000s, but they would probably have to get another movie budget just to make a Dune game that lives up to the movie.
At best, video game tie-ins have been reduced to reskinned puzzle and rhythm games; this is the case with several Netflix properties, such as Stranger Things and Squid Game.
It’s Not the Only Solution
For now, the $100 price tag seems like the simplest solution. However, games have found several ways to earn money, such as through DLC content and cosmetics. Developers have even found a way to earn extra profits by promising early access to players who pre-order the game.
Some industry observers think this eventually boils down to mismanagement of funds and resources, like what happened with PlayStation, which canned several of its live-service games.
Grand Theft Auto VI is expected to be released this year, but some fans think it could be delayed to 2026.