Take-Two CEO Calls GTA 6 an $80 Bargain Against Rising Everyday Costs

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has defended the $80 base price of Grand Theft Auto 6, describing the title as a "bargain" for players despite broader economic pressures from inflation.

Speaking to CNBC, Zelnick acknowledged that households are facing tighter budgets due to escalating food and gas expenses heading into the winter holiday season. However, he argued that interactive entertainment maintains a uniquely high value proposition when weighed against its potential playtime.

"There are so many hours of engagement on offer," Zelnick explained, contrasting shorter story-driven titles with open-world sandbox games. "You can play Grand Theft Auto 5 for hundreds of hours and not get bored. We’ll see how people feel about Grand Theft Auto 6, but I believe that you’ll be able to engage for an extraordinary long period of time."

Rockstar parent company Take-Two set the standard edition of GTA 6 at $80, alongside a $100 digital Ultimate Edition featuring bonus items. By comparison, Grand Theft Auto 5 debuted at $60 in 2013, which equates to approximately $85 in current purchasing power when adjusted for inflation.

While software pricing per hour remains a central point of defense for publishers, barrier-to-entry costs for console hardware have climbed amid memory and component shortages. Take-Two recently partnered with Microsoft on a cloud streaming agreement that will allow players on older hardware, such as the Xbox One, to stream the title rather than purchasing an upgraded system.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to release on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Lead image from the source article · Image: gamespot.com · Original image