Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick hints at GTA 6's launch price: Here's how much the game may cost

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick may have suggested that Grand Theft Auto VI ( GTA 6) could be priced between $70 and $80. During a recent interview with The Game Business, the chief executive of GTA maker Rockstar’s parent company may have made this accidental revelation. While discussing in-game advertising, Zelnick suggested that inserting ads into a full-priced title would not be appropriate, hinting at the expected price range for the upcoming release.



“Very difficult for me to believe that we would want to have interstitial advertising in a game that someone paid 70 or 80 bucks for would seem unfair,” Zelnick said. His remarks came in response to a question about whether GTA 6 could include in-game advertising. While he did not directly confirm the game’s price, his reference to “70 or 80 bucks” has been interpreted as a likely pricing bracket for the title.



Zelnick added that advertising models differ depending on the type of game, noting, “For free-to-play titles, yes. For titles for which you've paid 70 or 80 bucks, no.” He also explained that advertising in sports titles such as WWE or NBA 2K fits naturally within those environments, but is “not a big economic contributor.”



Zelnick’s comments also suggest that GTA 6 is unlikely to feature traditional in-game ads. While the franchise has historically included fictional advertisements as part of its world-building, the CEO indicated that adding real advertising elements could conflict with player expectations for a paid title.



Take Two CEO dismisses concerns over GTA 5 players not buying GTA 6


During the same interview, Zelnick addressed concerns that players who bought Grand Theft Auto V at launch may no longer have time to engage with the next instalment. He dismissed this, saying younger audiences will continue to drive engagement.



According to Zelnick, many 17-year-old gamers are expected to play the game when it is released. Moreover, he does not think new gamers will need to play previous GTA titles to play GTA 6. He also mentioned that older players who have already played GTA 5 for more than 10 years will soon be able to purchase the new game independently.



Earlier, the possible effects of GTA 6 on existing pricing models were discussed in the gaming community, with some speculating that prices may increase. Zelnick's remarks suggest a possible fit with the current higher prices.



The title, which is being developed by Rockstar Games , is expected to follow the publisher’s existing approach to large-scale releases, focusing on full-price sales rather than relying on additional monetisation methods, such as in-game ads.