Rockstar Should Charge $200 for GTA 6, Analyst Says, as It’ll Be ‘The Last Great Game’ Before Everything is Built Using AI
Stratechery analyst Ben Thompson has suggested that Rockstar Games significantly underpriced Grand Theft Auto 6, arguing the game should cost $200 rather than its current $80 standard edition or $100 Ultimate Edition.
Thompson’s reasoning centers on the exceptional scale of GTA 6’s development. He emphasized that the game represents a decade of intensive human effort—characterized by what he describes as “blood, sweat and tears”—and was largely completed before the widespread adoption of AI tools in game development. According to Thompson, this makes GTA 6 potentially the last major AAA title created primarily through traditional human-driven development, warranting significantly higher pricing that reflects its unique value.
While Rockstar’s GTA 6 pricing announcement already generated considerable discussion within the gaming community, Thompson’s analysis adds a particular perspective on the game’s perceived value relative to its development cost and historical significance. His argument suggests that as AI becomes increasingly prevalent in game development, products completed before this shift may command premium valuations. The discussion highlights ongoing questions about how AAA game pricing should evolve and whether development methodology should factor into consumer pricing.