As the wait for Grand Theft Auto VI's May 2026 release continues, more analysts are predicting how much Rockstar has spent on the game, and how much we're expected to spend when it eventually lands in our hands.
The latest speculation comes from two analysts: Louise Wooldridge of Ampere Analysis and Michael Pachter of Wedbush Securities. Speaking to The Telegraph, they reiterate the high anticipation for the game, as well as it likely being incredibly expensive to make.
Pachter expects a high price, but still believes the game will be immensely profitable. "I expect a $100 price point for the game. The game will be immensely profitable. It will likely generate $10 billion lifetime and another $500 million annually from GTA Online," he said.
Pachter's estimate for the development costs for GTA VI pushes it beyond the $1.5 billion mark, including marketing. Budget range estimates for Grand Theft Auto VI have been in the $1-$2 billion ballpark for a while, but it's worth noting that there's no concrete evidence for this figure, and it would be baffling were it to reach the higher estimates, even considering anticipation and the development pipeline.
As for the $100 price point, various analysts have weighed in, with most pointing towards GTA VI opting for a cheaper, baseline price point. We've seen Nintendo go for $80 games, and face a lot of criticism. For now, Xbox has backed down on $80, and EA has said it won't jump to that price point right now either. To see GTA VI launch at a base of $100 might be too much, but the game is likely to have editions that will cost more than $100, a strategy adopted by many other modern games.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to launch on the 26th of May, 2026 for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
