[UPDATE - March 1, 2026] Rockstar appears to have added GTA VI title IDs to the PlayStation Store database, which could signal that pre-orders are imminent, and that we may soon finally learn the game's pricing.
[ORIGINAL STORY] Games industry analyst firm MIDiA Research has published a new report titled “The winning formula for Grand Theft Auto VI” where they explain why Take-Two Interactive should price GTA VI at $69.99.
To reach this consensus, the analysts used the Gabor-Granger method and surveyed more than 2,000 United States consumers. According to their findings, the rumored $100 launch price (advocated by Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter but opposed by Alinea Analytics analyst Rhys Elliott) would reduce both unit sales and overall revenue. In contrast, the industry-standard price of $69.99 would maximize the sales potential and align with consumer expectations.
The study found that 79% of consumers interested in GTA VI said they would “definitely” or “probably” buy the game for $49.99, compared to 16% at a theoretical $149.99. Among superfans, the willingness to purchase at $149.99 was nearly twice that of the average consumer (9% versus 5%), but it was not enough to offset the overall loss in demand.
At the suggested optimal price of $69.99, MIDiA Research reckons approximately 8.6% of the U.S. adult population would purchase the game, for 22.9 million copies sold and $1.6 billion in revenue.
Perry Gresham, Head of Data at MIDiA Research and co-author of the report, said:
Our research suggests that GTA VI will generate more revenue at a standard $69.99 price point than the much-discussed $100. A $100 price point would actually leave money on the table. Below the optimum price, increasing price increases revenue, but prices above the optimum can result in loss of both unit sales and revenue. This is because the revenue increase from those who still purchase will be less than the lost revenue from those who do not.
Brandon Sutton, Games Analyst at MIDiA and co-author of the report, added:
Our research shows that 59% of consumers have some interest in purchasing GTA VI, highlighting the immense appeal and commercial potential of the game. This notoriety also makes GTA VI the perfect test case to understand consumer expectations around video games pricing. Our findings should serve as a caution to game developers looking to raise game prices in the future.
As a reminder, Grand Theft Auto VI was originally scheduled to launch in Fall 2025 but was delayed to May 26, 2026. Fans are hoping there won't be any more delays, but with Rockstar, it's hard to say.
In other news, here's our interview with Brandon Sutton on the $55 billion EA leveraged buyout and the 50% Game Pass price hike.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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