A former Rockstar executive is confident that GTA 6 will break all budget records, but the price won't be raised to $100

Rumors continue to circulate around Grand Theft Auto VI regarding unprecedented development costs and a possible price hike for consumers. Obbe Vermeil, former technical director at Rockstar North, commented on these rumors. He believes the new installment in the series will indeed be the most expensive project in the history of the gaming industry, but the price for players will remain within the usual range.

In a conversation with reporters, Vermeil noted that Rockstar Games has demonstrated no intention of deviating from its standard pricing policy. Despite the rapidly increasing budgets of major AAA releases and analyst expectations, he doesn't believe the company will decide to sell GTA 6 for $100 or more.

The former top executive believes that the primary focus will be not on the price of the boxed version, but on long-term revenue streams after release. As a guideline, he cited a time-tested model, such as GTA Online, which has remained the franchise's main financial driver for years. This approach allows for the retention of a massive audience and the recoupment of enormous investments during the game's life cycle.

At the same time, Vermeil has no doubt that GTA 6 will be unparalleled in terms of its cost. Previous industry estimates have suggested the project's total budget could approach $2 billion, with the protracted development only amplifying this effect.

He also suggested that such gigantic budgets could become the exception over time. The development of AI-based technologies and tools, he said, could potentially reduce costs, especially in the art department. However, for GTA 6, this factor hasn't played a role—the game is being developed according to classic, extremely costly standards.

Rockstar Games remains tight-lipped about the actual development costs or the final price of Grand Theft Auto VI. However, the comments of the former studio head make it clear that even with record-breaking investments, the company has no plans to change its established pricing model.