Featured Image Credit: Rockstar
Many gamers were already left stunned when Rockstar Games officially revealed the price for GTA 6, yet one tech analyst believes that it's actually worth double in actuality, calling it the 'last great game' before AI takes over the industry.
It's no secret that GTA 6 is likely the most expensive game ever made from a budget standpoint, with rumors suggesting that hundreds of millions of dollars has been spent on one comparatively small aspect of development.
However, according to Ben Thompson, tech analyst and author of the Stratechery newsletter, its $80 and $100 price tags don't accurately reflect the game's 'actual' worth despite already breaking industry norms.
As reported by IGN, Thompson proclaimed in an interview with TBPN that Rockstar "should be charging like $200" for GTA 6, expressing that he feels "compelled to buy [the game], just in honor of it existing.
"Even if I don't know if I'm ever going to play it, I'd be happy to pay $200. $80 is ridiculous. They should charge more," the analyst continued.
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While there have been many people outlining a similar willingness to pay 'whatever it takes' to get GTA 6 in their hands after 13 years of waiting – although a recent controversial announcement would leave you little to actually hold when the game releases – the prospect of a $200 price tag is perhaps a little too far.
It's a similar price point to incorrect leaks that cropped up just days before Rockstar officially announced the price, although that upper limit was for special editions of the game.
You can still pay $100 for the Ultimate Edition, which comes with exclusive content that fans aren't too happy about, but many will likely be more than happy to fork up the required money in order to get the best experience at launch.
The $200 claim wasn't the only bold statement Thompson made in reference to GTA 6, as he branded the upcoming release as what could possibly be the 'last great game' before AI fully takes over the world of game development.
"It was mostly all made pre-AI. It is the pinnacle of AAA craftsmanship," Thompson illustrated. "Years and years and years of blood, sweat, and tears. To the extent where you have the Twitter analysts counting cigarette butts outside Rockstar's offices to see how much crunch they're in."
The extent to which developers integrate generative artificial intelligence remains to be seen, as some teams will be more unreceptive than others, but GTA 6 does stand, based on current release cycles, as one of the last major known titles to release with the vast majority of its development completed in a pre-AI world.
