Indeed, it appears to be a grand case of theft!
Devotees of the Grand Theft Auto franchise are expressing outrage over what they perceive as exorbitant pricing and extensive paywalls for the eagerly awaited new installment in this iconic video game series.
Gamers were caught off guard by Rockstar Games when they announced two editions of “Grand Theft Auto VI,” releasing pre-order options last week in advance of the game’s scheduled November 19 launch.
The release of the standard game edition at $80—already surpassing the industry norm by $10—disheartened loyal players. This version restricts numerous story elements, such as in-game stores, vehicles, custom modifications, outfits, tattoos, weapons, and missions, all of which are only accessible via the $100 “ultimate edition.”
“It seems they initially intended to set the price at $100 but feared the backlash,” shared Andrew Duran, a dedicated GTA enthusiast and PC gamer. Duran invested in a $600 PlayStation solely to enjoy this upcoming title in November, given the absence of a pending PC version.
“There’s no other reason they would paywall a bunch of story content and shops throughout the in-game world,” he added.
Other gamers agreed, and said that Rockstar games was being “greedy.”
Some fans of the series also shared how perplexed they were, and said the price of the game shows how bad the economy has become — pointing out that back in 2013, when GTA V was first released, the same company was selling a bundle that included the game, a PlayStation 3 and headphones for $300.
Gamers also expressed their fears that this pricing strategy could be just the latest aspect of daily life that is seeing prices soar as businesses cater to deep-pocketed customers willing to spend anything — driving prices up for everyone else.
“I can’t help but feel this is what the developer actually wants the standard version to be, while its $80 version is feeling distinctly like a Lite Edition,” Molly Taylor, a gaming reporter, wrote in an opinion piece in PC Gamer magazine.
Taylor went on to call the company’s pricing scheme “anti-consumer” and leaves her concerned for the future of the video games industry.
Beyond just the “ridiculous” $100 price tag for the full, unrestricted version of the game — fans pointed out an additional obstacle will likely turn into a massive payday for Rockstar Games off of the backs of unsuspecting players.
Pre-ordering the game comes with a “free month” of GTA + for everyone who purchases before the Nov. 19 release date, which gamers described as a “trap,” since the billing on the premium online gaming membership auto-renews after the month ends.
The “physical” version of the games won’t include a disc, just the case with a code for a digital download inside, according to the company.
But the price tag isn’t scaring any fans away.
A recent poll of over 10,000 gamers found that over 80% plan on purchasing the $100 edition of the game, according to Insider Gaming.
In the first 24 hours of pre-orders, Grand Theft Auto VI supposedly surpassed 39 million pre-orders worldwide, generating more than $3 billion in revenue and already turning profit on its estimated $2 billion budget, according to USA Today.