With the "Grand Theft Auto 6 (Grand Theft Auto 6)" coming next year, the gaming industry's pricing strategy for high-end masterpieces has once again sparked heated discussion.
Variety's senior business editor in the TV and gaming sector, Jennifer Maas, pointed out in the latest issue of the Daily Variety podcast that $80 has become the core focus of industry discussion.Earlier this year, Nintendo took the lead in testing this price threshold with Mario Kart World; Microsoft tried to follow up, but eventually pulled the price of The Outer Worlds 2 to $70 - a standard price for high-end games over the past five years.
“The discussions about game pricing, how much players are willing to pay, and what price is reasonable based on the development time spent,” Maas explained.In her recent interview with Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, she specifically asked if the highly anticipated GTA 6 would break the norm.The game is expected to be released in May 2025, more than a decade after its debut in its previous work, GTA 5.
Take-Two has not announced the specific selling price yet.However, if there is a game that can support a higher price tag, GTA 6 is undoubtedly the most powerful contender.The high expectations make almost any price seem natural.
"For works like GTA 6, of course, they can price $80 or more, and players will still pay because this work itself is destined to be a phenomenal existence."
She also further explores a deeper question: Why is the GTA series so popular?One of the reasons is that it was one of the first games to attract non-core players and became an entertainment experience that should not be missed.
“It evokes strong nostalgia between millennials and Gen X,” Maas analyzed. “For many, GTA is the first time they realize that games are more than just sports, fighting or traditional adventure. It creates an immersive world where you can explore and do all kinds of crazy things. This unprecedented openness attracts people who are not traditionally ‘hardcore players’ because it’s a fascinating concept in itself.”
Another guest on this podcast is Emily Longeretta, senior TV feature editor at Variety.She revealed to the audience the production process behind Variety's annual "Emmy Awards Special".
"My best friends are Excel forms and Word documents." Longeretta quips.She needs to organize a large amount of content and carefully classify and type according to series, award categories, genres and styles.
Within this month, Variety will release five independent Emmy specials, focusing on: Best Actor (August 7),
After the nomination was announced, the competition became more intense, and each company launched fierce "lobbying" to win reporting resources during the voting period.Only those who truly love TV art like Longeretta can stay enthusiastic and focused in this high-intensity work rhythm.
“It’s not about getting exposure for the top stars, but about supporting actors who have been nominated for the first time,” she said. “What moved me the most was that our freelance writers and editorial team were passionate about it, and they would come to me: ‘Can I interview him?’ ‘Can I write this topic?’ I was so excited to see everyone’s commitment to these series.”
Listen to the Daily Variety podcast, which can be found on iHeartPodcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify and other major platforms.
