Warhorse Founder Hopes GTA VI Sets New Industry Price Standard

Game development costs have risen, and according to one developer, a price increase is long overdue.

Many people are currently waiting for the release of Grand Theft Auto VI. Among them is Martin Klíma, one of the founders of Warhorse Studios, which developed Kingdom Come: Deliverance. However, he is waiting for the game for an unconventional reason.

During an interview with PC Gamer, Martin Klíma explained that he has no interest in the Grand Theft Auto franchise, adding that he does not understand why everyone else is so crazy about it. He will not play GTA VI of his own accord, and his interest stems from the possibility that Rockstar Games’ new title could help set a new pricing standard for games.

According to Klíma, the gaming industry currently faces a serious problem: the cost of game development has increased, while creators lack new revenue sources to fund it. Audience growth has virtually stalled, digital storefronts already yield maximum sales revenue, and retail sales have been “destroyed.”

Ultimately, Martin Klíma explains, the only thing developers can do is raise the price per unit, meaning a copy of the game:

The base version of GTA VI is priced at $80, while the Ultimate Edition is valued at $100. Some players have criticized this pricing policy from Rockstar Games and Take-Two, but defenders have also emerged, expressing the opinion that a game of GTA’s caliber can afford such pricing.

Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles. Nothing has been announced yet regarding a PC version.