With anticipation at an all time high after the official unveiling of GTA 6, the question of its cost is in the spotlight.
CEO of Take Two, the game’s publisher, Strauss Zelnick introduced a controversial perspective to investors on the potential pricing last month.
Zelnick suggested that games should be priced based on playtime length or development time. He said, “In terms of our pricing for any entertainment property, basically the algorithm is the value of the expected entertainment usage, which is to say the per hour value times the number of expected hours plus the terminal value that’s perceived by the customer in ownership, if the title is owned rather than rented or subscribed to.”
However, it sidesteps the emotional and entertainment value of games. Zelnick’s algorithm focuses on the expected entertainment usage, emphasising the per-hour value multiplied by expected hours and adding perceived ownership value.
Rumours continue to circulate about the forthcoming price points for GTA 6 and these comments will do nothing to stop fanning the flames.
[Image created via MidJourney]