Don't be cynical—I'm excited for the game, too—but Rockstar could split GTA 6 into individual chapters for $30 a pop, and I'm sure it would still be the biggest launch in the history of the industry. So, while the $20 price increase to unlock in-game stores and the code-in-a-box physical version doesn't slow down the game, it's surprising that so many people are willing to look past these dubious practices.
IGN surveyed over 3,000 gamers with one simple question: Are you going to buy the $100 version? Answer: 70.7 percent of the respondents planned to fork over the premium. That's a staggering figure when you consider what the Ultimate Edition actually payswalls — single-player storefronts, vehicle shops, and side activities locked behind an extra $20 bill the base version already costs more than the industry standard.
Of course, this survey isn't representative of the millions who will undoubtedly buy GTA 6, but it does provide an insight into what people are thinking. A split as high as 71:29 shows that the sheer amount of exclusive content on offer in the Ultimate Edition has won over players regardless of feedback. It's exactly the same story with the physical release; Despite widespread outrage over the “code-in-a-box” strategy, they sold out almost immediately on Amazon.
GTA 6 is setting a worrying precedent
GTA 6 has already made a profound impact on the industry. Developers have neglected to stamp their games with a release date for years in case they accidentally end up in its blast zone, and the November 19 date is now locked in due to the huge pile-up in September.
With that kind of leverage, there's every reason to be concerned about the example of a take-two setting. It's bold enough to push the base price to $80, let alone a code-in-a-box strategy — presumably to prevent people from breaking the street date — or an actual $100 price tag. Rockstar may bill UIltimate Edition as a premium upgrade, but let's be honest, it's a content-complete version of the game.
Whether other developers follow suit remains to be seen, but if IGN's survey is anything to go by, while these practices may be controversial, people will still be lining up to pay. And if you think it's too far-fetched to imagine content-complete versions sold at high prices to mask industry-wide growth, look at how much response Bethesda got for Horse Armor, an incredibly tame microtransaction by today's standards. People forget, and the once unthinkable quickly becomes normal.
