Warhorse Studios Co-Founder Advocates for Higher Game Prices, Eyes GTA 6
- Martin Klima of Warhorse Studios calls for increased game prices, hoping GTA 6 will set a new benchmark.
- He cites rising development costs and a plateau in new game purchases as industry challenges.
- GTA 6 releases on 19 November, with a Standard Edition priced at $79.99 in the US.
Martin Klima, co-founder of Warhorse Studios and developer of last year’s RPG, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, has expressed hopes for higher game prices in the industry, suggesting that Grand Theft Auto 6 may lead this change.
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Klima outlined significant issues facing the gaming industry, including the dramatic rise in development costs and a stagnation in the number of consumers purchasing new titles. He noted that the shift towards digital storefronts has eliminated many traditional retail middlemen, stating, “We destroyed retail, and we took all their money.”
To address financial pressures without resorting to excessive microtransactions, Klima suggested that studios could raise the unit price of games. He remarked, “The last thing you can do is to increase the unit price… everybody’s scared to death about it.” He is optimistic that GTA 6 can pave the way for this increase.
Klima believes that Rockstar Games and its parent company, Take-Two, are in a unique position to increase game prices, which he describes as “long overdue and also necessary for this business to survive.” He wished them well in this endeavor.
The Standard Edition of GTA 6 is priced at £69.99 in the UK and $79.99 in the US, making it about $10 more expensive than most blockbuster titles outside of the Mario Kart franchise. The Ultimate Edition is available for up to $99.99.
Despite its anticipated success, there is no certainty that consumers will accept an $80 price tag. For example, last year, Xbox initially planned to release The Outer Worlds 2 for $80 but reverted to the standard $70 following public feedback.
While Klimas supports Rockstar, he expressed personal disinterest in GTA 6, stating, “I am not going to be playing GTA 6 unless I’m somehow forced to,” adding, “And the reason why it is so popular – it beats me.” Nevertheless, he appreciates the technical accomplishments of such games.
GTA 6 is set for release on 19 November for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Recent reports suggest it may be the first installment to include full-on sex scenes, and Rockstar is currently facing an employment tribunal in Scotland over union-busting accusations from dismissed workers.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
