Is GTA 6 Really More Expensive Than GTA 5?
Comparing GTA 6 at $79.99 to GTA 5 at $59.99 in 2013. How 13 years of inflation make GTA 6 slightly cheaper in real money.
When Rockstar Games launched Grand Theft Auto 5 in September 2013, the retail price was $59.99. Thirteen years later, Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives with a price tag of $79.99 — a $20 increase.
At first glance, an extra $20 feels like a big jump. Many players wondered if games are just getting too expensive.
However, when you look at regular economic inflation over the past 13 years, an interesting fact emerges: in real purchasing power, GTA 6 at $79.99 is actually slightly cheaper than GTA 5 was on release day in 2013.
Here is the simple math behind game prices, inflation, and how much you actually pay.
Adjusting for Inflation: The Real Numbers
Everything from groceries to rent has gone up in price since 2013. Between 2013 and 2026, standard inflation in the United States rose by about 35.7%.
Here is what past GTA games would cost today if their prices had kept up with regular inflation:
| Game | Release Year | Original Launch Price | Inflation Since Release | Price in Today’s Money | Real Change in Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Theft Auto 3 | 2001 | $49.99 | +83.2% | $91.58 | 12.7% cheaper today |
| GTA: Vice City | 2002 | $49.99 | +80.4% | $90.18 | 11.3% cheaper today |
| GTA: San Andreas | 2004 | $49.99 | +72.1% | $86.03 | 7.0% cheaper today |
| Grand Theft Auto 4 | 2008 | $59.99 | +51.6% | $90.94 | 12.0% cheaper today |
| Grand Theft Auto 5 | 2013 | $59.99 | +35.7% | $81.40 | 1.7% cheaper today |
| Grand Theft Auto 6 | 2026 | $79.99 | Baseline | $79.99 | Matches Historical Trends |
What the Numbers Mean
Paying $59.99 in September 2013 is equal to paying $81.40 in 2026.
Because Rockstar priced GTA 6 at $79.99 instead of the full inflation adjustment, you are actually spending about 1.7% less real money for GTA 6 today than players spent when they lined up for GTA 5 at midnight in 2013.
If you go back even further, earlier games like GTA 4 ($59.99 in 2008) and GTA 3 ($49.99 in 2001) would both cost over $90 in today’s dollars.
Games Cost Far More to Make Now
Even though the real cost to players has stayed flat, the cost to develop massive open-world games has grown dramatically:
- GTA 5 (2013): Cost roughly $265 million to make and market, making it one of the most expensive projects of its time.
- GTA 6 (2026): Development and marketing over more than a decade are estimated between $1 billion and $2 billion.
With two playable main characters (Lucia and Jason), realistic crowd AI, detailed water and storm physics, and hundreds of square miles of Florida landscape, the game is many times bigger and more detailed than GTA 5, yet costs essentially the same in real dollars.
How Game Prices Have Changed Over Time
Game prices only jump every decade or so when new console generations arrive:
- 2005 ($50 → $60): With the Xbox 360 and PS3, standard new game prices rose from $49.99 to $59.99, where they stayed for 15 years.
- 2020 ($60 → $70): With the PS5 and Xbox Series X, prices rose to $69.99.
- 2026 ($70 → $80): GTA 6 sets the new $79.99 standard for the biggest, most ambitious open-world titles.
Bottom Line
While seeing $79.99 on a price tag can be a surprise, video games have actually resisted inflation much better than almost any other form of entertainment. When you factor in inflation, GTA 6 gives you an even bigger world than GTA 5 for slightly less real money.
For more information, check out our Price vs GTA 5 Guide or read our breakdown on whether GTA 6 is worth $80.