Even costing 34% of the minimum wage, launch of GTA 6 breaks historical sales record

The controversy surrounding the price and marketing model of the highly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI gained strength with pre-sale data. The value of R$549.90 for the full version of the game is already scary, equivalent to almost 34% of a minimum wage. Known for its controversial plot, involving crimes and transgressions, the Grand Theft Auto franchise now elevates the discussion beyond the narrative, impacting the future of electronic games with significant changes in the sector.

One of the new features that generates debate is the more accessible version, around R$100 cheaper, which does not include the full game. This edition limits access to certain areas of the Vice City map, creating a type of segregation between players. Current versions of games generally offer “standard” and “ultimate” packages with extra items, but Grand Theft Auto VI introduces a content barrier between them, preventing full access to the game’s universe for those who opt for the more economical option.

Another major change lies in physical media, which is on its way out. Although a box will still be sold, it will only contain a download code, eliminating the traditional CD. This change has already caused major retailers to announce that they will not sell the game. Furthermore, the standard price for AAA titles (large productions with development costs that can reach US$400 million), which was approximately R$350, was raised by R$100 by Grand Theft Auto VI, establishing a new level for the industry.

As warned by renowned electronic games industry executive and analyst, Matt Piscatella, this price escalation could transform the market into a niche for high-income players. According to him, “a larger portion of the market is going to wealthier people, with higher incomes, and the poorest segments of the market are really going through difficulties.” This trend could lead players with less purchasing power to migrate to free games, such as Roblox and Fortnite, highlighting a growing exclusion.

Despite the high prices, the expectation surrounding the new Grand Theft Auto has not diminished. The last edition of the franchise was released in 2013, and the long wait boosted pre-sales. The Rockstar Games game achieved an impressive 39 million copies sold in the first 24 hours of pre-sales, generating around US$3 billion in revenue. The official launch of the title is scheduled for November 19th this year.

Main controversies and challenges in the production of GTA 6

Since the official announcement, the development of Grand Theft Auto VI has been surrounded by a series of controversies that, curiously, intensified expectations. Even before the formal reveal, in 2022, Rockstar suffered one of the biggest leaks in gaming history, with dozens of videos of a version in development exposed after a hacker attack. During the publicity campaign, the company was also criticized for the long silence between the trailers, the scarcity of official information and the successive postponements of the launch, initially scheduled for 2025 and rescheduled twice until the current date, under the justification of guaranteeing the quality expected by fans.

In addition to the delays, the end of development was marked by other controversies. Rockstar faced reports of abusive working conditions, known as “crunch”, while part of the community criticized the high price of the game’s editions. Other points of friction were the absence of traditional physical media, replaced by boxes with digital codes, and the monetization model of more expensive versions. Despite all the complaints, expectations surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI remained extremely high, with millions of players waiting for the new chapter in the franchise to set a new standard for open world games.

Plot details and setting of the new game

The plot of Grand Theft Auto VI follows the protagonist duo Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos, a couple of criminals who seek a new life through a major scam. However, the plan fails, and the two find themselves involved in a vast criminal conspiracy that spans the entire fictional state of Leonida, inspired by Florida, with Vice City as the main setting. Pursued by different organizations and forced to face the criminal underworld, Jason and Lucia must rely on each other to survive while trying to uncover the plot and find a way out of the situation. However, as it is an open world, the player has complete freedom to explore and decide the course of his actions.

Rockstar keeps much of the story secret, but the trailers and official information indicate that the relationship between the protagonists will be the central narrative axis, mixing romance, loyalty, betrayal and major heists. The expectation is that the plot will present a more cinematic and emotional approach than that seen in Grand Theft Auto V, exploring everything from the luxurious neighborhoods of Vice City to rural regions, swamps and small towns of Leonida, in a journey full of chases and disputes between criminal factions and corruption.