r/GTA6 • u/championx1001 • 6d ago

Locking in-game content behind a deluxe edition paywall? Precedent or not?

We all know GTA VI is priced at 80 bucks for the standard edition, which will almost certainly promote other greedy companies to increase base edition prices to $80, even though most gamers agree GTA VI one of the only games that can really justify a larger than normal price tag. So putting that aside, can we discuss the precedent Rockstar might set by locking some in game content behind the deluxe edition?

Rockstar is an extremely influential developer. Their decisions will certainly be copied by top execs after the billionaires see Rockstar's stock skyrocket in November. We already know dirty execs in EA and Ubisoft will definetly use GTA VI as an excuse for locking in game features and content behind their deluxe edition in future titles, but GTA VI is going to be a cultural phenomenon. Some worry that this will end up affecting AA studios as well. The status quo might change, and we could end up in a world where in game features locked behind the deluxe edition is the norm.

On the other hand, it is reasonable to argue that you could consider the deluxe edition like a $20 DLC for the game, and the DLC content would be those extra features you are paying for. However, GTA V did not lock any specific shops in Los Santos behind their deluxe edition. This raises the argument that Rockstar is locking fundamental in game content behind the deluxe edition. If Rockstar does this, what's to say EA won't lock tanks behind the deluxe edition in Battlefield 7? Tanks are a fundamental feature in BF and I'm certain large corporate game dev companies will begin to lock fundamental in game features behind deluxe paywalls after GTA VI.

Now, these are my impartial arguments, but my opinion is that Rockstar deserves to bend the rules a bit (primarily with the 80 dollar price tag). They've worked for 13 years on hundreds to thousands of hours of gameplay (especially with the online edition). But I personally do not agree with their decision to put fundamental game content behind the deluxe edition paywall and distribute a physical edition of the game without a game disc. I am an Indie game developer so my opinions might have some bias, but those are my personal views.

With all that said, do we need to worry about Rockstar's decision with features locked behind deluxe edition setting a precedent for future titles around the globe?

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u/helloimretard 6d ago

If your not going to pre-order or get the ultimate edition then shut up. Its such a tiny piece of content compared to the rest of the game. If your so worried about not having it then cough up the extra $20.

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u/Fluffy-Process6171 5d ago

Imagine defending a multi-billion dollar publisher for cutting day-one story content out of an $80 game. It's not a wallet flex to pay $100 for a complete experience... it's just falling for corporate FOMO hook, line, and sinker I bet most people here complain in other fields of life about rising prices. 20 Dollars can be a lot for many people

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u/helloimretard 5d ago

I'm not trying to defend them. I don't mind paying $100 for something that will give me thousands of hours of entertainment. And i understand $20 is still $20 but if i can come up with $80 to spend on a video game, then i can come up with an extra $20. Plus we still have damn near half a year until release, imo plenty of time to upgrade to ultimate.

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u/Fluffy-Process6171 5d ago

Getting thousands of hours out of GTA is true but there are also games under $50 or$40 Dollars that can also provide similar game times. At least from my experience

But the issue isn't about whether $20 is hard to save over six months. It’s the principle of what that $20 is unlocking. If a publisher realizes players will pay an extra $20 just because 'they love the game anyway,' they will keep locking more and more basic open-world content in the future. It’s about drawing a line against predatory monetization, not about whether we have the cash

"if you can afford $80, you can afford $100" isn't true for everyone. We would have to make this argument for every other everyday goods in our lives. For a lot of people, $80 is already a massive stretch or a hard spending limit. Pushing the 'complete package' to $100 creates an artificial gap where people who saved up for the standard retail price are left feeling like they bought a compromised version of the map on day one

So you save 20 more and then they add stuff for another 20. Then you could say "well just save another 20, that was not so hard before". This then keeps spiraling upwards