The GTA series is the flagship open-world game franchise of U.S.-based Rockstar Games. Boasting realistic graphics, a high degree of freedom, and vast content, it is one of the world’s best-selling game franchises, having surpassed 400 million copies in cumulative global sales. This is the first new installment in the series in 13 years since the release of GTA V in September 2013, and the industry estimates that at least $2 billion has been invested in development costs alone.
Market anticipation is also at an all-time high. Global market research firm Newzoo estimates that GTA 6 generated approximately $260 million (385.1 billion won) in revenue from pre-orders alone.
The reason the domestic gaming industry is keeping a close eye on GTA 6 goes beyond the game’s own quality and commercial success—it’s about the “concentration of attention.” This is because user acquisition, media exposure, and streaming content consumption—which are crucial in the early stages of a game’s launch—are highly likely to be concentrated on GTA 6.
Games released around the same time as GTA 6 may find it relatively difficult to secure user attention. Not only will they have to invest more in advertising and promotions to generate the same level of buzz, but they may also have to consider options such as moving up or delaying their release dates.
The gaming industry views NC’s (NCsoftCorporation(036570)) open-world FPS (first-person shooter) “Cinder City,” slated for release in the second half of the year, and Netmarble Corporation(251270)’s PC and console co-op action game “Project Evilbane” as titles falling within GTA 6’s sphere of influence. A gaming industry insider stated, “While some games may experience schedule delays depending on their development progress and quality, we cannot completely ignore the GTA 6 release schedule,” adding, “It seems prudent to avoid releasing major titles around that time.”
Not only new releases but even already-released games must take GTA 6 into account when setting schedules for DLC (downloadable content) releases and discount promotions.
Heo Jin-young, CEO of PearlAbyss Corp.(263750), also recently spoke directly about the impact of GTA 6. At a shareholder meeting on the 7th, he said, “I consider it a huge relief that *Red Desert* is coming out before GTA 6,” adding, “We’re keeping a close eye on the situation because market expectations are high and there are factors that could change the market going forward.”
GTA 6 is also affecting preparations for G-STAR, South Korea’s largest game exhibition. Industry sources report that organizers are facing difficulties securing influencers due to a scheduling conflict with the event. A gaming industry official explained, “If playing GTA 6 can attract a much larger audience than creating G-STAR-related content in Busan, streamers won’t see a need to travel to the event in person.”
The industry is also paying close attention to consumers’ price resistance thresholds regarding GTA 6. The prices for GTA 6 have been set at 89,800 won for the Standard Edition (79.99 USD based on the North American version) and 112,800 won for the Ultimate Edition (99.99 USD based on the North American version). Before the prices were announced, there were predictions that the Standard Edition would exceed $100 due to GTA 6’s high development costs, but it did not surpass that threshold.
A gaming industry insider stated, “Game package prices have barely risen in line with inflation,” adding, “If GTA had exceeded $100, it would have raised the ceiling for price increases for other games released afterward, but it seems they set the price this way to account for the psychological resistance level.”
