WARDOGS CEO Joe Brammer Says GTA VI Missed Its Chance to Raise Game Prices
Brammer argues that development costs have outpaced game prices, using WARDOGS's £36.99 price and GTA VI's $80 tag as his examples.
WARDOGS CEO and executive producer Joe Brammer says game prices have not kept pace with development costs, and he believes Grand Theft Auto VI had enough reach to push the market higher. Rockstar’s next Grand Theft Auto is priced at $80, but Brammer argues it could have been the release to move the standard beyond that figure.
“Games too cheap, cost of development too high,” Brammer wrote. He compared the price of WARDOGS with a recent trip in the UK, noting that he paid £30 for a one-way train journey while the game costs £36.99.
Easy headline that… but it’s not complicated..
Games too cheap, cost of development too high.
GTA6 had a chance to raise the bar and they didn’t do it, so we’ll keep going round..
I just paid £30 for a train journey one way, wardogs cost £36.99…
Let’s not pretend we don’t…
— Joe Brammer (@Brammflakes) September 24, 2026
Brammer also argued that “GTA 6 had a chance to raise the bar, and they didn’t do it.” His comments followed a discussion involving Double Fine founder Tim Schafer about the economics of game development, hiring, and layoffs. Schafer told BBC News in an interview that he did not understand the economics of making games, suggested corporate greed could contribute to downsizing, and said he hoped the current cycle would improve. Brammer’s answer puts the focus on what players pay for the games being built.
His argument arrives before GTA VI’s November 19, 2026 release, which remains on schedule according to Rockstar North co-lead Rob Nelson. Game prices have mostly settled around $70 since the start of the current console generation. Nintendo and Rockstar have both put $80 tags on Mario Kart World and GTA VI, giving Brammer’s complaint a clear point of reference.
WARDOGS puts the pricing argument in front of a large audience
WARDOGS has sold more than 2 million copies during its launch week while remaining in Early Access. The tactical shooter also peaked above 400,000 players and had around 250,000 concurrent players at the time of writing. It is currently available on Steam, with PlayStation and Xbox versions planned for 2028.
BULKHEAD’s earlier plan to keep in-game monetization out of Early Access gives the price discussion extra context. The studio said it would rely on base game sales and a supporter edition before version 1.0, as outlined in its Early Access monetization plan.
Brammer’s post was an argument about the broader business of making games, not an announcement of a new WARDOGS price. The £36.99 figure gives his comparison a concrete anchor, while the game’s audience shows why a successful release can make the pricing debate more visible than a smaller project can.
Applying the idea beyond GTA and Mario Kart is less straightforward. A new or smaller release does not have the same built-in audience, so an $80 or $100 price could ask players to take a much larger chance before they know whether the game is worth it. Xbox’s own reversal adds another complication, after Microsoft announced $80 pricing for some first-party games and later returned The Outer Worlds 2 to $70.
GTA VI was the release Brammer believed could have tested a much higher ceiling. Rockstar kept its price at $80, leaving the broader industry debate unresolved before the game’s launch.
Would you pay more for a major game from a trusted franchise, or should higher prices stay off the table for everyone? Share your view in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
Wardogs
Developed by Bulkhead
