A self-made millionaire has offered an unexpected defence of GTA 6‘s hefty price tag, arguing that Rockstar Games’ next blockbuster could actually leave players thousands of dollars better off.
With Grand Theft Auto VI finally due to launch on 19 November for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, fans are preparing to spend countless hours exploring Vice City and the surrounding state of Leonida with protagonists Jason and Lucia.
However, the sequel’s $79.99 standard price in the US, or the $99.99 Ultimate Edition price most will likely go for, has hardly made it a cheap purchase.
British entrepreneur and financial influencer Mark Tilbury reckons there’s another way to look at the cost, and his unusual calculations have already attracted hundreds of millions of views across his social media accounts.
How GTA 6 could supposedly save players $5,000
Tilbury’s calculations point out that gaming is far cheaper than regular nights out (Mark Tilbury/Instagram)
In the viral video, available to watch on his Instagram and TikTok, Tilbury explains: “Buying GTA 6 can actually save you $5,000. The [Ultimate Edition of the] game itself costs $99.99. If it takes 80 hours to complete, that’s $1.25 per hour of fun.
“But once you add in side missions and explore the map, it’s down to 50 cents an hour.”
He continues: “Now let’s say you play for four hours every evening. That’s 50 nights of entertainment. Compare that to going out, where you could easily spend $100 in a single night. That’s why buying GTA 6 actually saves you $5,000.”
Granted, Tilbury’s maths are intended to be a bit of a joke with some numbers plucked out of thin air. Along with it being no guarantee whatsoever that the game will give you 200 hours total of entertainment based on his calculations (‘four hours every evening’ x 50), any of us would be worried if every single night out we went on cost $100.
That said, the overall point that the millionaire’s trying to make is still sound: if you spend $70, $80, $90, or even $100 on a video game with dozens of hours of content (if not hundreds), you’ll more than get your money’s worth compared to spending the same amount on one meal, drinking session, or day out that’s over within the course of an afternoon.
Plus, rough maths aside, you could technically save even more if you just bought the standard edition of GTA 6. Tilbury only cited the Ultimate Edition’s cost at $99.99, but you’ll get nearly as much fun out of the $79.99 regular version of the Grand Theft Auto sequel and almost get as much entertainment out of the game.
No matter how he got to his numbers, Tilbury’s take still hit home with plenty of social media viewers who’ve seemed to have been trying to justify the expense of GTA 6 to folks in their circles, with content creator Sam Cornforth replying: “*sends to missus*”
Food Instagrammer Aaron Middleton eagerly added: “This is the boy maths we’ve been waiting for”
The gratitude for the 59-year-old’s post even came from commenters on TikTok, with one user saying: “Genuinely might be Unc’s best video.”
Where to buy GTA 6 at the lowest price
UK gamers can already save £5 on GTA 6 preorders (Rockstar Games/Mark Tilbury/Instagram)
Both versions of Grand Theft Auto 6 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S in the US are still priced at $79.99 at Amazon and other retailers, but there have actually been some steady discounts popping up in the UK — with Amazon leading the pack there, too, at £64.99.
When preorders originally dropped for GTA VI, prices in the United Kingdom started at £69.99 across all major retailers; this is also the price for the purely box-free digital versions on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store.
However, Amazon UK soon became the go-to retailer by dropping the price to £64.99, its lowest-ever price with a £5 discount.
Plenty of other retailers like Smyths and Currys have quickly followed suit, presumably to not miss out on the business, but Amazon UK’s still the best deal so far — since you can also bundle your on-sale copy of the game with the exclusive vinyl soundtrack or CD (which is still on sale, as well).
Keep in mind that all of these prices are for the standard edition of GTA 6, but from release day on 19 November, you can digitally purchase the Ultimate Edition Upgrade for £20/$20 from the PlayStation or Xbox Store — granting you bonus exclusive shops with extra cosmetics for Jason and Lucia, along with bonus vehicles and weapons.
The best Grand Theft Auto 6 preorder prices in the UK & US
- Amazon: £64.99 on PS5 (UK), £64.99 on Xbox (UK), $79.99 on PS5 (US), $79.99 on Xbox (US)
- Currys (UK): £64.99 on PS5, £64.99 on Xbox
- Smyths (UK): £64.99 on PS5, £64.99 on Xbox
- Walmart (US): $79.99 on PS5, $79.99 on Xbox
- Best Buy (US): $79.99 on PS5, $79.99 on Xbox
- PlayStation Store (digital purchase, no box): £69.99 on PS5 (UK), $79.99 on PS5 (US)
- Xbox Store (digital purchase, no box): £69.99 on Xbox (UK), $79.99 on Xbox (US)
