In a candid interview, former Call of Duty multiplayer creative director Greg Reisdorf dropped a bombshell on the gaming industry: Triple-A games priced at $100 are not just possible, they are inevitable.
Reisdorf, who shaped multiplayer experiences for titles like Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, WWII, and Black Ops Cold War during his time at Sledgehammer Games, made the prediction while discussing skyrocketing development costs and investor pressures. He left Activision in January 2025 to co-found Oncade, a platform aimed at supporting indie and AA studios with tools for user-generated content, virtual currencies, and sustainable revenue models.
The Full Quote and Industry Hesitation
Speaking to EsportsBets in an interview published on December 17, Reisdorf laid it out plainly: "A $100 game is going to happen eventually. You just don’t want to be the first person to do it. All the publishers are waiting."
He pointed to precedents like The Outer Worlds 2, which quietly adopted an $80 price tag, as early signs of the shift from the longstanding $70 standard. Grand Theft Auto VI, expected in 2026, emerged as the frontrunner in his view. "I’m sure Grand Theft Auto VI could do it and they would still do gangbusters... GTA is going to do it and break the $100 mark," he said, crediting Rockstar's reputation for quality and the massive ongoing costs of supporting GTA Online.
Reisdorf explicitly ruled out Call of Duty as the pioneer. "I don’t think Call of Duty will be the first one to do it but at some point the market demands it. Your investors are going to be asking why haven’t you done this and the costs to create these games are super high." He likened a modern CoD release to "at least four games in one" - campaign, multiplayer, Zombies, and the free-to-play Warzone - underscoring the ballooning budgets that make annual $70 pricing unsustainable long-term.
Why Now? Rising Costs and Free-to-Play Pressures
The gaming industry has grappled with escalating expenses for years, fueled by demands for photorealistic graphics, expansive open worlds, and live-service elements. Reisdorf highlighted how these factors deter even seasoned developers: "Sometimes I think I would love to go and make a game but I look at the budgets needed and think I’d have to get so much investment."
He also warned of ripple effects on free-to-play giants like Warzone. Once a $100 premium title like GTA VI launches successfully, "the Warzones of the world, the free-to-play mature titles, are going to have real trouble," as players gravitate toward high-value paid experiences.
Gaming Community Backlash Erupts
Reisdorf's comments, amplified by a viral Dexerto post garnering over 8,000 likes and 2,000 replies, sparked fierce debate on X (formerly Twitter). Reactions were overwhelmingly negative, with many arguing AAA games - especially annual franchises like CoD - do not justify premium pricing.
| Common Sentiments from X Users |
|---|
| "COD 'Multiplayer creative director' talking about $100 games as if any COD games are even worth paying half of that price for" |
| "They can charge $100, but don't expect anyone to buy it unless you deliver something truly revolutionary" |
| "Call of duty would collapse as a franchise if they dropped a $100 game. The game is already shit" |
Piracy threats loomed large in replies, alongside defenses of subscription services like Xbox Game Pass. Reddit threads echoed the outrage, with users decrying the "greed" amid perceptions of stagnant quality.
A Divided Future for Gaming Prices
While Reisdorf sees $100 as a natural evolution - "You get what you pay for" - critics counter that it risks alienating core audiences without proportional innovation. He advocates for hybrid models blending premium launches with light microtransactions and community tools, a vision embodied in his Oncade venture.
As GTA VI approaches, the industry watches closely. Will Rockstar shatter the barrier, paving the way for others? Or will backlash force a rethink? One thing is clear: the $70 era may soon be history.