Rockstar is selling unexpected GTA 6 merch at a bizarre price

Some Grand Theft Auto 6 fans criticized a surprisingly expensive candle that recently appeared on the Rockstar Store. Marketed as capturing the flavor of Vice City, the product has drawn backlash that underscores broader concerns about how Rockstar plans to cash in on the hype around GTA 6.

GTA 6 was most recently pushed back to November 19, 2026. Although its launch is still almost a year away, Rockstar already seems to be moving forward with official merchandise. In early December 2025, an update to the company's online store introduced the first such product: the “Vice Candle”.

GTA 6 Jason Duval and Boobie Ike composite

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Rockstar is launching a $60 Vice City scented candle

Crafted from frosted glass and produced in collaboration with Joya Studio, the Vice Candle is priced at $59.99. Its official description lists notes ranging from lemony California and yerba mate to tuberose and smoky patchouli, with a burn time of roughly 65 hours. While the listing does not mention GTA 6 as the name suggests, it clearly markets the product as capturing the scent of Vice City. The conceptually similar and similarly priced “Liberty Candle” also appeared on the Rockstar Store as part of the platform's latest catalog update, referencing the Liberty City scent. These two have been added to the store along with lots of new clothing and accessories.

All New Rockstar Store Scented Candles

GTA 6 fans criticize Vice Candle

The Vice Candle's $60 price quickly became a talking point on the r/GTA subreddit, where dozens of vocal fans criticized it for being too expensive at best and out of reach at worst. “All their merchandise is so overpriced,” wrote one user, while another asked rhetorically: “What level of greed is this!?” Others have argued that the candle reinforces broader concerns GTA 6 pricing. “If that's what they charge for a candle, I can't even imagine what they'll charge for a game lol,” wrote Reddit user brlowkey.

Rockstar's Vice Candle is expensive even compared to luxury candles

Average price of an 8 oz candle as of January 2025 according to candle culture dot com data — Chart showing average price information for 165 popular scented candles compiled on January 30, 2025 by candle-culture.com, AKA candleculture.blog.

For more context, the newly launched Rockstar Vice City scented candle is expensive even compared to boutiques. According to some recent findings from Candle Culture, the average price of an 8-ounce (226.8g) luxury candle—excluding ultra-premium outliers in the hundreds—was around $64.96 as of the end of January 2025. However, Rockstar's Vice Candle weighs just 6.5 oz ($184.3 at an average weight of about 184.3g).

If that's what they charge for a candle, I can't imagine what they'll charge for a game.

While Joya Studio positions itself as a boutique candle maker, even its own products start well below the $60 that Rockstar charges for its Joya-made Vice and Liberty Candles. For example, the Katz's Deli candle — a 6.9-ounce offering with a similar burn time of 60 hours — is priced at $28, less than half the cost. It's true that this hand-poured “chocolate egg cream” candle isn't officially associated with one of the most famous video game franchises of all time. Looking at something like that isthere it is Red Dead Redemption 2 a candle that is also made by Joya that Rockstar sells as of 2018 for $49.99, a price that still compares favorably to the Vice Candle.

Candles Aside, GTA 6's base game doesn't have to be overpriced

While it's not unusual for the launch of a bizarre luxury product to raise concerns among fans about Rockstar's broader pricing strategy, establishing a direct relationship between the price of a niche item like a scented candle and the price of an upcoming game is a stretch at best. According to a recent MIDiA Research study, Rockstar would be leaving money on the table if it priced the base edition GTA 6 above $69.99, which is the current standard for new AAA titles. While the company is almost certain to release higher-end editions aimed at its most die-hard fans (the kind who can also buy a Vice City-scented candle), MIDiA's findings suggest that the much-anticipated game is unlikely to challenge established norms at entry-level prices.