Rockstar Games opened pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI at midnight, five months before its November 19 release on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. The standard edition costs $80 in the US, £70 in the UK, and €80 in Europe. An Ultimate Edition (£90/€100/$100) includes exclusive in-game cars, clothes, and weapons, with in-game stores only open to Ultimate owners. Pre-order customers receive a Vintage Vice City pack featuring 80s apparel inspired by Miami Vice.
No Physical Disc at Launch
Notably, the game will not be available on a physical disc at launch. Any boxed copy purchased at retail will contain a download code. This move may prevent early leaks from physical copies and, according to video game news site VGC, allows parent company Take-Two Interactive to maximize revenue by avoiding manufacturing costs. Development costs are estimated as high as $1.5bn.
Single-Player Only Initially
GTA Online, the hugely successful multiplayer mode from GTA V, will not be included at launch. Rockstar confirmed GTA VI will be a single-player experience initially. The game returns to the fictional state of Leonida, based on Florida, featuring a new version of Vice City. The story follows career criminals Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos as they attempt to go legit in a romantic crime drama.
Blockbuster Sales Expected
Analysts predict first-year sales of 40 million units, surpassing GTA V’s 32.5 million. GTA V has sold over 230 million copies worldwide. Industry analyst Tom Henderson predicts pre-orders alone will earn $1bn within the first hour. Other major game publishers have cleared release windows around GTA VI to avoid competition.
Production Challenges
Development has faced multiple launch delays and gameplay leaks. Rockstar is also facing legal action for firing 30 employees who allegedly attempted to unionize. Despite these issues, anticipation remains extremely high.
