Overview
- Rockstar opened GTA 6 pre-orders on June 25 and set a Nov. 19, 2026 launch with Standard and Ultimate editions priced at $79.99 and $99.99 respectively.
- IGN published affiliate-link data that showed PlayStation 5 pre-order activity outpacing Xbox by a reported 8-to-1, a figure based on clicks routed through IGN's commerce links rather than platform-wide sales reports.
- An Xbox spokesperson told Windows Central that IGN's metric “doesn’t represent pre-order data,” said Xbox has seen “record orders,” and urged people to wait for official numbers rather than affiliate clicks.
- Rockstar confirmed the boxed 'physical' edition will contain a single-use download code instead of a disc, prompting some independent retailers to refuse stock and GameStop staff to report weak in-store pre-orders and worries about lost trade-in revenue.
- Analysts point to PlayStation's much larger install base and past patterns that give PS5 a typical 75–80% share for new single-player third-party launches, but no official platform-level pre-order figures have been published so uncertainty persists and consumers are warned to avoid fake early-access sites.