Grand Theft Auto 6 may be the most-awaited game of the last decade, but its upcoming release has become part of an industry-wide controversy. As publishers keep embracing digital releases, some have even started to shift away from physical copies — with Rockstar Games being the biggest proponent yet. As we previously reported, physical releases of GTA 6 won’t contain the game on a traditional Blu-ray disc. Instead, the retail box comes with only a download code.
Understandably, that has annoyed some physical media fans, particularly as it follows Sony’s decision to stop producing physical discs for new PlayStation games from 2028. But despite this controversial move, GTA 6‘s preorder success looks to be completely unstoppable.
Speaking during the Q&A segment of Take-Two’s Q1 2027 investor call, CEO Strauss Zelnick was asked about GTA 6 preorders performance ahead of its November 19 launch. “I can say that the level of preorders is unprecedented and astonishing, and we’re very grateful for that,” said Zelnick. However, as if undermining its prerelease hype, he admits the company isn’t sure how it will translate to GTA 6‘s final sales. He added, “[…] we just don’t believe in claiming victory before it occurs.”
While Take-Two hasn’t revealed concrete preorder numbers yet, Zelnick’s comments appear to line up with a previous prediction. GTA 6 has been estimated to generate around $1 billion in preorder revenue before launch. The Standard Edition itself is priced at $79, while the Ultimate Edition comes in at $99.
That massive demand is rather notable considering the controversy surrounding how the game is being sold. Nonetheless, both Take-Two and Rockstar don’t seem particularly bothered by gamers’ backlash so far. Zelnick even nonchalantly said ‘who cares’ and that selling games on discs no longer ‘makes sense.’
“Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed. It’s already a digital business,” he said. “So in certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, discs just — and note, I said discs — don’t really make sense for the consumer.” He also pointed out that many modern games require gamers to connect online anyway. And, unfortunately, its latest financial results provide fairly convincing numbers behind Zelnick’s confidence.
Take-Two’s latest earnings release revealed that physical sales accounted for roughly only 2% of its revenue this quarter. That’s apparently down from 3% across the company’s entire previous fiscal year. While the 98% also includes revenue from DLC and microtransactions, it definitely shows just how heavily its business has been banking on digital sales.
Zelnick later backed Rockstar’s decision on GTA 6, saying that gamers are ‘really excited’ about the preorders for both editions. “And I think depending on your own ability to pay and how avid a consumer you are, you can choose between them,” he added. “But the preorders have been exceptional, and we’re happy with the mix as well.”
So yeah, despite the loud minority saying they’re not buying GTA 6 come November, the market has spoken. Turns out, going back to Vice City has a much stronger pull than idealistic principles.
