Grand Theft Auto 6, the most hotly-anticipated game of the year, opened for pre-orders at midnight local time on Tuesday – and fans discovered that the physical edition will contain a code for a digital download rather than a disc.
Rockstar Games, the developer behind the blockbuster franchise, said the standard version will cost £69.99 in the UK, while a premium "Ultimate Edition" will set players back £89.99. In the US, the prices are $79.99 and $100 respectively.
“GTA 6 will cost £69.99, but physical editions contain a download code, not a disc.”
Freelance video games journalist Vic Hood described the standard price tag as "fairly reasonable", but said the absence of a disc may "irk some physical collectors". However, she added that the decision made sense from Rockstar's point of view, "as it reduces the amount of rebuying and reselling and helps prevent leaks".
Rockstar confirmed that physical copies – which will be available from 12 November to support pre-loading – will simply be a box containing a download code. The game itself is scheduled for release on 19 November on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Following the reveal, some fans questioned the point of buying a physical copy without a disc, while others queried whether they would be able to re-sell the game or share the code – standard practice for disc-based editions.
Concerns over price appeared muted, despite the $10 increase from the typical $70 price tag for similarly-sized blockbuster games. "$10 won't be such a big hit to consumers pockets, but I still hope $80 won't become the norm," posted one fan.
Joost van Dreunen, a professor of games business at NYU Stern, called the pricing a "clever strategy" by Rockstar and its parent company Take-Two. "Take-Two is catering to the largest possible audience while offering die-hards an upgraded tier," he said.
The Ultimate Edition will include extra vehicles, weapons and outfits for characters. Players who pre-order digital versions can begin pre-loading on 12 November to ensure they are ready to play at launch.
It has been a long road to this point for Rockstar. Fans have been waiting for a follow-up to GTA 5 since its release in 2013, which became one of the best-selling games of all time. Rockstar confirmed it was working on GTA 6 in February 2022, after the Covid-19 pandemic, but development was hit by a hack that leaked early assets.
The game – which some analysts say could be the most expensive ever made – now has a price and a date. But the decision to ditch the disc has left collectors wondering what exactly they are buying.