Pre-orders for the highly anticipated video game, Grand Theft Auto VI, commenced at midnight on Thursday, requiring gamers to make a significant upfront payment to dive into the virtual chaos set in a fictionalized version of Florida. Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive Software have confirmed a global release date of Nov. 19 for the action-adventure crime drama on Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S consoles after facing multiple delays.
The standard edition is priced at $109.99 Cdn ($80 US), exceeding the typical flagship game cost of $89.99. Nintendo’s key releases for the Switch 2 console, like Mario Kart World, also retail at the same price. For a higher price of $139.99 Cdn ($100 US), players can opt for the Ultimate Edition, which offers additional in-game perks such as 1980s-themed costumes and cars.
The Ultimate Edition is the exclusive route to access certain in-game stores where players can purchase extra content like outfits, hairstyles, and tattoos for the main characters Lucia and Jason. It remains unclear whether these stores will operate using in-game currency, real-world money, or a combination of both.
Pre-ordering Grand Theft Auto VI does not grant early access to the game before the official release date of Nov. 19, a common incentive for early buyers. Additionally, physical versions of the game purchased in stores will not include a physical disc but will come with a code for downloading the game onto consoles.
Shares of Take-Two experienced a nearly three percent increase in pre-market trading on Wednesday. Joost van Dreunen, a games professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, expressed that the pricing is unlikely to deter sales, describing it as a negligible factor compared to the high anticipation for the game.
Grand Theft Auto V, the previous installment in the series released in 2013, has sold approximately 230 million copies, ranking among the best-selling video games. Rockstar has continuously updated the game and its GTA Online mode, reportedly generating $1 million US in revenue daily. The success of Grand Theft Auto VI is crucial for Take-Two and the broader video game market, as the franchise traditionally drives console sales and PC upgrades.
Rockstar has labeled Grand Theft Auto VI as “a single-player experience,” indicating the absence of online multiplayer content at launch. However, pre-orders will include a free month of GTA+, their premium subscription plan for GTA Online.
Despite minimal gameplay details released so far, with only two trailers unveiling the setting and characters, fans and influencers have attempted to fill the information gap by circulating fabricated or AI-generated videos purportedly showcasing leaked game footage.
Rockstar is embroiled in an employment tribunal in the U.K. following the dismissal of 34 employees in the U.K. and Canada, a move criticized as union-busting. The tribunal recently rejected Rockstar’s plea to dismiss allegations that the company blacklisted some of its employees.