GTA 6 Exec: Premium $100 Edition Outsells Standard Pre-Orders

Grand Theft Auto 6 fans are showing a strong preference for the $100 Ultimate Edition over the standard version when pre-ordering, according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. In a recent interview with CNBC, Zelnick revealed that the premium edition is currently the more popular choice among early buyers, though he attributed this to the enthusiasm of the game's most dedicated fans. "Actually, it is skewing more to the premium edition," Zelnick said when asked about pre-order distribution. "That might be a reflection of the fact that the most avid consumers are the ones who are pre-ordering now."

Zelnick also addressed the topic of potential holiday discounts, as GTA 6 is slated for release just before the Black Friday and Christmas shopping season. While he couldn't guarantee anything, noting that retailers have the freedom to set their own prices, he pointed to the long-standing pricing strategy of GTA 5 as an indicator. "We obviously establish our pricing, and storefronts can do what they wish," he explained. "We don't have any capability to control that. So if they reduce their price, they reduce their margin on the sale. There are situations where certain retailers will price down to drive demand for other things they will sell. I can't tell you what will happen. I will tell you we preserved our pricing on Grand Theft Auto 5 for a very long time, much longer than a standard release of an entertainment property."

GTA 6's pricing has been a hot topic since pre-orders opened in June. The standard edition retails for $80, $10 more than typical AAA titles, while the Ultimate Edition—which includes exclusive digital content—costs $100. Zelnick previously told IGN that he believes the pricing reflects the game's value, even calling it a "bargain" given Rockstar's reputation for delivering more than expected.

Zelnick also touched on the controversy surrounding the game's lack of a physical disc, suggesting that a true physical release post-launch isn't entirely out of the question. However, he downplayed the impact of this on sales, indicating it's not a major concern.

Fans can expect the first "extended look" at GTA 6 later this month, debuting on Netflix before rolling out to YouTube and social media platforms. Zelnick has teased the reveal as something worth tuning into, but has remained tight-lipped about specifics. Some fans are unhappy that the deep dive will initially be behind a paywall, but it will be available for free on YouTube six hours later on August 27th.