GTA 6 Hits Record 89% Preorder Rate For $100 Ultimate Edition
The hype and anticipation surrounding Grand Theft Auto VI are off the charts. This was already made clear based on the massive amount of views the upcoming game's first and second trailers racked up, but what some may find surprising is that the title's higher price tag (compared to past releases) is not swaying buyers in the slightest. In fact, 9 out of 10 preorders are for the more expensive $100 Ultimate Edition, according to digital intelligence firm Sensor Tower.
The figure highlights an extraordinary level of consumer demand for the franchise's next big installment, far exceeding typical industry benchmarks for special edition video game launches. Granted, special or collector's editions naturally perform well during the initial preorder window because early buyers tend to be the biggest fans. However, analysts note that the ratio of GTA 6 is entirely unprecedented across the gaming industry.
"I have never seen a 90% premium share before," Karl Kontus, SVP and GM of Video Game Insights at Sensor Tower, told GamesIndustry.biz. "A 50% premium share during preorders is a great number. Typical premium shares for games tend to be at around 10–20%."
Let those numbers sink in for a moment. Put another way, the share of GTA 6 preorders going to the $100 Ultimate Edition are up to nine times higher than the typical 10–20% premium share seen with other games.
The data supports recent comments from Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, who noted on CNBC that early preorders were "skewing heavily toward the premium edition." Based on his comments, there's no reason to believe that Sensor Tower's auditing is inaccurate, or at least not grossly off the mark.
It undoubtedly helps that GTA 6 is arguably the most anticipated video game ever. However, we also have to wonder if the higher base price is playing a role. After all, it's easier to justify spending $100 on a game if the alternative is to pay $80, versus spending $50 or $60.
Additionally, unlike many special editions that primarily bundle cosmetic skins or digital artbooks, Rockstar has packed the $100 Ultimate Edition with exclusive, functional in-game content.
Key extras include exclusive weapons, unique vehicles, custom clothing stores (such as the Stock 305 outfitters) that are only accessible to Ultimate Edition players, and dedicated vehicle customization shops that are locked out of the standard release as well. For fans expecting to sink hundreds of hours into GTA 6's single-player and multiplayer worlds, the $20 jump from $80 to $100 is likely being viewed by most early buyers as a high-value upgrade.
"Sometimes the premium SKUs are just filler content to justify a higher price, but the GTA6 premium SKU comes with a meaningful amount of vehicles, weapons, and even a custom mod shop that you wouldn't get otherwise," Kontus adds.
From his vantage point, a lot of people are viewing GTA 6 as the singular 'must buy' title of the year, and he's surprised that developer Rockstar and publisher Take-Two Interactive didn't opt to price the Ultimate Edition at $150.
You can still preorder GTA 6 ahead of its November 19 release. Just note that only the Standard edition comes in physical form, which doesn't actually include a disc, but a download code inside the box.
Here's a pro tip: If you're a student or teacher, you can score a discount at Target. To do so, sign up for Target's free Circle membership then verify your student or teacher status. This will get you a 20% discount on the Standard edition, bringing the price down to $64 instead of $80. You can always upgrade to the Ultimate Edition (after the game releases) through your console's digital store for $20, so you'd be spending $84 instead of $100.
