Turns out a lot of Grand Theft Auto VI buyers are not interested in taking the cheap route.
Grand Theft Auto VI
Release Date: November 19, 2026
Genres: Adventure, Shooter, Racing
According to data from digital intelligence firm Sensor Tower, a staggering 89% of GTA 6 pre-orders so far are for the $99.99 Ultimate Edition, rather than the $79.99 Standard Edition.
The split is remarkably similar across consoles. Around 90% of Xbox pre-orders reportedly went to the Ultimate Edition, while 88.5% of PlayStation buyers chose Rockstar’s more expensive version.
TL;DR – GTA 6 Ultimate Edition Pre-Orders
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GTA 6 Ultimate Edition dominates early pre-orders
Sensor Tower’s numbers, shared with GamesIndustry.biz, suggest GTA 6 is operating far outside the usual premium-edition pattern.
Karl Kontus, SVP and GM of Video Game Insights at Sensor Tower, said that a typical premium edition might account for roughly 10% to 20% of pre-orders, while a 50% share would already be considered an excellent result.
GTA 6 sitting close to 90% is therefore anything but normal.
“I have never seen a 90% premium share before,” Kontus said.
The figures also line up with recent comments from Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick, who said GTA 6 pre-orders were skewing toward the premium edition. His explanation was fairly simple: the people buying months before release are likely to be the franchise’s most dedicated fans.
Why are so many players buying the $100 GTA 6 Ultimate Edition?
The price jump may be part of the answer. GTA 6 already starts at $79.99, so moving to the $99.99 Ultimate Edition means spending another $20 rather than making a huge leap from a traditional $60 or $70 release.
Rockstar has also packed the Ultimate Edition with more than a couple of cosmetic extras. It includes exclusive vehicles, weapons, clothing, customization options, shops and additional activities threaded through Jason and Lucia’s story.
That includes locations such as Rideout Customs, Sara’s Unisex Salon, Stock 305, Electric Fang Tattoo and One-Eyed Willie’s, alongside exclusive vehicles and weapons.
For players who have already decided that GTA 6 is their big game of 2026, spending another $20 to get the fullest version apparently is not much of a deterrent.
The 89% figure probably won’t last
That does not mean nine out of every ten GTA 6 owners will ultimately buy the Ultimate Edition.
Kontus expects the balance to change as release approaches and more casual players enter the market. Early pre-orders naturally overrepresent hardcore fans, collectors and players willing to spend more.
Sensor Tower expects the eventual mix to move much closer to a 50/50 split. Even then, that would still be exceptionally strong compared with the usual premium-edition share.
In other words, 89% is probably the ceiling rather than the final result. The interesting part is how high the Ultimate Edition manages to stay once millions of less committed buyers start making their decision.
The biggest GTA 6 marketing push is still coming
There is another reason the current numbers should be treated as an early snapshot: Rockstar still has plenty left to show.
Sensor Tower expects a large portion of GTA 6 pre-orders to arrive during the final stretch before launch. Rockstar is also preparing Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look for August 27, giving the company another major opportunity to put the game in front of a much wider audience.
Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-loading begins November 12.
Getting ready for GTA 6 on G2A.COM
If the pre-order numbers have you thinking about Vice City already, there are current GTA VI listings and older Grand Theft Auto games available on G2A Marketplace.
Want to squeeze a little more out of your gaming budget?
G2A Plus Premium offers member prices, Plus Points, regular bonuses and rewards, a free game every month and priority post-purchase assistance.
More GTA 6 reading on G2A News
- GTA VI Editions Compared: Standard vs. Ultimate Edition
- GTA VI Ultimate Edition Includes Five Exclusive Single-Player Stores
- Should You Play GTA V Before GTA VI?
- GTA VI vs. GTA: Vice City: Iconic Locations Comparison
GTA 6 pre-order FAQ
How much is GTA 6 Ultimate Edition?
Grand Theft Auto VI: Ultimate Edition costs $99.99. The Standard Edition costs $79.99.
What percentage of GTA 6 pre-orders are for Ultimate Edition?
Sensor Tower currently estimates that 89% of pre-orders are for the Ultimate Edition, including around 90% on Xbox and 88.5% on PlayStation.
When does GTA 6 release?
Grand Theft Auto VI launches on November 19, 2026 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
Vice City is already voting with its wallet
There is still plenty of time for the Standard Edition to catch up, and it almost certainly will once the broader GTA audience starts buying closer to release.
For now, though, the numbers paint a pretty wild picture. GTA 6 did not need to make its base game cost $100 to convince a huge chunk of its earliest buyers to spend $100 anyway.
If Sensor Tower’s numbers are close to the final picture, Rockstar may have just demonstrated how powerful premium editions can become when the game attached to them is GTA.