GTA 6 preorders are leaning heavily toward the more expensive Ultimate Edition, according to Take Two CEO Strauss Zelnick.
The $99.99 version is reportedly attracting more buyers than the $79.99 Standard Edition, with Zelnick saying preorders have performed better than expected and are skewing toward the premium option. He attributed that pattern largely to more dedicated customers who are willing to pay extra for additional content.
The game is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S.
GTA 6 edition prices and content
| Edition | US price | UK price | Main contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $79.99 | £69.99 | Base game, one month of GTA+, Vintage Vice City Pack |
| Ultimate Edition | $99.99 | £89.99 | Standard content plus vehicles, weapons, cosmetics, locations and other bonuses |
| Upgrade from Standard | $20 | £20 | Adds Ultimate Edition content |
Standard Edition owners will also have the option to upgrade later, so players do not need to commit to the $100 version immediately.
Ultimate Edition includes several extra items
The higher priced version adds a long list of bonuses on top of the standard package.
These include the '95 Grotti Cheetah, Hawk & Little Morgan Revolver, personalized weapon variants, Vice City Style cosmetics, Jason's Safehouse Vehicles, Ganado Retro Build, Shitzu Squalo, the '67 Vapid Dominator Buggy and Garage, Gootdtime Gear, PTT Youngin$ Compound and a Classic Car Collection.
It also includes five special destinations that are exclusive to the Ultimate Edition.
That extra content appears to be enough to convince a large share of early buyers to spend another $20.
Take Two says preorders are stronger than expected
Zelnick said GTA 6 preorders have gone better than the company expected.
He specifically noted that sales are leaning toward the premium edition rather than the cheaper standard version. The same trend also appears visible on the Xbox Store, where the Ultimate Edition has ranked highly among upcoming paid games.
The result is notable because the $100 price point is well above the traditional $60 and more recent $70 standard pricing that dominated major game releases for years.
In GTA 6's case, however, the more expensive version is not simply a collector's package with physical extras. It directly adds digital content that players can use in game.
Standard buyers can upgrade later
Players who choose the $79.99 Standard Edition are not locked out permanently.
Take Two is allowing buyers to upgrade to the Ultimate Edition later for the same $20 price difference.
That gives players more flexibility if they want to wait until after release before deciding whether the additional content is worthwhile.
It also means the current preorder split does not necessarily represent the final balance between the two editions, since some standard buyers may upgrade later.
Discounts may not arrive quickly
Zelnick also suggested that GTA 6 should not be expected to appear in holiday sales soon after launch.
That fits with the broader picture around the game's launch. Take Two has already described demand as extremely strong, and GTA 6 remains one of the most anticipated releases of 2026.
For now, the biggest takeaway is that many early buyers are choosing the $99.99 edition despite having a cheaper option available.
That gives Take Two an early indication that premium pricing can work for GTA 6 when the additional content is attractive enough to dedicated players.
Discussion (0)
Be the first to comment.