GTA 6 Xbox fans complain about PS5 exclusive-like marketing for pre-orders

Rockstar Games’ anticipated crime epic will be a multi-platform release. However, as pre-order marketing ramps up, some gamers feel that GTA 6 Xbox buyers are being neglected. Microsoft’s supporters point to PlayStation advertising, which may lead followers to think it’s a PS5 exclusive.

Blowing an opportunity?

Jez Corden of Windows Central perhaps reflects the sentiments of many fans. He calls Microsoft’s lack of preparation for a pivotal game release a “failure.” The company hasn’t entirely ignored GTA 6 pre-orders, with ads on its storefront and occasional mentions on social media. Still, there has been no coordinated promotional campaign like that seen with Sony.

Frustrations for GTA 6 Xbox fans came to a head before pre-orders began on June 25th. The PlayStation blog and social media posts claimed that it “Plays best on the PS5.” It’s unclear whether the hardware will offer a 60 fps performance mode, but the title will support DualSense features and fast SSD load times.

Part of the explanation may be that Take-Two and Rockstar signed a marketing deal with PlayStation. Although not technically a PS5 exclusive game, the second trailer was captured on the system. There have also been rumors about a GTA 6 PS5 or PS5 Pro bundle in the coming months.

The choice to prioritize Sony makes sense, given its massive install base. Nevertheless, critics worry that Microsoft’s inaction will widen the sales gap between the consoles. Earlier, when addressing the company’s manufacturing struggles, Corden warned about this possibility.

How memory prices affect game sales

The memory shortage prompted Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo to raise the cost of their hardware. Yet the insider believes Xbox was the most vulnerable to the dwindling component supplies. Its inability to stockpile DRAM and storage likely contributed to the recent Xbox Series X and S price increases.

Corden expects that rapid GTA 6 Xbox pre-orders and sales will deplete already low console stock. Without being a PS5 exclusive, this scenario would give PlayStation an even larger advantage.