GameStop sees dismal GTA 6 pre-order sales, with disc-free Ultimate Edition preferred

Early signs are that GTA 6 pre-order sales will meet or exceed its lofty goals. Still, not all stores may be benefiting from the release of the Rockstar Games project. Polygon shared that some U.S. GameStop locations are seeing demand far below expectations. One worker reported selling only 5 copies of the Standard Edition in a day, well under the estimated 500.

Expectations vs reality

Prior to the start of pre-orders, retailers counted on a constant flow of customers. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick seemingly confirmed a physical Xbox and PS5 option again in May. As it turns out, the $80 Standard Edition ships with a case, but there is no disc inside.

While that decision minimizes leaks, employees are much less busy than anticipated. On Reddit, MysticMeerkat explains, “Because it wasn’t physical AND we didn’t have the Ultimate Edition”, daily GTA 6 pre-order sales finished in the single digits. Meanwhile, Icy-Equivalent4533 had moved 11 units at the time of the post.

The situation may be very different on GameStop’s website, but the digital code-in-box is not encouraging foot traffic. Priced at $79.99, retailers like Amazon are also not struggling, with the game at least temporarily selling out. Yet, it’s a greater concern for businesses that still rely on brick-and-mortar locations.

Might GTA 6 physical become more desirable?

According to the employees, many customers object to the lack of a GTA 6 disc. There is less advantage to not purchasing a digital copy of the title on PS5 or Xbox consoles. The inclusion of a paper map could change their minds, though Rockstar has yet to comment on the perk.

Polls have also shown that at a $100 price point, buyers consider the Ultimate Edition the better value. The Vintage Vice City Pack accompanies a variety of vehicles, weapons, and cosmetics. Unfortunately, this version is largely only available at the Microsoft and PlayStation Store.

GTA 6 pre-orders could hasten the transition to exclusively digital games. GameStop has stabilized its profits, but after closing thousands of stores. Instead of physical titles, it now focuses more on consoles, accessories, and collectibles.

Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.