Take-Two CEO says GTA 6 Ultimate Edition leads pre-order sales, despite $100 price

There have been signs that the Ultimate Edition for Rockstar’s next title is also the most popular. However, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has now put any doubts to rest in a CNBC interview. While again refusing to share sales totals, he revealed that GTA 6 pre-orders are “skewing to the premium edition.”

Will launch sales disappoint?

Zelnick cautioned that the purchases so far could be front-loaded. Most interested buyers may have already reserved the Xbox and PS5 game before its November 19th release date. During the August 7th earnings call, the executive reminded investors that cancellations are possible. As a result, he is hesitant to make longer-term projections.

Even with those caveats, Zelnick told CNBC that pre-order sales have “gone much better than expected.” Buyers also prefer the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition, which carries a $100 price. Compared to the $80 Standard Edition, the upgrade includes bonus content like extra vehicles, clothing, and weapons.

The priciest option has consistently led the PlayStation Store charts among upcoming arrivals. It’s worth noting that this configuration isn’t available in retail cases. For in-store purchases, the Standard alternative employs the code-in-box format.

Neither version satisfies collectors who are protesting the decline of PS5 discs. Regardless, according to the Take-Two CEO, that hasn’t impacted GTA 6 pre-orders. Other comments from the executive in the interview may explain why the Ultimate Edition is attracting shoppers.

Value maxing

Before Rockstar narrowed the title’s release date and announced prices, speculation ran rampant about its cost. Some fans feared that even the cheapest SKU would demand a $100+ investment. Zelnick said the publisher was focused on delivering maximum value, a statement he reiterated in the interview.

As it turns out, gamers are willing to pay a premium for another $20 worth of digital content. GTA 6 sales could set records, but that’s a trend seen across the Xbox and PlayStation marketplaces. Particularly for targets that benefit from microtransactions, players consider Ultimate and Deluxe Editions to be superior values.