After seeing GTA 6's price, I think it's time for me to break up with AAA gaming. Or, to be more specific, it's time to say goodbye to new games with legacy IP and cliff-face system requirements.

It's a heartbreaking thing to admit, because despite 2026 already being one of the most expensive years for gamers thanks to the likes of RAMageddon, I was ready to upgrade my PC and even considered buying a PS5 Pro just to get in on GTA 6 shenanigans. However, as soon as GTA 6 preorders revealed a $80 price tag for the base game and $100 for the Ultimate Edition, I saw a picture of a pricey future that my pockets and I can't ignore.

It's no secret that gaming is getting more expensive, but it's also filled with so much choice. From classic games that still run just fine on current-gen consoles to indie games that don't set your machine on fire, I always have to really justify the long-term investment when upgrading my systems. And I fear GTA 6 has set a new, unsustainable premium price tag for legacy studios that, at the end of the day, isn't cost-effective enough to make me seal the deal anymore.

Looking ahead

I'm not against GTA 6's price by itself. Considering its market power and the level of global anticipation it's created, $80 is actually pretty reasonable and could have been a lot higher. GTA is also not the first game to hit the $80 price tag, with Nintendo jumping on that train back in 2025 with Mario Kart World. However, unlike Nintendo, which exists in its own premium, platform-exclusive bubble, GTA 6 (a multi-platform AAA game) has a lot more sway over the future of game releases as a whole.

Whether you are a PC player, Xbox Series X, PS5, or Switch 2 owner, AAA game prices affect us all. A luxury tier in gaming has been formally established, and while some prices have been high for a while, only a handful have passed the $70 mark. I fear we will see more titles from the likes of EA or Sony pushing an $80 base price to follow GTA's example. Paired with rising console and subscription costs and potentially new-gen machines releasing in 2028, will undoubtedly price many gamers out of their hobby.

Speaking with GamesIndustry.biz, analyst Neil Barbour points out that "the push to $80 flirts with the same negative feedback loop that engulfed recorded music, cable TV, and film exhibition over the past two decades." He goes on to note that the higher price may result in fewer people buying, which will then "lead to fewer purchases, pushing vendors to offset slower growth with higher prices, which risks further alienating consumers." Higher prices may result in even higher prices. The end result is me looking at my gaming setup, which can run nearly all non-AAA games just fine, and wondering if an upgrade's even worth it?

The golden goose

I hope my bleak vision of the future isn't entirely correct and that other studios recognize that GTA 6 is an outlier that shouldn't be used as a basis for the rest of the industry's costing models. Let's be honest: Call of Duty won't get the same level of pandemonium that GTA 6 has. Rockstar has created a cultural moment in the gaming community, one where the vast majority of us will all be playing the same thing by the end of the year.

People can easily justify the $80 price point for GTA 6. However, asking people to continually justify that price for more and more games is unattainable. I'm very interested to see what 2027 price tags will look like once all the GTA launch buzz dies down and studios can start setting dates on their calendars for their games again. However, right now, my PC and consoles look like they are here to stay, and my bank account is side-eyeing the potential future of the market.

Upgrading my setup will be pricey no matter what if I do, especially if I decide to ignore my gut and do it this year. Of course, I want the best graphics and smoothest gameplay while playing the latest open-world games and best RPGs – who doesn't? But I don't need that if it's going to cost me nearly $100 each time. Especially when there are thousands of games (old and new) that run just fine.

If you want to go back to the classics, check out our list of the best GTA games and the best Rockstar games of all time next.

GTA 6 pre-orders kicked off with a bang last week and continue to roll on into the summer. PS5 and Xbox versions are both alive and kicking on the shelves this week, but there's one thing you'll need to check before you head to checkout; delivery dates. Preload for GTA 6 beings on November 12, which means you can get everything downloaded and ready for the big day on November 19. However, you'll need to make sure your chosen retailer's delivery timelines comply.

I've checked all the major stores carrying GTA 6 pre-orders to keep you covered here. Amazon, JB Hi-Fi and EB Games are among the major Aussie retailers currently sticking to that November 12 release date.

Both the Standard and Ultimate editions are now available, but those looking to upgrade their console at the same time may need to wait, with only one retailer offering a PS5 Pro bundle at present.

GTA 6 is pricey, but the RRP is slightly lower than many had anticipated. The Standard Edition has hit at AU$129.95 and the Ultimate Edition can be grabbed for AU$159.95 (though the latter is only available via PS Store or Xbox). All pre-orders come with the nostalgic Vintage Vice City Pack, but you're getting even more swag with the full release.

GTA 6 pre-order watch

• ✅ Amazon | Live now
• ✅ JB Hi-Fi | Live now
• ✅ The Gamesmen | Live now
• ✅ EB Games | Live now
• ✅ Big W | Live now
• ✅ PlayStation | Live now
• ✅ Xbox | Live now

Where to pre-order GTA 6 in Australia

Pre-order GTA 6 Ultimate Edition

GTA 6 pre-order bundles and discounts

GTA 6 pre-order bonuses explained

GTA 6 pre-orders come in two flavors; the simple Standard Edition and the Ultimate Edition. Both come with the Vintage Vice City Pack including:

• 1955 Vapid Stanier
• Jason - linen suit
• Lucia - red sequin dress
• Weapon skin

However, the Ultimate Edition packs a whole host of extra cosmetics, stores, and vehicles to enjoy:

• Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers
• Personalized weapon variants
• 95 Grotti Cheetah
• 67 Vapid Dominator Buggy
• Ganado Retro Build
• Classic Car Collection
• Shitzu Squalo
• Vice City Style Pack
• Jason's Safehouse Vehicles
• Rideout Customs Mod Shop
• Sara's Unisex Salon
• Stock 305 Clothing Store
• Estudio Electric Fang Tattoo
• One-Eyed Willie's Mod Shop
• Goodtime Gear
• PTT Youngin's Compound

If you pre-order either GTA 6 edition via PS Store or Xbox direct, you'll also receive a free month of GTA+. That nets you access to a bunch of monthlies in GTA Online, but also unlocks a catalog of rotating Rockstar titles.

Do you need to pre-order GTA 6?

Pre-orders on games are tricky. Their only real benefit is the exclusive in-game items that often come alongside that early commitment - the days of having to reserve your copy are (hopefully) behind us.

If you want to play as soon as the clock hits midnight, though, you will need to pre-order. Pre-load opens up on November 12, which means you'll be able to get everything sorted for the big day.

With news of Xbox's latest price hike landing in the same week as GTA 6 pre-orders, we seem to be in a perfect storm of hype and shortage. Component prices have been soaring in 2026, to the extent that Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo have all upped (or announced plans to up) their console prices in the last few months, leaving GTA fans spending a minimum of $499.99 (Xbox Series S) to play the new game.

There's another problem on the horizon, though. Originally reported via The Game Business, it looks like retailers are going to struggle to keep consoles on the shelves come GTA 6's November release date. An unnamed retailer told the site they "won't be getting the units [they] want ahead of GTA... demand will likely outstrip supply during the year end period."

RAM shortages and rising SSD prices have consumer-facing MSRPs in a tailspin in the last year. While we'd normally expect the PS5 and Xbox Series X to be winding down to their heavier discounts at this point in their life cycle, they're more expensive than ever. With GTA 6's additional demand sitting on top of the traditionally busier November time frame, things could be squeaky later this year.

So what does it mean for you?

If you've been waiting for GTA 6 before upgrading your console, you might want to get in there before this November rush begins. That said, I wouldn't recommend buying a brand new device right now.

Those prices are far higher than they should be, and there are alternative routes available. PS Direct has its own stock of certified refurbished PS5 consoles that hold their previous MSRPs (if you're really lucky, you'll find OG stock for $399.99). This stock comes with everything you need to get started from day one, a 12-month warranty, and free delivery.

A PS5 Slim Digital Edition, the cheapest way to play GTA 6 on Sony's console, costs $499 through this program. It'll cost you $599 brand new these days and originally launched at $399.99 (though I haven't seen prices near that rate for some time now). If you're going for the disc version, you're looking at a $650 purchase, whereas a refurbished model is available for $549.

Xbox is a little trickier. There's a wider array of consoles to choose from and I often see Microsoft selling out of its refurbished stock a little quicker. That's where we find ourselves right now, while the Series S is still cheaper than a PS5 at $329, the full-fat Series X is nowhere to be seen. Instead, the cheapest 4K option in your arsenal is the 1TB Digital Edition, at $499.99.

Here's the bottom line. There's a lot of doom and gloom around console pricing right now, but you don't need to spend $900+ on a PS5 Pro for GTA 6. Refurbished consoles should be cheaper than they are right now, but there is still a way to get ahead of potential shortages later in the year and only spend a little over $300 while getting GTA-ready.

For more offers, check out the latest PS5 bundle deals or take a look at the Nintendo Switch deals before Ninty's own price increases launch in September.

GTA 6 pre-orders kicked off with a bang last week and continue to roll on into the summer. PS5 and Xbox versions are both alive and kicking on the shelves this week, but there's one thing you'll need to check before you head to checkout; delivery dates. Preload for GTA 6 beings on November 12, which means you can get everything downloaded and ready for the big day on November 19. However, you'll need to make sure your chosen retailer's delivery timelines comply.

I've checked all the major stores carrying GTA 6 pre-orders to keep you covered here. Walmart is currently sticking to that November 12 release date in the US and Amazon has you sorted for pre-load in the UK right now as well.

Both the Standard and Ultimate editions are now available, but those looking to upgrade their console at the same time can also take advantage of some bundle options.

These are largely focused around UK retailers, but I'm hunting down all the potential savings opportunities across both the US and UK over the next few months. We've still got a way to go until November 19, after all.

At least we aren't facing three-figure price tags. While many were expecting GTA 6 pre-orders to clock in at over $100, the Standard Edition has hit at $79.99 / £69.99 and the Ultimate Edition can be grabbed for $99.99 / £89.99 (though the latter is only available via PS Store or Xbox). All pre-orders come with the nostalgic Vintage Vice City Pack, but you're getting even more swag with the full release.

GTA 6 pre-order watch

US

• ✅ Amazon | Live now
• ✅ Walmart | Live now
• ✅ Best Buy | Live now
• ✅ GameStop | Live now
• ✅ Target | Live now
• ✅ PlayStation | Live now
• ✅ Xbox | Live now

UK

• ✅Amazon | Live now
• ✅ John Lewis | Live now
• ✅ Very | Live now
• ✅ Currys | Live now
• ✅ Argos | Live now
• ✅ ShopTo | Live now
• ✅ The Game Collection | Live now
• ✅ Smyths Toys | Live now
• ✅ PlayStation | Live now
• ✅ Xbox | Live now

Where to pre-order GTA 6 in the US

Where to pre-order GTA 6 in the UK

Pre-order GTA 6 Ultimate Edition

GTA 6 pre-order bundles and discounts

GTA 6 pre-order bonuses explained

GTA 6 pre-orders come in two flavors; the simple Standard Edition and the Ultimate Edition. Both come with the Vintage Vice City Pack including:

• 1955 Vapid Stanier
• Jason - linen suit
• Lucia - red sequin dress
• Weapon skin

However, the Ultimate Edition packs a whole host of extra cosmetics, stores, and vehicles to enjoy:

• Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers
• Personalized weapon variants
• 95 Grotti Cheetah
• 67 Vapid Dominator Buggy
• Ganado Retro Build
• Classic Car Collection
• Shitzu Squalo
• Vice City Style Pack
• Jason's Safehouse Vehicles
• Rideout Customs Mod Shop
• Sara's Unisex Salon
• Stock 305 Clothing Store
• Estudio Electric Fang Tattoo
• One-Eyed Willie's Mod Shop
• Goodtime Gear
• PTT Youngin's Compound

If you pre-order either GTA 6 edition via PS Store or Xbox direct, you'll also receive a free month of GTA+. That nets you access to a bunch of monthlies in GTA Online, but also unlocks a catalog of rotating Rockstar titles.

Do you need to pre-order GTA 6?

Pre-orders on games are tricky. Their only real benefit is the exclusive in-game items that often come alongside that early commitment - the days of having to reserve your copy are (hopefully) behind us.

If you want to play as soon as the clock hits midnight, though, you will need to pre-order. Pre-load opens up on November 12, which means you'll be able to get everything sorted for the big day.

GTA 6 pre-orders are now live, and amongst the latest details of the new contents and flashy vehicles we can drive around the streets of Leonida, the official PlayStation Store page states that you'll be able to "immerse yourself in Leonida's distinct soundscape" once the game launches on November 19 later this year, as it's equipped with Tempest 3D Audio.

What's Tempest 3D Audio, you ask? Well, it's essentially the name given to Sony's proprietary spatial audio technology, which allows you to don one of the best gaming headsets and hear your game's audio in a more realistic way. Instead of being able to pinpoint a character's location as they send a barrage of bullets your way from left to right, you can more accurately and realistically hear exactly where they're coming from in a 3D environment, which is going to be very handy when it comes to the crime-laden streets of the latest Grand Theft Auto.

The neat thing about it is that you don't need a specific headset to enable Sony's spatial audio tech. The console provides it out of the gate, so any of the best PS5 headsets will do the trick. Equipping your setup with cups specifically catered to the Tempest 3D Audio tech will have the best results, but I've gathered an arsenal of both, so you have plenty to suit your budget and PS5 needs - especially if your budget is a little low after securing your GTA 6 pre-order this week.

Check out our guides to the best PS5 controllers and the best SSDs for PS5 if you want to stay prepared for GTA 6 this November.

It's not been long since the latest wave of PS5 console price hikes, so I had assumed that GTA 6 console bundles would be completely off the table - but I do love to be proved to be wrong.

EE just dropped not one but two of the best PS5 console bundle deals I've spotted in a long time, including a deal for £808 (EE), which includes the beastly PS5 Pro and the standard edition copy of GTA 6 on PS5. To break that down, the PS5 Pro retails for £789.99 in the UK since the price increase. Meanwhile, GTA 6 is available for £69.99 on the PS5. If you were to buy them separately, you'd be expected to pay £859.98, so you're saving £51 here, which isn't too shabby.

Of course, if you already have a PS5, you can always check out our GTA 6 pre-order page and pick up the game separately instead to save the most bucks.

This PS5 Pro bundle deal wasn't the only one that EE had up its sleeve, as there's also a PS5 Slim Disc Edition bundle deal available to grab today.

It also comes with a Standard Edition copy of GTA 6 and is available for £588 at EE. Again, if you were to pick up the disc edition console on its own, you'd be expected to lay down its £569.99 post-price-hike MSRP. Taking the £69.99 (Amazon) cost of GTA 6 into consideration, that's a combined cost of £639.98, so you're saving £51.98 here - even more than the £49.99 saving EE insists it is.

Amongst all the many Prime Day PS5 deals currently running on Amazon, there's no console or bundle saving that's quite this juicy. If you were hoping to upgrade your old launch model to a PS5 Pro, this could be your calling, as I know I'm considering it after having to ensure the sound of my aging Sony console's fan over the last year or so.

Just remember that as GTA 6 doesn't launch until November 19, you likely won't get your new flashy console until then.

For more PS5 discounts, check out our hub to the best Prime Day gaming deals, which is full of savings on controllers, headsets, and games to keep you busy over until GTA 6 launches this November 19.

Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders are inbound at midnight (local time), and as you probably guessed, the privilege of exploring the streets of Leonida is not going to come cheap.

Rockstar announced that the standard PS5 edition will be $79.99, and the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition will come in at an eye-watering $99.99 when pre-orders go live at midnight local time on June 25. While we have no insight into the UK prices, you can probably expect to pay a similar £80 and £100 if I were to guess. Either way, it's going to cost a pretty penny, but ShopTop can help with that.

There's currently a £70 PlayStation Gift Card sitting at ShopTo for just £60.85 (ShopTo), a saving of a little over £9. If GTA 6 pre-orders were to drop to £69.99 tomorrow, that means you can get your copy for approximately £60 instead. Is it a huge discount? No, it's pretty insubstantial, but any help towards GTA 6 is one worth taking.

I was going to drop everything and grab the standard physical edition of GTA 6 tomorrow, but sadly, those are just going to be a download code in a box, according to Rockstar, so I'm opting for this ShopTo deal instead.

I'd much rather save £9 off the game, even though I'm really not a digital game fan in the slightest. I mean, I still have my physical copy of the very first Grand Theft Auto released way back in 1997, fold-out map and everything. Yet as much as I cherish my physical GTA copies, I don't quite fancy waiting to receive a plastic box in the mail with nothing significant inside it.

Grabbing this £70 PlayStation Gift Card deal instead won't add anything nice and physical to my game shelf, as the redeemable code will likely arrive in my email inbox. But the £9 I get to keep and put towards something else, like keeping in my account to help towards my monthly PlayStation Plus Premium fee, is a nice consolidation prize.

• View all PS5 gaming deals at Amazon

Check out our GTA 6 live pre-order page to keep track of all the latest news and buying links on the lead-up to the big day.

It's increasingly likely that the Steam Machine will arrive next week. GTA 6 pre-orders will also go live in a weeks' time, so we could be bombarded with the biggest hardware release of the year and the most coveted game of the decade at the same time. However, I feel like it's a good time to remind everyone that Rockstar's sandbox won't be coming to PC on day one, and that matters if you're eyeing up Valve's box.

Okay, here's a recap so you're up to speed with the supposed timings. We know for a fact GTA 6 pre-orders will go live on June 25. The emergence of fresh Geekbench results also suggests the Steam Machine could launch next week, but keep in mind, Valve hasn't confirmed an official release date for its box. Prior leaks have suggested reviews for the mini PC will land on June 23, meaning there's a chance it'll go on sale two days later.

Yes, I'm sweating at the idea of the Steam Machine and GTA 6 landing at the exact same time. There's no guarantee it'll happen at precisely the same moment, but even both occurring in the same week is bananas. Yet, if playing the long-awaited sequel is a priority, and you're currently leaping to older hardware, the fact that it's not coming to PC will have narrowed your options.

Of course, I know there's a Venn diagram for people who want to both pick up GTA 6 day one and grab the Steam Machine. The immediate issue is that it won't be what you're playing on the box, as you'll be limited to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S on November 19.

I do find it slightly amusing that GTA 6 will only be playable on a system that arrived six years ago and not a new-fangled, console market-disrupting powerhouse that'll arrive shortly before. It's these sorts of situations that could hamper the Steam Machine's efforts against the console status quo, especially if the box costs a chunk more than a PS5 Pro.

That said, PC players are well used to waiting for some of the biggest games (thanks, Sony), and since it'll eventually land on Steam, I'd start thinking about whether it'll actually run well on the Machine when it does grace the storefront. The big question is whether a demanding game like GTA 6 could break Valve's 4K 60fps general performance promise, and I suspect it will.

I should stress that since we're not getting a PC port yet, I naturally don't have GTA 6 system requirements to hand. So, rather than basing theoretical Steam Machine performance on recommended specs, all I can do right now is highlight how the crime caper will run on a base PS5, as that's the closest launch system to Valve's wee computer.

It's incredibly likely that if you're running GTA 6 on a vanilla PS5, you'll be playing at 4K 30fps. In theory, the Steam Machine should pack slightly more of a punch since its custom RDNA 3 CPU should be similar to an AMD Radeon RX 7600, but you'll be at the mercy of less optimized settings compared to the set experience on console.

If I were to guess a hypothetical sweet spot for GTA 6 on the Steam Machine, it'd be 1440p 60fps. That's with a little help from upscaling tools like AMD FSR 4.1, which will absolutely be needed if you've also got ray tracing switched on. That's not to say you won't be able to potentially get Rockstar's latest romp running at 4K, but you'll have to go through the usual PC gaming rigmarole of dialling in settings, and the visuals could take a hit as a result.

As I said above, though, conversations surrounding GTA 6 on the Steam Machine will have to wait. If Rockstar takes the same approach as GTA 5, it should eventually end up on PC, and I actually have a funny feeling Valve's box could make that happen sooner than later.

Take Two Interactive previously described console players as its "core consumers", attributing it as a reason for a delayed PC launch. But if the Steam Machine prompts those players to cross the aisle, and Microsoft sticks with Xbox Project Helix hybrid platform plans, the exclusivity could place a chunk of the intended audience for GTA 6 out of reach. Plus, many players are now also rocking gaming handhelds, so we'll perhaps see the publisher change its release strategy sooner than later.

I'm getting ahead of myself, though, so the takeaway right now is that while GTA 6 and the Steam Machine could go on sale at the same time, their paths won't actually cross. That's certainly going to help keep eyes on PS5 and Xbox Series X as its new rival takes to the stage, and as hyped as I am for Valve's mighty box, I get a feeling more players than ever will be reaching for a new console this year.

• More mini PCs at Amazon
• Steam Deck accessories at Amazon

Sticking with the classics for now? Swing by the best retro consoles and best retro handhelds for authentic remakes, emulation systems, and more.

A specter haunts video games, and its name is Grand Theft Auto 6. It seems like GTA 6 has been hanging over the release calendar like an atomic sword of Damocles for decades at this point, but it's scarcely been two years since we got a proper first look at the game. With its release date currently set for November 19th, 2026, it doesn't seem premature to already call it the biggest game of the year. This has become a bit of a tradition for the games industry – the early 2010s were dominated by GTA 5 for many, while GTA 4 was a huge event even back in the heady days of the late '00s.

To use the ghastly corporate term, Rockstar is a thought leader in video games. Where it goes, others are sure to follow: after all, the company effectively pioneered what open-world games look like. Even today, GTA Online has become one of the key titles that other multiplayer games try to unseat.

Gravitational pull

We still don't have a completely solid idea of what GTA 6 is going to look like when it rolls out in November, but we can be sure that it's going to make waves that reach the farthest shores of games. We can already see small hints of this. GTA 6's first trailer famously featured a TikTok/Instagram Live vertical video, which we saw repeated in the first trailer for Ananta. This isn't going to stop.

The upcoming year is effectively Rockstar's by default, and the choices it makes will likely be felt by gamers and game developers alike for years to come. If, for instance, it brings a business management aspect, as I vainly hoped for back in May, we're going to see it spring up in most major open-world titles.

Outside of systems, it will shape the approach that other devs take to world design, too. The map is going to be enormous, that much is certain, but we can likely expect unprecedented levels of detail, too. This has been a trend with Rockstar, who moved from the comparatively tiny GTA 3 to the sprawl of GTA San Andreas in one console generation, while Red Dead Redemption 2 expanded on GTA 5's map size and augmented it with varied terrain. We may also expect something of a tonal shift, even if it's not particularly seismic, as this is the first game in the series not written by Dan Houser – though the snippets of dialog that we've seen so far point toward a similarly satirical style.

Backstage Pass

There are also some unfortunate side effects to Rockstar's influence on games. As arguably the biggest developers in the industry, rockstar has a responsibility to lead by example. While the studio certainly didn't invent crunch, we've heard a lot of rough stories, particularly across the development of Red Dead Redemption 2 and even Bully over the years. That's before we approach the ongoing case of alleged union busting at Rockstar, which has seen a cohort of recently-dismissed former Rockstar North employees claim that they were sacked due to unionisation efforts. This has become so high-profile here in the UK that even the Prime Minister has got involved, but the case itself is still in process.

We can reflect on the way that larger developers' approach to their teams affects smaller devs, too. Indie games aren't immune to crunch pressures, and, as many game developers are either new to the industry or have previously worked at larger developers, they seek to emulate these conditions, seeing them as vital for creating a great game. There are many that don't, of course, but the vicious cycle continues to rumble on across the industry.

Here's my wish, for both us as consumers and the developers around the world who are anxiously awaiting the release of 2026's biggest title. I want the game to be as great as it possibly can be. I want it to be groundbreaking. However, I want it to be a game that its developers don't regret working on, and is instead one that they're rightfully proud of, giving the industry the positive feedback loop it needs right now.