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Games industry analyst Mat Piscatella says that despite the controversy, GTA 6 being a code-in-a-box release will likely not have any impact on its sales.
Rockstar Games finally confirmed the GTA 6 price ahead of pre-orders going live at midnight on June 25 (so if you're in New Zealand, you can already pre-order it), and despite fears it would end up running players $100, it's going to follow Mario Kart World's price, releasing at $80 (although with exclusive content locked behind the Ultimate Edition, it'll likely be $100 for a lot of people).
However, one big source of negativity is the news that GTA 6 will not have a proper physical edition. Yes, the game will appear on store shelves, but it's going to be nothing more than a code in a box – not even a Nintendo-style key on a disk. But despite uproar from fans, Piscatella – senior director and video game industry advisor at Circana – reckons that outrage isn't really going to move the needle.
Anyways, devil's advocate here, but given the % of PS5/XBS consoles out there without a disc drive one could argue code in box may provide a better opportunity for retailers, particularly those that don't sell used. In any case, can't say this changes anything regarding total sales expectations.
— @matpiscatella.bsky.social (@matpiscatella.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-06-24T16:26:06.451Z
Posting on BlueSky, Piscatella says: "Devil's advocate here, but given the % of PS5/XBS consoles out there without a disc drive one could argue code in box may provide a better opportunity for retailers, particularly those that don't sell used." He adds, "In any case, can't say this changes anything regarding total sales expectations."
He also reacts to a ResetEra post querying if any physical game collectors will boycott GTA 6 due to its lack of physical release, saying, "Any time you hear 'boycott' when it comes to a video game it's time to raise the forecast."
Obviously GTA 6 is going to sell millions regardless, but the digital-only release is a massive disappointment. Not only does it hurt physical game collectors and preservation going forwards, but it's likely going to result in confusion for any unaware parents buying the game for their too-young-to-be-playing-it children for Christmas (who will then be met with an undoubtedly massive download). It also effectively allows Rockstar to control the entire market on GTA 6, as no one will be able to trade in their copy of GTA 6 or sell it second-hand.
GTA 6 isn't $100, but its real price proves games are only going to get more expensive.
