Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has revealed that early GTA 6 pre-orders are leaning toward the more expensive Ultimate Edition, suggesting that the most enthusiastic fans are willing to pay a premium for Rockstar Games’ highly anticipated title.
Speaking during an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box on Monday, August 10, Zelnick discussed the response to pre-orders, which opened on June 25.
According to the Take-Two chief, the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition, priced at $99.99, is currently attracting more buyers than the standard version, which is priced at $79.79.
“Actually, it is skewing more to the premium edition,” Zelnick said.
He suggested that the trend could be linked to the profile of consumers placing orders this early.
“That might be a reflection of the fact that the most avid consumers are the ones who are pre-ordering now,” he added.
GTA 6 price sparks debate
The pricing of Grand Theft Auto VI has remained a major topic of discussion among gamers since details of the game’s editions emerged.
While some players believe the price is reasonable when adjusted for inflation, others argue that the game should have a lower price to make it more affordable for a wider audience.
GTA 6 Trailer 3 Rumors Grow as Fans Look to Thursday for Rockstar’s Next Announcement
Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has also addressed other aspects of GTA 6’s pricing and distribution strategy.
During the company’s Q1 2027 earnings call on August 7, Zelnick discussed the future of physical game discs and suggested that discs may no longer make sense for customers in some cases.
“In certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, discs just, and note I said discs, don’t really make sense for the customer,” he said.
His comments have added to speculation that Rockstar could increasingly adopt a digital-first approach for future major releases.
Take-Two CEO’s new interview on CNBC:
– GTA 6 pre-orders have gone much better than expected
– Rockstar understands that they need to exceed expectations and he believes they will
– More people pre-ordered the $100 edition, but that could be a reflection of the fact that the… pic.twitter.com/xBx2po1r6n— GTA 6 Countdown ⏳ (@GTAVI_Countdown) August 10, 2026
GTA 6 gameplay look coming to Netflix
Rockstar Games recently announced that the first GTA 6 gameplay “Extended Look” will premiere exclusively on Netflix on August 27.
The upcoming release is expected to offer fans another detailed look at the highly anticipated open-world game ahead of its launch.
Grand Theft Auto VI is scheduled to release on November 19, 2026.
