Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders have exceeded expectations, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said in a new interview.
Photo Credit: Rockstar Games
GTA 6 Ultimate Edition will include bonus outfits, vehicles, weapons, and more
Grand Theft Auto 6 is available to pre-order in Standard and Ultimate editions, the latter of which comes with a wide range of additional in-game benefits. The Standard edition of the game is priced at $80, but according to Rockstar Games parent Take-Two, more users are opting to get the pricier Ultimate edition, which costs $100.
In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Take-Two Strauss Zelnick once again said that GTA 6 pre-orders were “much better than expected.” During Take-Two's Q1 FY2027 earnings call on Friday, Zelnick announced that the game had an “exceptional” start to pre-orders. Later during the Q&A section of the call with investors and analysts, the executive said pre-order numbers were unprecedented.
Zelnick sought to temper expectations around GTA 6 in the new interview, but also appeared confident about the game's commercial performance.
“We never claim victory before it occurs. I know that our Rockstar Games division has tried to innovate, and understands that as great as the anticipation is, we need to exceed expectations. I believe that we will,” he said.
Later during the interview while discussing Grand Theft Auto 6's pricing, the Take-Two boss said that users were pre-ordering both editions of the game, but were “skewing more” to the $99.99 Ultimate edition.
“But that might be a reflection, again, of the fact that the most avid consumers are the ones who are pre-ordering now,” Zelnick added.
GTA 6 Standard edition is priced at $79.99, while the Ultimate edition costs $99.99. The latter comes with a variety of in-game benefits, including vehicles, outfits, weapons, and action spread across all aspects of the main story. New items will be uncovered behind each story chapter, Rockstar has said. In addition to cosmetic items, Rockstar Games has also locked several in-game experiences and areas behind the Ultimate edition.
In the interview, Zelnick also touched upon GTA 6's upcoming extended look on Netflix. Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look will exclusively debut on the streaming service on August 27, six hours before it's available on YouTube. Zelnick refused to share details about the premiere, but said, “I think it's really worth watching.”
Grand Theft Auto 6 will launch on November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series S/X. The open world crime title is expected to be the biggest entertainment launch of all time. GTA 6 revisits Vice City, a popular setting seen in previous Grand Theft Auto games. It will feature dual protagonists, Lucia and Jason, a Bonnie and Clyde-style couple who are drawn into a criminal conspiracy when a heist goes wrong.
Rockstar is expected to reveal more details about the two protagonists, the game's story, and gameplay when the extended look premieres on Netflix.
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More Users Are Pre-Ordering GTA 6's $100 Ultimate Edition, Says Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick