Take-Two CEO: GTA 6's $100 Edition Is Outselling the Standard Version Among Early Buyers

Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick disclosed in a CNBC interview that pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto 6's $100 Ultimate Edition are currently running ahead of the $80 standard edition — a surprise split that suggests early buyers are willing to pay a significant premium for Rockstar's most anticipated release in over a decade. Zelnick offered a caveat, noting that the people locking in pre-orders right now tend to be the franchise's most passionate supporters, which likely inflates the premium tier's share at this stage. Whether the ratio holds as the October 2025 release window approaches remains an open question.

The pricing conversation around GTA 6 has been contentious since pre-orders opened in June. At $80 for the standard edition, the game already sits $10 above the industry's current $70 benchmark set by most major first-party titles. The Ultimate Edition at $100 adds exclusive digital content on top of that. Zelnick defended the pricing structure in a separate IGN interview last week, calling the game a 'bargain' given Rockstar's track record of delivering sprawling, content-rich experiences.

On the question of holiday discounts — relevant given GTA 6 is scheduled to launch just ahead of Black Friday and Christmas — Zelnick was careful but telling. He acknowledged that individual retailers have the freedom to cut prices at their own expense, but pointed to GTA 5 as a precedent. That title held its price far longer than most entertainment releases, a signal that Take-Two has no intention of racing to the discount bin. 'We preserved our pricing on Grand Theft Auto 5 for a very long time,' he said.

Zelnick also briefly addressed the controversy over GTA 6 launching without a traditional disc version, stating that a physical release post-launch has not been ruled out entirely. He maintained, however, that the absence of a disc at launch would not meaningfully hurt sales, pointing to shifting consumer habits toward digital purchases. The disc debate has added another layer of criticism from a segment of fans who prefer physical media for collection or resale value.

Separately, Rockstar and Take-Two confirmed that GTA 6 will receive its first extended look later this month, premiering on Netflix before rolling out to YouTube and social media platforms roughly six hours later on August 27th. Zelnick has described the reveal as something fans will want to see, though he has declined to share any specifics about its content. The Netflix-first window has drawn some frustration from fans who don't subscribe to the service, though the brief exclusivity period somewhat softens that complaint.