Why pre-ordering GTA 6 next week is a bad move

The wait is almost over. Rockstar confirmed it GTA 6 pre-orders begin June 25. PS5 and Xbox Series owners can wishlist the game on the PlayStation and Microsoft Store and receive notifications when the pre-order period begins. The announcement came with the reveal of the cover art, but Rockstar didn't say if there would be more editions or if they would come with bonuses.

If you pre-order GTA 6 immediately? For most people, the answer is probably “no”. GTA 6 will be the biggest game of 2020 and millions and millions of people will want to get the game immediately; however, you don't have to commit to being part of that crowd on June 25th.

Along with giving a few reasons why it might be better to wait, I'll also discuss some exceptions.

Speculation of approaching $100 in the standard edition

How much will GTA 6 cost?

boobie ike holding a pile of money in gta 6

If Rockstar and Take-Two commit to a price on June 25th, then this section will become obsolete.

At the moment, GTA 6The price remains shrouded in mystery, but that could change on June 25. Once pre-orders go live, we should have an idea of how much the standard entry-level version will cost, with the price speculated to be between $70 and $80. The thing is, the pre-order price is not shown in any way, and physical and digital stores have increased it in the past. Amazons Star Fox is a current example…

Rockstar and Take-Two have historically pushed the boundaries of industry pricing NBA 2K21 is the first standard edition console game to launch for $69.99. Ported by Rockstar in 2023 Red Dead Redemption on Nintendo Switch and set the price to $49.99 and next-gen versions GTA 5 they kept coming up with fees. Earlier this year, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the publisher was trying to “charge way, way, way less from providing value,” a statement that could be seen as corporate speak that translates to “the amount of entertainment we provide makes any price a bargain.”

June 25th is the opening GTA 6 pre-orders, but digital storefronts may not reveal the game's final regional price or level upgrades until the last second. Blindly shelling out money on day one without concrete confirmation that the base game is over the $70 mark is a massive consumer gamble, especially for those who pre-order the digital version.

Grand Theft Auto 6 Collector's Edition items are already obvious

While leaks have reportedly detailed certain editions of Grand Theft Auto 6, the contents of its collector's editions seem to be quite predictable.

Exception: If money is no object and physical collectors

GTA 6 sure to fly off the shelves so quickly that finding a copy can be really difficult. If you're an absolute die-hard collector who wants a physical disc or a limited physical collector's edition on day one, you'll probably have to ignore the price tag and simply commit to a pre-order. Brick-and-mortar retailers could have tight, limited allocations for physical inventory on June 25th, and scalpers will likely target them because that's the world we live in.

If you want to make sure you have a physical GTA 6 in your hands on November 19th, lock in immediately on June 25th regardless of the base price.

Switch to digital broadcasting? Then there is no need to pre-order GTA 6

You get nothing

In general, there's no point in pre-ordering digital games unless you really want bonuses that Rockstar hasn't revealed yet. GTA 6. The PlayStation Network or Xbox Marketplace will not run out of keys; November 19 simply buy GTA 6 on your PS5 or Xbox Series X and it will be yours.

If Rockstar announces the bonuses you want, you should pre-order GTA 6 a few days before its release. At that point, demos and possibly reviews should be out, so we'll have a better idea of the state and quality of the game. Usually these bonuses are available until the last second and players get nothing by pre-ordering 6 months in advance.

Exception: None

There is no argument against that. There is no benefit for pre-ordering the digital copy on June 25th.

Build your perfect ten one revelation at a time.

Unaware beta tester

GTA 6 launch status

As November 19 creeps ever closer, the likelihood GTA 6 to honor its listed debut date is increasing. While it's already been pushed back once, we have to assume that Rockstar will be desperate to make it happen GTA 6 makes its holiday debut. Hopefully the game will actually be ready.

Launching a triple-A game in a less-than-desirable state is almost standard practice these days, and Rockstar is no stranger to rough debuts. It worked fine on consoles, RDR2The PC version had a notoriously bad start. GTA Online's servers had problems during the mode's boot window and GTA Trilogy: The Definitive Edition was the definition of a mess.

GTA 6 could very well be the most ambitious open-world game ever, and a project of this magnitude seems destined to have a few problems. Pre-ordering means committing to playing (probably) the worst version of the game, and it might be worth waiting to make sure everything works as it should.

i will say RDR2 and GTA 5 were extremely polished when the console launched so GTA 6 could follow.

Exception: Cultural FOMO

Honestly, I will definitely pick up GTA 6 on release day, simply to be a part of the discussion surrounding the game. GTA 6 is likely to become the gaming event of the decade, regardless of whether it launches in a flawless or flawed state.

I know “fear of missing out” is never a good reason to make an exception, but GTA 6 it doesn't work by the same rules as any other game.

GTA 6 on PC

To wait or not to wait

November 19 GTA 6 out on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, next GTA 5 and RDR2's moves to launch on console before PC. As a result, June 25th pre-orders will not include the PC version.

RDR2 it came to PC more than a year after its console debut, and the wait was even longer GTA 5.

This release strategy forces PC and console players to choose: now, later, or both. If we were being cynical, this move could be seen as an attempt to encourage double immersion, as players who pick up the PS5 version could then buy an “enhanced” PC port.

This really comes down to personal preference. If you primarily play on your monster rig, waiting would be a better option, at least for now. Hopefully Rockstar will reveal the release date for the PC version before November 19th, allowing everyone to make a more informed decision about whether they're willing to hold off on their purchase. GTA 6.

Exception: If you split your time between PC and console

Rockstar mostly designs their games with consoles in mind, specifically PlayStation systems. While we need hands-on experience to say for sure, history suggests so GTA 6 should work well on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. If your goal is to play GTA 6 It's been decided for you now rather than later.