The countdown to Grand Theft Auto 6 is nearing its final moments, and the pre-order numbers tell a fascinating story about which console is set to be the go-to platform for Rockstar’s long-awaited game. GTA 6 is more than a game at this point. It’s expected to be a groundbreaking moment for the industry as a whole, and it’s set to catapult gaming even further into global pop culture. Even non-gamers are aware of the intense hype surrounding GTA 6, and the pre-order stats reveal just how serious gamers are about getting access to it ASAP.
GTA 6 pre-orders went live back in the summer, which has given people plenty of time to snag the game before the November 19 launch date. It’s no surprise that analyst reports on the GTA 6 pre-order sales numbers are staggering, and it doesn’t take long looking over the data to realize that there are way more gamers pre-ordering GTA 6 for the PS5 than there are on Xbox consoles.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Pre-Orders for the PS5 Are Miles Ahead of the Xbox Series X/S
The data comes from analyst Sensor Tower, showing that the PS5 pre-orders are outselling Xbox Series X/S pre-orders at an alarming rate. As I’m currently writing this article, GTA 6 PS5 pre-sales make up a whopping 74% of pre-orders. Sensor Tower’s sales tracker has estimated around 7.71 million units have been sold already, with 5.74 million of that being the PS5 numbers. The tracker breaks things down even further by splitting up the cumulative $751 million in revenue into $559 million for the PS5 and $192 million for Xbox.
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That’s a wild gap, and it seems practically impossible at this point for Xbox to catch up in any significant way. Of course, nothing is impossible. Xbox could see a major uptick in sales at launch, but I definitely wouldn’t count on it after looking at these pre-sale stats. The hype surrounding the game’s launch is so big that gamers are bringing back the New Zealand trick for GTA 6 in order to play early, while there have even been reports about people taking off work so they can experience the game on launch day without any spoilers.
There are way more gamers pre-ordering GTA 6 for the PS5 than there are on Xbox consoles.
Rockstar’s GTA 6 Marketing Gives the Impression That It’s a PS5-Only Affair
Anyone who has seen the recent GTA 6 trailers and various ads has more than likely noticed that they feature one powerful disclaimer: “Plays best on PS5.” Sony beat Xbox to the punch by securing this kind of game-changing marketing, and the pre-orders have made it abundantly obvious that the campaign has worked. GTA 6 isn’t a PS5 exclusive, but seeing that kind of disclaimer on every ad really drives home the idea in peoples’ minds that Sony’s console is the only one worth playing the game on.
I know that not every single gamer in the world is interested in playing GTA 6, but those who are don’t want to feel like they are missing out on anything. The “plays best on PS5” disclaimer on these ads is a brilliant way to insinuate that playing the game on Xbox doesn’t truly offer the full experience. Sony’s PS5 era hasn’t exactly lived up to expectations when it comes to the variety of first-party exclusives, but it has maintained a strong lead when it comes to overall performance. What’s even more impressive is that Rockstar’s GTA 6 previews have all been on the base version of the PS5, not even the PS5 Pro.
Grand Theft Auto 6’s Strong PS5 Pre-Orders Prove That the PS6 Can Wait
GTA 6 having such a huge presence on Sony’s console essentially makes it a PS5 launch, even if it isn’t technically an exclusive. The past year has seen the console wars revamped, and the GTA 6 launch now gives Sony the upper hand and a much-needed win. After Marvel’s Wolverine failed to be the AAA first-party hit that Sony was hoping for, there needs to be something that makes staying loyal to the PS5 worth it, and GTA 6 appears to be that game. Having the biggest game of the year in one’s corner is a giant advantage.
Beyond the obvious short-term upsides for the PS5, GTA 6 also shows that the company shouldn’t rush bringing the PS6 into the world. There are growing concerns about the price of the PS6, and GTA 6 proves that the current-gen console still has several years of untapped potential. The PS5’s slow start makes it feel like the console has only really started to hit its stride within the past two or three years, and with fans clearly favoring the console as their choice GTA 6 platform, Sony could be getting ahead of itself by focusing too hard on new hardware when it should be riding the GTA wave.
- Released
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November 19, 2026
- ESRB
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Rating Pending – Likely Mature 17+
