Grand Theft Auto 6 is going to be the biggest game of the year. But two video game retailers have already confirmed they won’t be selling it. That’s because GTA 6 isn’t shipping on a physical disc and will instead be digital-only at launch.
On June 24, Rockstar Games revealed that GTA 6 will cost $80 and physical copies of the game will be an empty box with a download code inside. This is likely being done to avoid leaks, but it also has the added benefit (for Take-Two shareholders) of making it impossible to sell the game back to stores like GameStop that can then resell used copies at a slightly lower price without giving Rockstar Games a cut. It’s not cool, and two game retailers that are both committed to physical video games are putting their foot down and refusing to sell GTA 6 when it launches in November.
On Wednesday, Video Games Plus, a North American chain that has been around for over 30 years, confirmed in a statement on X that, despite GTA 6 being one of the biggest launches in entertainment history, it will maintain its existing ban on selling games that don’t have a hard copy.
“For nearly 40 years, VGP has been committed to supporting physical media and preserving the value of physical game ownership,” wrote VGP. “As part of that commitment, our company policy is that we do not carry physical products for video game consoles that contain only a digital download code. Based on the information currently available, the physical release of Grand Theft Auto VI for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X is expected to be a code-in-box product. As a result, VGP will not be offering it for sale under our current company policy.”
VGP says this decision isn’t a statement about the game and that the company has “tremendous respect for Rockstar Games and the incredible achievement that Grand Theft Auto VI represents.” But for now, it won’t be selling it online or at its stores in Canada. “Should Rockstar one day release a physical edition containing a disc in the box, we would be pleased to carry and support that version for our customers,” added VGP.
We’re closely following the GTA 6 physical release situation over the next 24 hours. We’ve yet to receive full details on our end, but assuming information about it being a code in box is true, we will not be supporting the release of GTA 6.
When we started LBG, it was out of a…
— Loot Box Gaming (@LootBoxGamingUS) June 24, 2026
Meanwhile, Loot Box Gaming, another video game retailer focused on physical media, has also revealed that it won’t be selling GTA 6 at launch if it isn’t available on a disc.
“We’re closely following the GTA 6 physical release situation over the next 24 hours. We’ve yet to receive full details on our end, but assuming information about it being a code in a box is true, we will not be supporting the release of GTA 6,” stated LBG. “When we started LBG, it was out of a love for our favorite form of media, gaming, as well as the preservation of said media. If a product can’t honor the people who pay their hard-earned money to purchase it, then we have no business trying to sell it to our customers whom we value above anything else.”
When someone replied saying that the small retailer not selling GTA 6 won’t affect Rockstar Games or have any impact on the game’s sales, the company made it clear that it isn’t trying to have an impact on the game or its success.
“We hope GTA 6 has immense success & pans out to be the biggest game of all time, as it’s been hyped up to be, but we can’t go against our business practices in the process either,” said LBG.
