Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto VI is now a preorder spreadsheet problem for console players: two editions, two platforms, and, for boxed copies, a plastic case that contains a code rather than a disc.
The game is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S/X, according to preorder details reported by The Verge. Preloading is set to begin November 12, giving buyers a week to download the game before release day.
There is no platform sprawl here. Rockstar is selling Grand Theft Auto VI for Sony and Microsoft’s current consoles, with digital purchases available through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. The Standard Edition is also being sold as a boxed code through Rockstar and major retailers including Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. That is the current state of “physical” games, apparently: shelf presence, no disc.
The two editions
The Standard Edition costs $79.99. The Ultimate Edition costs $99.99 and is available only as a digital purchase from PlayStation or Xbox, according to the listings cited by The Verge.
Both editions include the same preorder bonuses. Buyers get the Vintage Vice City Pack at launch, a bundle of in-game cosmetics and items that includes vehicles, weapon patterns, and hairstyles referencing Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.
Digital preorder customers also receive one month of GTA Plus, Rockstar’s subscription tied to Grand Theft Auto V’s online mode. Rockstar’s support page says that month can be redeemed immediately. The membership normally costs $7.99 per month and includes in-game perks plus access to a rotating catalog of older Rockstar games.
Brad Bourque of The Verge reports that there are no store-exclusive preorder bonuses, so buying from one retailer over another should not mean missing a retailer-specific trinket. That is unusually humane for a preorder campaign, though the bar is buried somewhere under a pile of steelbook cases.
What the Ultimate Edition adds
The Ultimate Edition includes extra in-game content that is not included with the Standard Edition. The Verge lists the package as including vehicles, weapons, clothing and appearance options, customization shops, cosmetic services, and other in-game locations or commissions.
- ’95 Grotti Cheetah vehicle
- Hawk and Little Morgan revolvers
- Personalized weapon variants
- Vice City Style looks
- Jason’s Safehouse vehicles
- Ganado Retro Build mod kit
- Rideout Customs mod shop
- Sara’s Unisex Salon
- Shitzu Squalo watercraft
- Stock 305 clothing store
- ’67 Vapid Dominator Buggy vehicle and garage
- Electric Fang Tattoo shop
- One-Eyed Willie’s mod shop
- Goodtime Gear looks
- PTT Youngin$ Illegal Good Store gang compound
- Classic Car Collection special commission
For buyers who only care about playing the campaign at launch, the cheaper edition includes the same preorder pack. The $20 upgrade is about locked-in extras, not early access, at least according to the preorder details currently listed.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.
