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GTA 6 Pre-Orders Show PS5 Lead as Microsoft Challenges Affiliate Data

Microsoft says IGN’s affiliate-link numbers do not represent actual pre-order sales, leaving platform-level demand unclear.

Overview

  • Pre-orders opened on June 25 and digital sales have surged on PlayStation storefronts where GTA 6 now tops regional charts.
  • IGN’s affiliate-link data suggested an 8-to-1 PS5-to-Xbox ratio, a figure Microsoft publicly disputed as not reflecting real pre-order volumes.
  • Rockstar and Sony have added a marketing claim that GTA 6 “plays best on PS5,” a message now appearing in Rockstar promotions and PlayStation materials.
  • Rockstar confirmed physical boxes will contain download codes instead of discs, a choice that retail staff say is hurting in-store preorder demand and could reduce trade-in revenue for chains like GameStop.
  • Technical claims that the game will ship with a 60 FPS performance mode remain unconfirmed and are questioned by analysts who point to Rockstar’s high fidelity targets and likely CPU limits.