Overview
- Rockstar confirmed Wednesday that the physical boxed editions of Grand Theft Auto VI will contain only a download code rather than a game disc.
- Two U.S. specialty retailers, Video Games Plus and Loot Box Gaming, announced they will refuse to stock the code-in-box edition, citing the preservation of physical media and customer expectations for discs.
- Industry analysts, including Chris Dring and Circana's Mat Piscatella, said the move is unlikely to meaningfully hurt sales because many consoles are digital-only and the GTA brand has strong consumer pull.
- Rockstar and industry observers say code-in-box releases let publishers delay final duplication, limit pre-owned resale and lower the risk of early leaks.
- Both the physical and base digital editions are priced at $80 with an Ultimate Edition at $100, pre-orders open June 25, the console launch is set for November 19, and security firms warn buyers to stick to official stores to avoid scam sites.