Grand Theft Auto 6 has surpassed $1 billion in preorders just over a week before its scheduled arrival on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S.
Sales Surge Ahead of Release
Data from market research firm Sensor Tower estimated that the game has generated more than $1 billion in pre-sales alongside an estimated 10.31 million copies sold worldwide, as reported by Insider Gaming. The figures mark a steep climb from November 3, when the analytics firm estimated preorder revenue at more than $750 million across 7.71 million copies.
Take-Two Interactive has not yet released its own preorder tally for the title. However, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick wrote in a release that orders were reaching “unprecedented levels.” Both Sony and Microsoft said that the game is already the most preordered title in the history of their respective digital storefronts. Rockstar opened preloads on November 10 so players can complete the download before launch day.
Zelnick assured that the company will “certainly be giving more information about how ‘GTA 6’ performs postlaunch.” Regarding whether the game will reach personal computers, the Nintendo Switch 2, or physical disc formats, Zelnick said that such announcements originate from the labels and left those details to Rockstar.
A US Army battalion is reportedly offering troops four days off to play GTA 6 as an incentive to re-enlist The signed document says soldiers who re-enlist between August 1 and November 14 can receive a four-day GTA 6 pass pic.twitter.com/VoGo38knrd
During the July through September quarter, Take-Two reported game revenue of $1.38 billion, alongside $121 million in ad sales, while sales for NBA 2K performed softer than expected.
Wall Street anticipated a loss per share of 86 cents on $1.66 billion in revenue according to consensus data from LSEG, whereas Take-Two reported a loss per share of 29 cents, net bookings totaling $1.6 billion, and an overall quarterly loss of $54 million. On Monday, SAG-AFTRA issued a statement backing the unionization efforts of Rockstar Games workers, a topic Zelnick declined to address during his interview with Variety.
GTA 6 Leads Industry Excitement and Viewership Records
The impending release has drawn outsized attention across the entertainment industry. In surveys conducted by Screen Engine and The Wrap, GTA 6 came out on top for the sixth week in a row as the upcoming release people felt most excited about, capturing 8.3 percent of mentions ahead of Avengers: Doomsday at 6.7 percent.
The anticipation has been building for nearly three years, beginning with a December 2023 trailer from Rockstar that accumulated over 90 million views within 24 hours to set a Guinness World Record, climbing to 302 million views by November 11, 2026.
Prior to launch, Rockstar shared Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, a 27-minute preview consisting entirely of in-game footage that premiered on August through Netflix before moving to YouTube. The launch campaign also extends into music, with an official album slated to release alongside the game on November 19.
Content creators have built extensive engagement around the countdown. Streamer IShowSpeed reacted to the official trailer on YouTube to amass 1.7 million views, while Twitch creator Kai Cenat spent more than 130 hours playing five preceding titles in the series.
“Hollywood should look at the hours as closely as the dollars,” The Game Awards founder Geoff Keighley told The Hollywood Reporter.
Demand has directly impacted workplace schedules. HR software company BambooHR found that employees requested November 19 off at a rate 13 percent higher than comparable days in 2024 and 2025, while a separate survey showed 18 percent of salaried workers planned to take launch day off.
Some fans have blocked off time on their work calendars to spend in Vice City, which coincides with the weekend when new seasons of Yellowjackets and Percy Jackson and the Olympians premiere.
Market analysts project massive long-term figures for the title. Some industry projections suggest that GTA 6 could generate $5 billion in its first week. For comparison, the previous entry, Grand Theft Auto V, generated over $800 million globally in its first 24 hours and surpassed $1 billion within three days after launching in September 2013, according to Take-Two Interactive.
Earlier coverage: Take-Two CEO Says GTA 6 Preorders Outpace Internal Expectations