Rockstar has severely disappointed fans ahead of the pre-orders going live for Grand Theft Auto 6, as it turns out that the physical editions are just codes in a box, rather than containing actual discs.
The video game industry as a whole has been trying to go fully digital for a while now, with even Nintendo seemingly giving in to temptation with its Game-Key Cards, which are cartridges that only contain a license for a downloadable game, rather than the actual title itself. This hasn't been helped by the death of brick and mortar stores, making it harder to go out and purchase a game on launch day.
Rockstar had previously announced that the pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 are going live on June 25, 2026. In a surprise update on the official Grand Theft Auto 6 website, new information about the pre-orders was revealed, which include a huge kick in the teeth for physical purists.
Grand Theft Auto 6 Physical Editions Don't Contain Physical Games
According to Rockstar, "The physical version of Grand Theft Auto 6, containing a download code inside the box, will be available starting November 12 to support pre-loading." This confirms...
