GTA 6 PS5 Pre-orders Beat Xbox 6 to 1 — and Retailers Are Already Panicking
GTA 6 pre-order numbers are staggering — and they're confirming what many suspected: the PlayStation 5 is going to dominate the November launch overwhelmingly. According to data collected by RockstarINTEL from multiple US and UK retail sources, PS5 pre-orders outnumber Xbox Series X/S by a ratio of 6 to 1.
Why such a big gap?
The gap isn't surprising for those who follow the console market. The PS5 has over 60 million units sold globally, versus around 28 million for Xbox Series X/S. But for GTA 6, the gap is even larger than the installed base suggests — indicating a clear preference among GTA fans for PlayStation.
There's also a historical factor: GTA Online launched first on PS4/Xbox One, but it was on PlayStation that Rockstar created temporary exclusive content partnerships over the years. Long-time fans associate GTA with PlayStation.
💬 What retailers said: The biggest gaming chains in the US (GameStop, Best Buy) and UK (GAME, Argos) confirmed to RockstarINTEL that PS5 stock may run short before the November 19 launch, similar to what happened with the PS5's own launch in November 2020.
What this means for players
If you don't have a PS5 yet and want to play GTA 6 on launch day, the time to act is now. The 2020 patterns showed that when demand outstrips console supply, the secondary market (eBay, Facebook Marketplace) inflates prices quickly — sometimes double the retail price.
The good news: Sony has been producing PS5 at a good pace in 2025 and 2026, and global stock is much better than it was in 2020-2022. But "much better" doesn't mean "unlimited" when GTA 6 enters the equation.
Xbox isn't dead — but it's behind
To be fair to Microsoft: GTA 6 will run very well on Xbox Series X/S. The game was developed for both platforms and there's no confirmed exclusive content for either (unlike some past titles). But pre-order numbers don't lie — the GTA community chose PlayStation clearly.
Xbox has been leaning more into the Game Pass model and the PC market. The GTA 6 PC version still has no official date (expected in 2027), so PC-primary players are also weighing console options.
✅ Vice News Verdict
If you have a PS5, you're well positioned for the November launch. If you don't and want one, don't wait until October to buy — prices may rise. For Xbox players: the game quality is identical, only the online community may be smaller in the first few months.