The $100 Ultimate Edition of Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently outselling the $80 Standard Edition during pre-orders, according to Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick. The surprising trend comes despite criticism over the game’s pricing and the additional cost of the premium version.

GTA 6 Ultimate Edition beats Standard Edition

Take-Two, the parent company of Rockstar Games, has confirmed that more players are currently choosing the Ultimate Edition of Grand Theft Auto 6 than the Standard Edition during the pre-order period.

The Standard Edition costs $79.99, while the Ultimate Edition is priced at $99.99, making the premium version $20 more expensive. Despite the difference, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the Ultimate Edition is currently selling better.

Zelnick attributed the unusual buying pattern to the most dedicated GTA fans. According to him, the people who are pre-ordering this early are likely to be the franchise’s most enthusiastic players, making them more willing to spend extra on the premium version.

The trend is also consistent with earlier PlayStation Store data. In July, the Ultimate Edition was reported to be leading GTA 6 pre-order charts across several major markets, including the US, UK, Japan, India and South Korea.

What does the GTA 6 Ultimate Edition include?

The additional $20 does not simply buy early access to the game. Rockstar has bundled additional digital content into the Ultimate Edition.

The premium version includes extra vehicles, customisation options, outfits and other in-game content. Reports have also highlighted additional missions or activities, exclusive shops and locations, and other bonuses connected to the game’s world and characters.

The Standard Edition, meanwhile, contains the main GTA 6 experience and is still expected to provide the full core game.

Both editions also come with a one-month GTA+ subscription as a pre-order benefit.

This distinction has created some debate among players. Some fans believe certain content should have been included in the $80 version rather than being placed behind a $100 price tag.

GTA 6 price has already sparked debate

The pricing represents an important moment for the video game industry.

At $79.99, the Standard Edition of GTA 6 is already $10 more expensive than the $69.99 price that has become common for major AAA releases in recent years. The Ultimate Edition pushes the price to almost $100 before taxes in the US.

The higher price has attracted criticism from some players, particularly because the physical release does not contain a traditional game disc. Instead, physical copies are expected to contain a download code. Take-Two has defended the approach by pointing to the industry’s shift towards digital sales.

However, the strong performance of the Ultimate Edition suggests that pricing concerns have not stopped GTA fans from spending more.

India price is also significantly higher

Indian gamers will also have to pay a premium for the Ultimate Edition.

The GTA 6 Standard Edition is listed at Rs 5,999, while the Ultimate Edition costs Rs 7,499 in India. That means players choosing the premium version are paying an additional Rs 1,500.

The difference is substantial for Indian consumers, especially when compared with the pricing of many other major console games.

At the same time, GTA is an unusually powerful franchise. GTA 5 has remained commercially successful for years, and the anticipation surrounding the next instalment has been building since its predecessor launched in 2013.

Why are fans choosing the more expensive version?

The simplest explanation is the strength of the Grand Theft Auto brand.

The previous mainline game arrived nearly 13 years before GTA 6’s scheduled release. That enormous gap has generated unprecedented anticipation around Rockstar’s next open-world game.

The people pre-ordering months ahead of launch are likely to be among the franchise’s most committed fans. That makes them more receptive to spending an additional Rs 1,500 in India or $20 in the US for extra content.

Zelnick’s explanation is therefore important. The current sales split may not necessarily indicate that the average GTA 6 buyer will prefer the Ultimate Edition once the game launches. It could instead reflect the behaviour of the most enthusiastic early buyers.

There is also the psychological appeal of owning the most complete version of one of the year’s biggest games. For a title that many players have been waiting more than a decade to play, the additional cost may seem relatively small compared with the overall excitement surrounding the release.

GTA 6 release date is approaching

Grand Theft Auto 6 is currently scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Rockstar and Take-Two are continuing to build anticipation ahead of launch. An extended look at the game is also scheduled to premiere on Netflix on August 27 before becoming available on YouTube several hours later.

The game is expected to be one of the biggest entertainment launches of 2026, and its commercial performance could have implications well beyond Rockstar.

What the Ultimate Edition sales mean for gaming

The success of the $100 version could encourage publishers to experiment further with premium editions.

For years, publishers have increasingly used deluxe and ultimate editions to generate additional revenue from their most committed players. If GTA 6 demonstrates that a large audience is willing to pay more for premium digital content, other major publishers could view that as evidence that higher-priced editions can work even for blockbuster releases.

At the same time, the reaction from players will remain important. A premium edition that offers attractive extras can generate strong sales, but excessive content segmentation can also create resentment among consumers.

For now, however, the numbers point in Rockstar’s favour. GTA 6’s Ultimate Edition is not struggling despite its $100 price tag; it is currently outperforming the cheaper Standard Edition among pre-orders.

Whether that trend continues after launch will be much more revealing, as the wider gaming audience begins purchasing the game rather than the early group of hardcore GTA fans.