Grand Theft Auto (GTA) 6 has officially sold more than nine million copies. Consequently, GTA 6 now holds the title of the most pre-ordered game in the history of gaming. Previously, CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077 held this record with roughly eight million pre-orders. However, an important distinction exists between the two releases. Cyberpunk 2077 launched simultaneously on both PC and consoles. Meanwhile, GTA 6 remains strictly available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. Therefore, Rockstar Games shattered this massive record despite targeting a significantly smaller pool of potential buyers.
GTA 6 Making History: Dominating the Pre-Order Charts
According to the latest data from Sensor Tower, GTA 6 secured 10.31 million pre-orders by November 12. As a result, the game has likely earned Rockstar Games and Take-Two Interactive over $1 billion in potential revenue. Furthermore, PlayStation 5 users drive the vast majority of these sales. Specifically, Sony’s flagship console accounts for about 75% of all tracked pre-orders.
Since this tracking data only covers sales through November 12, the game has just surpassed the ten million mark today. Interestingly, pre-orders surged sharply during the game’s initial preload window. On November 8 alone, the game sold nearly 700,000 copies. Notably, many AAA games fail to reach that specific sales figure even months after their release.
Naturally, industry experts expect GTA 6 sales to climb much higher. Some projections estimate it could sell 30 to 40 million copies by the end of 2027. Ultimately, this comes as no surprise to longtime fans. Overall, the Grand Theft Auto franchise has sold over 450 million copies across all gaming platforms. Additionally, GTA 5 alone accounts for over 200 million of those massive sales. Consequently, these historical metrics show exactly how much revenue the next installment could generate.
Take-Two Interactive Responds
Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick recently addressed these staggering numbers. He stated that GTA 6 pre-orders far exceed the company’s internal expectations. Nevertheless, he cautioned the public against declaring an early victory. Zelnick also assured fans and investors that Take-Two will release official sales figures at the right time.
Currently, all estimates rely entirely on third-party data from Sensor Tower. Consequently, like all external tracking services, these figures might contain slight inaccuracies. Still, all signs point to a historic financial success for Take-Two and Rockstar Games. Ultimately, GTA 6 now appears perfectly poised to break its predecessor’s record as one of the highest-grossing entertainment products in history.
