GTA 6 pre-orders near 8 million, with $751 million gross revenue

GTA 6 has reached 7.71 million pre-orders, generating an estimated $751 million in gross revenue, according to Sensor Tower's pre-order tracker. Rockstar's title launches in two weeks.

The platform split is stark. PlayStation 5 accounts for 74% of pre-ordered units and $559 million of gross revenue. Xbox Series X|S holds 26%, worth $192 million. What does this change for platform holders? It confirms Sony's console as the default home for the biggest release of the generation, at least at the pre-order stage.

What are buyers choosing at checkout?

Edition mix matters as much as unit count. Sensor Tower reported in August that 89% of pre-orders are for the $100 Ultimate Edition, against 11% for the $80 Standard Edition. That skew pushes average revenue per pre-order well above the standard price point. It also signals that premium-tier bundles, which typically bundle downloadable content and early access perks, can carry a mass-market release rather than a niche audience.

How big could launch get?

Sensor Tower's own executives see the current figures as a floor, not a ceiling. Karl Kontus, SVP and GM of Video Game Insights at Sensor Tower, told GamesIndustry.biz: "If we used any 'normal' preorder trajectories, the current four million preorders will be 40 million+ at launch."

He tempered that projection: "Actual preorders might land more in the 25 million ballpark. For comparison, Cyberpunk 2077 announced eight million preorders by launch. 25 million preorder units would mean circa $2 billion in sales by the time the game actually launches – immediately paying for its development cost and probably for the vast majority of the marketing as well."

That $2 billion figure is an estimate, not a confirmed forecast. But it frames the commercial stakes: pre-orders alone could recoup development and most marketing spend before a single post-launch sale.

How does this compare with past blockbusters?

Further Sensor Tower analysis, published last month, found GTA 6 pre-orders running 148% ahead of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 at the equivalent point before its 2022 launch. That comparison covers digital pre-orders only and does not include boxed releases, which likely understates the gap for a title with strong physical demand.

Earlier tracking data adds context. During the first week of pre-orders in July, Newzoo estimated GTA 6 generated $260 million globally. Newzoo also projected a 17.5% increase in full game spending this year attributable to the title — a measurable lift for the entire software market, not just Take-Two.

Analysts previously told GamesIndustry.biz they expect the game to sell from 25 to 30 million units upward, with some estimates exceeding 50 million units.

What happens next?

The number to watch is the final pre-order tally at launch, and whether it clears the 25 million unit mark that Kontus flagged as realistic. Newzoo's projected 17.5% lift in full game spending will also be testable once month-one sell-through data lands.