By GTA 6 is now the most pre-ordered game ever, at least by outside estimates. Sensor Tower puts it at 9.69 million digital pre-orders on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as of November 10, worth about $942 million after refunds. That’s past Cyberpunk 2077, which reported more than 8 million before its 2020 launch, a record that had stood for almost six years.
A week earlier the same tracker showed 7.71 million. Two million in seven days, nine days before launch.
The numbers in short
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Pre-orders | about 9.69 million, digital only |
| Revenue | about $942 million, net of refunds |
| Platforms | PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| A week earlier | 7.71 million |
| Late October | 6.45 million |
| Previous record | Cyberpunk 2077, 8 million+ |
A record, with a footnote
The comparison isn’t one-to-one, and it’s worth knowing why. Cyberpunk’s 8 million came from CD Projekt itself and counted everything: boxed copies, digital, and PC, which made up most of it. Sensor Tower’s GTA 6 figure counts only digital console pre-orders. No boxes, and no PC, because GTA 6 isn’t on PC at launch.
So the footnote works in GTA 6’s favour. The real total, with retail boxes, is higher than 9.69 million. It’s still an estimate, though: neither Rockstar nor Take-Two has confirmed a number.
What the platforms and Take-Two say
Sony and Microsoft each said, without giving numbers, that GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game in the history of the PlayStation Store and the Microsoft Store. Take-Two said on its November 9 earnings call that pre-orders are “tracking far above our initial expectations”, the same call where the company confirmed the game has gone gold.
Close to a billion dollars for a game that hasn’t come out yet, paid before anyone has played a minute. As someone who works on the production side of games, the number that impresses me more is the speed: the curve got steeper as launch got closer, not flatter.
What it means for you
- Downloads. Millions of people are pulling the same 200+ GB at the same time. If you haven’t started the preload yet, start it now rather than on the 18th.
- Pre-order bonus. The Vintage Vice City Pack comes with any pre-order, and with digital purchases before November 20.
- Edition. If you’re still choosing, our editions guide explains what Ultimate adds.
FAQ
Is GTA 6 the most pre-ordered game ever?
By Sensor Tower’s estimate, yes: 9.69 million digital pre-orders, past Cyberpunk 2077’s 8 million. Rockstar and Take-Two haven’t confirmed a figure.
Do the 9.69 million include boxed copies?
No. Sensor Tower counts only digital pre-orders on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, so the real total is higher.
Which store sold the most GTA 6 pre-orders?
Sony and Microsoft both call GTA 6 a record for their stores. Earlier Sensor Tower data showed about three out of four pre-orders on PlayStation.