Rockstar officially confirms GTA 6 price and pre-load date — but day one buyers face a major catch

Rockstar Games has finally revealed the price for GTA 6 after years of speculation, and while it's not too bad in the grand scheme of things, anyone buying the game physically might feel a little hard done by after discovering a major catch.

It's become increasingly common for games to require an update to launch, even if you buy it physically, but Rockstar has taken things one step further by forgoing a disc altogether as physical editions of GTA 6 will launch only with a download code in the box.

This not only compromises the used market completely – which is particularly relevant considering the game's higher price point – but it also makes it far more difficult for people who don't have the fastest Wi-Fi speeds.

There is thankfully a generous pre-load period, giving you a number of days to leave your PlayStation or Xbox console chugging away at the download, yet the decision to go without a disc – at least at launch – has proven to be an unpopular choice.

Why will GTA 6 not have a disc?

Rockstar has officially confirmed that GTA 6 physical editions won't have a disc to prevent leaks from cropping up ahead of release, as it's important to the developer that everyone can experience the story at the same time.

For a while now it's become an inevitability that the biggest games are spoiled by people who happen to receive their deliveries ahead of the game's actual release date, and while some developers are good at shutting down streams or posts on social media, there's only so much you can do to contain leaks and spoiler-heavy content.

Physical editions of GTA 6 will only include a download code and not a disc ahead of launch to avoid leaks (Rockstar Games)

With a download code, however, you can artificially lock access to the game by limiting the licences to only become playable on release day, effectively levelling the playing field for everyone, no matter how early you actually receive your physical copy.

It's expected then that the game will have a simultaneous global release time instead of simply unlocking at midnight for each time zone, but that will likely only become known in the days leading up to launch.

What's more, it's unclear whether physical copies with a disc will become available after the game has launched or if they will stick with the download code forever, but Rockstar would likely have to power through significant fan backlash if it opted for the latter.

How much does GTA 6 cost?

GTA 6 only has two editions that people can purchase at launch, with the Standard Edition setting you back $79.99, and the Ultimate Edition requiring you to fork out $99.99.

While this is $10 higher than the current industry standard, it's actually lower than many people expected, with insiders predicting that it would break records.

One retailer even appeared to 'leak' the game's price ahead of the official reveal, suggesting that gamers would have to pay over $100 for the standard edition and over $200 for the most expensive version — but thankfully that wasn't true.

There have been suggestions that you'll have to pay an additional cost for GTA Online as a standalone game, however, as people have spotted hints on the PlayStation storefront that label GTA 6 as a one-player title, but that remains to be seen for the time being.

When can you preload GTA 6?

Whether you receive a download code in a physical copy or purchase the game on a digital storefront, GTA 6 will be ready to pre-load from November 12, which is exactly a week before the game officially launches.

Everyone can pre-load GTA 6 from November 12, giving people a week to complete the hefty download (Rockstar Games)

While this won't let you actually launch the game and start exploring Leonida, it will handle the bulk of the game's incredibly large download size, with only a day one patch likely to be required when the clock strikes midnight on November 19.

Nobody yet knows how big GTA 6 will end up being, but considering the rumored size of the map and the insane graphical detail you might want to clear our space already in preparation — or even opt for an entirely new storage drive.

Are there any pre-order bonuses for GTA 6?

Pre-ordering both the Standard and Ultimate Editions of the game will give you access to the 'Vintage Vice City Pack', which includes various cosmetics and in-game items like cars, weapons, and outfits for Lucia and Jason — the game's two main characters.

Pre-ordering GTA 6 gives you access to the Vintage Vice City Pack, including exclusive hair styles, outfits, vehicles, and weapon cosmetics (Rockstar Games)

Here's everything you'll be able to grab by pre-ordering GTA 6:

• '55 Vapid Stainer sedan
• Shore Court personal garage
• Vintage pastel linen suit (Jason)
• Exclusive hairstyle (Jason)
• Red sequin mini dress (Lucia)
• Curls hairstyle (Lucia)
• Weapon pattern inspired by Tommy Vercetti

Buying the Ultimate Edition of the game will also give you access to exclusive stores and in-game missions — something that's proven to be rather controversial amongst the fan base.