Rockstar Announces GTA 6 Pre‑order; Sony Plans End to Physical Game Discs

Rockstar Games opened pre‑orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 on 25 June 2026, announcing an early‑download window beginning 12 November 2026, a week before the full release scheduled for 19 November 2026. The game will be sold only as a digital download; physical copies will contain only a download code.

Sony confirmed it will cease selling new games on physical media for its PlayStation consoles starting 2028, a decision that coincided with the GTA 6 launch promotion. The company briefly replaced the PlayStation icon with a GTA‑themed design before reverting the change, fueling speculation that the move was related to criticism over the digital‑only strategy. Industry figures such as Marek Tyminski, CEO of the studio behind Lords of the Fallen 2, called the lack of a disc version “unfair” and warned it could disadvantage smaller developers.

The controversy sparked consumer backlash, with some gamers cancelling or threatening to cancel PlayStation Plus subscriptions in protest. Sony responded with promotional discounts for existing subscribers but has not altered its plan to phase out physical releases.