GTA 6 Boss’ Official Pre-Order Update Is Pretty Concerning

Published Nov 12, 2026, 5:00 PM EST Sharmila is an engineer-turned-gaming hardware journalist and freelance contributor at ScreenRant who has been covering the gaming and tech industry since 2021. While she first built her expertise writing about video games, she has since pivoted towards gaming hardware, with a focus on PC components, peripherals, handhelds, and performance-driven tech. When she’s not testing gear or writing about the latest hardware trends, she can usually be found diving into competitive shooters or keeping up with the evolving esports scene. Sign in to your ScreenRant account There’s a strange problem with having the most anticipated game in years on the way: even an enormous pre-order total may not tell its publisher what the launch day may look like. Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has confirmed that Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders are running well ahead of the company’s expectations. As much as that sounds like good news, the details behind the update leave a few questions unanswered. Speaking during Take-Two’s fiscal second-quarter earnings call on November 9, Zelnick said pre-orders were “tracking far in excess” of the company’s initial expectations. President Karl Slatoff also described the level of pre-orders as “extraordinary.” However, neither executive shared an exact figure, leaving fans and investors without an official count of how many copies have been reserved. GTA 6 Pre-Orders Are Exceeding Take-Two’s Expectations The closest thing to a number comes from Sensor Tower, which, as of November 12, reports 11.27 million units sold. That is an estimate, not a figure confirmed by Rockstar or Take-Two, and it should not be mistaken for a final sales count. Reuters also reported a Sensor Tower estimate that nearly 90% of pre-orders recorded by late August were for the $99.99 Ultimate Edition, compared with $79.99 for the standard edition in the US. This suggests that many early buyers were willing to pay more, although the figures only describe pre-orders at that point in time. The reason Take-Two is careful with the numbers is worth noting. In an earlier interview with Bloomberg, Zelnick said the company did not know whether the unusually high pre-order total could predict launch sales. Some customers might simply be buying earlier than they otherwise would have, and pre-orders can be canceled. He argued that releasing raw figures without understanding that behavior could give investors the wrong impression. High pre-order sales are encouraging, but they don't guarantee how the game will perform once it is available. Take-Two Has a Lot Riding on GTA 6’s Launch Take-Two expects net bookings of $3.35 billion to $3.5 billion for the quarter ending December 31, with GTA 6 expected to drive much of that result. Reuters noted that the forecast sits just below analysts’ average estimate of $3.51 billion. The company also reported second-quarter net bookings of $1.60 billion, down 18% from a year earlier and below the $1.67 billion analysts had expected. Take-Two has nevertheless kept its full-year net bookings forecast at $8 billion to $8.2 billion. Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to launch on November 19 for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, according to Rockstar’s official website. With the release date now just around the corner, pre-order numbers are likely to climb further. Strong pre-launch demand is hardly a concern for Take-Two, but these numbers alone cannot tell us how the game will be received or how well it will sustain sales in the months that follow. That will only become clear once players finally get their hands on it. Released November 19, 2026 ESRB Rating Pending - Likely Mature 17+ Developer(s) Rockstar Games Publisher(s) Rockstar Games Engine Rockstar Advanced Game Engine (RAGE) Multiplayer Online Multiplayer