GTA 6 Physical Release Gets Official Update

Published Aug 7, 2026, 1:47 PM EDT Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Grand Theft Auto 6's lack of a physical release has cast something of a cloud on the unstoppable hype for the game, but the question of whether it could get one at a later date has lingered. Unlike the PlayStation announcement about the end of physical disc releases in 2028, the reveal that GTA 6 will be digital-only at launch wasn't accompanied by any hard confirmation that it never will be. Now, we finally have an update on the future of disc-based games at Grand Theft Auto 6 parent company Take-Two Interactive. Today, Take-Two held its latest earnings call, and CEO Strauss Zelnick officially addressed the topic. In the Take-Two earnings call, Strauss Zelnick confirmed that Take-Two expects a predominantly digital future, speaking to the convenience of digital downloads and saying that "that's where the world is going" (as reported by Forbes) Nonetheless, Zelnick suggested that physical releases could still be on the radar, saying that "doesn't mean that we won't have physical editions now and then," drawing a comparison to vinyl sales in the music industry. Zelnick's response doesn't directly answer any questions about Grand Theft Auto 6, as his belief that physical releases will persist in some regard could simply be taken as a broader industry sentiment. He also claims that, "in certain instances, especially as a big game, discs — and note I said discs — don't really make sense for the consumer." That could imply that GTA 6's file size simply takes the idea of a disc release off of Take-Two's radar. Zelnick's aside about discs is also interesting, as it seems to leave the door open for some other form of physical distribution. That might very well apply to collector's editions that simply come with a code in the box, or gesture at support for hybrid approaches like Nintendo's Game-Key Cards, which contain a license but no actual game data. Regardless, it's still possible to have an optimistic takeaway from the Take-Two earnings call, as all of these nebulous implications are better than a hard shut-down regarding the future of physical game releases. For the time being, however, fans interested in playing Grand Theft Auto 6 at launch will still have to bite the bullet and turn to a digital copy. Considering the massive level of popularity associated with the franchise, its predictably massive sales could very well be a giant leap into a digital future. 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