The countdown to the launch of GTA 6 is officially on. On Thursday, Rockstar Games finally opened pre-orders for one of the most anticipated games of all time, at last ending months of speculation regarding the game’s price and the various editions available.
Launching later this year, there is a Standard Edition and an Ultimate Edition of the game – the latter is only available digitally through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. But what seems to have proven most controversial is that physical copies of the game won’t actually include a disc – they’ll just ship with a download code in the box. Insiders have since suggested the physical copy of the game could launch with a disc sometime in December.
If you’re wondering where to pre-order GTA 6 in the UK, what comes with each edition or whether it’s worth paying extra for the Ultimate Edition, here’s everything you need to know before the game launches in November.
‘GTA 6’ release date and price: When can you play the game?
Grand Theft Auto 6 will officially launch on 19 November. If you pre-order a physical copy of the game, it’ll ship a week earlier than normal, but because it won’t come with a disc in the box (just a download code), you won’t get early access.
Rockstar Games says that physical copies will ship a week earlier so that people can pre-load the game ahead of time. The Standard Edition costs £69.99, while the Ultimate Edition costs £89.99.
Where to pre-order ‘GTA 6’ Ultimate Edition in the UK
The Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 is available to pre-order digitally through the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. It costs £89.99, which isn’t as much as many were fearing. What do you get with the Ultimate Edition that you don’t get with the Standard Edition? Rockstar has stuffed the Ultimate Edition with exclusive vehicles, weapons, clothing, missions and customisation options that unlock as you progress through Jason and Lucia’s story.
In terms of vehicles, you’ll get a ’67 Vapid Dominator Buggy, the returning ’95 Grotti Cheetah sports car, a Dinka Enduro motorcycle, a Crest Kayak at Jason’s safehouse and a Shitzu Squalo speedboat. You’ll also receive exclusive mods for Jason’s Vapid Ganado pickup, plus access to two exclusive vehicle workshops – Rideout Customs and One-Eyed Willie’s.
For missions and activities, Rockstar is including a Classic Car Collection questline, which lets you restore abandoned vehicles, as well as the PTT Youngin$ compound raid activity, where you’ll earn special contraband rewards as you play.
The Ultimate Edition also includes Hawk & Little Morgan Revolvers with Vice City styling, personalised versions of Jason’s Girardi ES9 and Lucia’s Klose K17 pistols, plus exclusive weapon customisation.
Finally, there are dozens of cosmetic extras. You can unlock exclusive Vice City-inspired outfits for Jason and Lucia, Goodtime Gear clothing and accessories, access to the Stock 305 streetwear shop, new hairstyles, facial hair, makeup and nail options from Sara’s Unisex Salon, plus more than 50 exclusive tattoos from Electric Fang Tattoo.
By pre-ordering GTA 6, you’ll get a Vintage Vice City pack, which includes the ’55 Vapid Stanier sedan, the Shore Court Garage near Ocean Beach, two Vice City-inspired outfits for Jason and Lucia, vintage hairstyles for both protagonists and a tropical weapon skin inspired by Tommy Vercetti’s iconic palm-tree shirt.
On top of that, Rockstar is throwing in a free month of GTA+. The subscription includes a monthly GTA$500,000 deposit for GTA Online, bonus GTA$ when purchasing Shark Cards, access to exclusive discounts and member-only vehicles, plus a rotating library of Rockstar Games titles. The free month can be redeemed immediately after pre-ordering – just remember to cancel the subscription or you will be charged.
Where to pre-order ‘GTA 6’ Standard Edition in the UK
The Standard Edition of GTA 6 is available to pre-order from a number of UK retailers, including Argos, Amazon, Very, Game, EE, Studio, The Game Collection and ShopTo. It costs £69.99, making it £20 cheaper than the Ultimate Edition.
Unlike the Ultimate Edition, the Standard Edition doesn’t include any of the exclusive vehicles, missions, weapons or cosmetic extras. However, you’ll still get the full GTA 6 single-player experience.
That said, you won’t miss out on the pre-order bonuses. If you get the Standard Edition, you’ll receive the same Vintage Vice City pack as Ultimate Edition owners, complete with the classic ’55 Vapid Stanier sedan, Shore Court Garage, retro outfits and hairstyles for Jason and Lucia, plus a Tommy Vercetti-inspired weapon skin.
If you’re buying a physical copy, do note that the box won’t contain a disc. Rockstar is instead shipping a download code inside the case, so you can preload the game before launch. Because the physical and digital Standard Editions cost the same, there’s very little downside to picking up the boxed version if you’d like something physical to display.
Why doesn’t the ‘GTA 6’ physical edition include a disc?
Why GTA 6 doesn’t include a disc is a good question, and it’s something every fan is currently wondering. While you can buy a physical copy of the game, the box won’t actually contain a disc. You’ll just find a download code inside the box that you can use to redeem the game on the PlayStation Store and Xbox Store. One insider has claimed that physical copies with a disc will be coming after the game is released, however.
Before Rockstar announced that the game would only ship with a code in the box, Polish games industry insider Graczdari, who works in physical game distribution in Europe, reported that Rockstar was planning to avoid shipping discs at launch to reduce the risk of retailers leaking the game early – something that happens all the time within game distribution.
Graczdari previously revealed the release dates of the physical editions of Oblivion Remastered, the Switch 2 version of Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds and the PS5 version of Microsoft Flight Simulator. While Take-Two denied part of his original report, Rockstar ultimately confirmed there would be no disc included at launch, lending credibility to his claims.
Now, Graczdari has claimed that the download code version is only the initial production run, with a traditional disc version potentially arriving in December. Rockstar has not commented on those claims, so take it with a pinch of salt.
Will ‘GTA 6’ be cross-play compatible?
One question Rockstar still hasn’t answered is whether GTA 6 will support cross-play. That’s probably because – for now, at least – it’s totally irrelevant.
The developer has confirmed that the game will launch as a single-player experience only on 19 November, with no GTA Online mode available on day one.
Will there be cross-play when GTA Online launches? It would be a first. GTA 5 has no cross-play support, nor does Red Dead Online. I know plenty of Xbox players would love to play online with their PS5-owning friends and vice versa, so I lie in wait.
Is there a ‘GTA 6’ Collector’s Edition?
Weirdly, not at the moment. So far, there are only two versions of GTA 6: a standard and an ultimate edition.
I’m really hoping Rockstar does end up releasing a Collector’s Edition with physical goodies, however. GTA 5‘s Collector’s Edition included a steelbook case, blueprint map of Los Santos, security deposit bag, snapback cap and a collection of in-game bonuses.
We all want a life-size pink flamingo.
When will ‘GTA 6’ Online launch?
Rockstar has described GTA 6 as a “single-player experience” at launch, with no mention of an online mode arriving on 19 November.
It’s not surprising. GTA Online launched roughly two weeks after GTA 5 back in 2013. Red Dead Online didn’t arrive until several months after Red Dead Redemption 2. I predict GTA 6 Online to launch sometime in 2027.
Who are the main characters in ‘GTA 6’?
The two main protagonists are Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Jason is a former soldier working for local drug runners in the Keys, while Lucia has just been released from Leonida Penitentiary and is looking for a way to turn her life around.
Cal Hampton is Jason’s friend and an associate of Brian Heder. He is described as living “at the low tide of America” and spends his time listening to Coast Guard communications while drinking at home. Brian Heder is a veteran drug smuggler from the Keys. He runs a boat yard with his third wife, Lori, and is allowing Jason to live rent-free at one of his properties in exchange for help with local shakedowns.
Boobie Ike is described as a “Vice City legend who owns a strip club, recording studio and property portfolio”, while Dre’Quan Priest is said to be an “aspiring music mogul who runs Only Raw Records and is focused on building his label’s reputation in the local music scene”.
Real Dimez is a rap duo made up of Bae-Luxe and Roxy. They are described as using their time shaking down dealers to fund their music careers and grow their social media following. They are signed to Only Raw Records. Raul Bautista is described as a “seasoned bank robber who is always on the hunt for new talent”.
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