Xbox Says GTA 6 Pre-Orders Match Its Console Share

On this page

The report
Xbox’s reply
Do the two claims clash?
What is official
What it means for you
Frequently asked questions
What changed
Sources

reported XboxPS5Pre orderSales

Xbox says its share of GTA 6 pre-orders matches its share of the console market, and that the game is breaking Xbox records. Chief Strategy Officer Matthew Ball posted that on X on September 24, 2026, the same day The Verge reported that pre-orders skew heavily toward PS5. Nobody on either side gave a number, and Take-Two has published none.

The report

In his Notepad newsletter at The Verge, “The Xbox reset gets ugly,” Tom Warren wrote that “sources at Xbox tell me that GTA 6 pre-orders are heavily skewed toward PS5, ringing yet more alarm bells about the platform.” The newsletter is paywalled, and as relayed by Push Square and others it gives no figures and no method.

Pre-order GTA VI

Code in the box, no disc (PS5: US and Canadian accounts). Amazon delivers from Nov 12, with release-day delivery for Prime.

PS5 Xbox

Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases.

Xbox’s reply

Ball answered on X the same day:

“Tom, we are very happy with GTA VI pre-orders. The title is breaking records for XBOX, we expect even more records will be broken throughout the fall, and our internal analysis shows our share of pre-orders to be matching our share of the console market.”

He gave no percentages. Warren asked him what Xbox’s share of the console market is, and Ball had not answered when TheGamer published on September 25.

Circana analyst Mat Piscatella questioned the framing. “Given what the Xbox share of the console market is, not sure I’d be gushing about anything related to a relative split but that’s just me,” he wrote, as quoted by GamesRadar+.

Do the two claims clash?

Not necessarily, in our reading. PS5 has the larger installed base, so if Xbox’s share of pre-orders only matches its share of consoles, pre-orders would still lean heavily to PS5, and both statements would be true. Piscatella’s reply points the same way. Neither Microsoft nor Sony has put a number on the split, so nobody outside the companies can check either claim.

What is official

Nothing on volume. Take-Two has not disclosed pre-order or unit numbers, and Strauss Zelnick declined to give one on the August 7 earnings call. Analyst figures such as Piper Sandler’s 48.3 million launch-window forecast are models, not sales data. For GTA V, Take-Two put out sales figures one and three days after launch, so a first number could come in launch week; its first quarterly report covering November, for October to December, usually arrives in early February. We track it on GTA 6 sales.

What it means for you

Nothing changes for players. GTA 6 launches on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on November 19, 2026, at the same prices: in the US, $79.99 for Standard and $99.99 for Ultimate. If you are still choosing, which console to buy for GTA 6 compares them. Pre-ordered on Xbox and changed your mind? You can cancel from your Microsoft order history until November 9; see how to cancel and refund a GTA 6 pre-order.

Where to buy

Pre-order the boxed GTA VI

Amazon

Amazon sells the boxed Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, the day pre-load opens, and standard delivery can arrive later, so check the date at checkout. The game unlocks November 19.

PS5GTA VI · PS5Standard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc, for US and Canadian PlayStation accounts. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on Amazon

Xbox Series X|SGTA VI · XboxStandard Edition: a download code in the box, no disc. Amazon delivers from November 12, with release-day delivery for Prime members; it unlocks November 19.Pre-order on Amazon PS5GTA VI DualSenseSony's official Grand Theft Auto VI Limited Edition controller in white, out November 19.Pre-order on Amazon

Amazon's Pre-order Price Guarantee: "the price we charge when we ship it to you will be the lowest price offered by Amazon.com between the time you placed your order and the end of the day of the release date." Amazon's help page adds that it "does not apply to lower prices offered through any program that requires a customer to join the program to receive the lower price." Amazon's release date for the GTA VI boxes is November 12.

Amazon's listing offers Prime members release-day delivery on November 12. New members can start a 30-day free trial (Amazon, checked September 28); a trial started before mid-October runs out before November 12, so start it later or keep the membership. Try Prime on AmazonPaid link: Amazon pays GTA6.how a fee if you sign up. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases.

Paid links. As an Amazon Associate, GTA6.how earns from qualifying purchases. Prices, delivery dates and availability are set by Amazon and can change. How we choose products.

Background: GTA 6 on Xbox Series X|S · GTA 6 on PS5 · Where to pre-order GTA 6 · GTA 6 sales and pre-orders

Frequently asked questions

Are more people pre-ordering GTA 6 on PS5 or Xbox?

The Verge reported that Xbox sources say pre-orders skew heavily to PS5, and Xbox says its share matches its console market share. Both claims are reported, neither came with numbers, and they can both be true.

How many GTA 6 pre-orders have been sold?

Take-Two has not said. It has published no pre-order or unit numbers, and neither have Sony or Microsoft. Analyst forecasts are estimates, not sales data.

Is GTA 6 different on Xbox and PS5?

Both versions launch on November 19, 2026 at the same prices, $79.99 for Standard and $99.99 for Ultimate in the US. Rockstar has not announced frame rates or resolutions for either console; the PS5 version carries a PS5 Pro Enhanced label.

Can I cancel an Xbox pre-order of GTA 6?

Yes. Microsoft Store pre-orders can be cancelled from your order history up to 10 days before launch, which is November 9. After that you have to request a refund.

What changed on this page

Sep 28, 2026Quoted Matthew Ball's post word for word and corrected when the first official sales number may arrive: Take-Two announced GTA V's figures within days of launch, before its quarterly report.