GTA 6 physical edition is code in a box, will have early release date for preloading

6 hours ago 4

Published Jun 24, 2026, 8:45 AM EDT

I guess it doesn't fit on one Blu-ray, or even two

ULTIMATE_EDITION_WYMAN_CAR_COLLECTION_01

Rockstar Games has announced that physical copies of Grand Theft Auto 6 won't come on disc. They will "contain a download code inside the box," according to the developer's announcement of pre-order details, including the game's price and Ultimate Edition and pre-order bonuses.

So that players who opt for the physical edition won't be at a disadvantage come launch day, Rockstar is taking the unprecedented step of releasing physical copies of GTA 6 on Nov. 12, a week ahead of the game's launch on Nov. 19. Players can then redeem their download codes and start preloading the game at the same time as those who pre-order the digital edition of the game. (Preloading also goes live on Nov. 12.)

Physical game collectors will be very disappointed that there will be no hard copy of GTA 6, although the early release of the code-in-a-box edition is at least considerate.

What else can we learn from this? Well, it indicates that GTA 6's file size is very big. The PlayStation 5 uses triple-layer Blu-ray discs that can store up to 100 GB of data, and games that ship physically on more than one disc are rare, but there are some examples, like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, the Complete Edition of Horizon Forbidden West, and Baldur's Gate 3. Xbox Series X only supports 50 GB discs, and on that console, Baldur's Gate 3 comes on no less than four discs.

GTA 6 is widely expected to be even bigger than these games. Perhaps it exceeds 200 GB and will require a minimum of three discs to ship on PS5 and as many as five on Xbox Series X, and Rockstar balked at the manufacturing cost or the awkwardness of the packaging.

Sales of physical editions of games are in decline, and are almost negligible on Xbox. But that's not the case on PlayStation, where they still account for around 30% of sales. That percentage would probably be even higher for a mainstream game like GTA 6.

GTA 6 going the code-in-a-box route is a disappointing development. Still, if the game is over 200 GB, a week should be long enough to download it... right?