GTA 6 Preorders: Take-Two CEO Says the Ultimate Edition Is Winning
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick has shared fresh insight into how preorders for Grand Theft Auto VI are shaping up, with a clear signal that the most expensive version is attracting more attention than the standard edition—even if he warns that the pattern may not hold once the wider audience jumps in.
In an interview with CNBC, Zelnick said the Ultimate edition priced at $100 is being preordered more than the $80 standard version. He framed the trend as a tilt toward the Premium-tier purchase, but immediately cautioned that the numbers could simply reflect who is most eager to place orders right now. In other words, Zelnick suggested it’s possible that today’s early adopters skew toward the costlier option, while broader adoption at launch could look different once less-invested buyers become part of the equation.
The Ultimate edition includes several exclusive items, including vehicles unique to the version, stylized weapon variants, and additional outfits and hairstyles. However, the main draw is access to five exclusive shops, described as running the gamut from tuning workshops to clothing stores, as well as tattoo and beauty locations. Zelnick’s comments also arrive amid unusually limited information for players still waiting on the kind of gameplay previews that typically accompany major releases.
With Rockstar’s next steps still largely shrouded—at least in terms of gameplay footage—Zelnick’s interview also addressed the expectation that more concrete visuals would arrive on a specific date tied to a major streaming event. That’s because the conversation around GTA VI is currently running ahead of what many players can actually see in motion, and the market is filling the gap with speculation.
Beyond preorder dynamics, Zelnick used the same interview to directly cool off chatter about potential corporate moves involving Take-Two and Netflix. He said Netflix has not historically made large acquisitions, describing the company’s growth as largely organic and praising its execution in that area. On the idea of Netflix buying Take-Two itself, Zelnick was firm, pointing out that Take-Two is now the largest publicly traded company in its sector worldwide. He also stated the company expects more than $8 billion in revenue this year, arguing that the firm’s size and performance make it well suited to remain independent.
As the preorder race continues on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, Zelnick’s message to investors and players alike is essentially twofold: the expensive edition is currently leading, but the early numbers may not be a permanent snapshot of launch-day behavior—and Take-Two views its independence as a deliberate strategic choice.
