Grand Theft Auto 6 is already generating an enormous amount of money, and the game hasn’t even launched yet. According to a new estimate from market intelligence firm Sensor Tower, GTA 6 has now reached approximately 4.6 million pre-orders, generating an estimated $446 million in gross revenue.
Even more interesting is what players are buying. Sensor Tower estimates that nearly 90% of GTA 6 pre-orders are for the $99.99 Ultimate Edition, rather than the $79.99 Standard Edition.
Those are huge numbers for a game that isn’t scheduled to launch until November.
Update – August 28, 2026
Sensor Tower has updated its GTA 6 sales estimate, putting the game’s pre-orders at around 4.6 million, up from the 4.38 million estimate reported when this story was originally published.
The updated figure represents roughly $446 million in estimated gross revenue. Sensor Tower also estimates that close to 90% of buyers have chosen the $99.99 Ultimate Edition, an unusually high share for a premium version of a game.
The latest figures were collected before Rockstar’s extended look at GTA 6 was released on Netflix. Sensor Tower says it plans to publish new data over the weekend, so it will be interesting to see whether the game’s latest marketing push results in another significant jump.
GTA 6 Had 4.38 Million Pre-Orders in the Earlier Estimate
The original Sensor Tower estimate put GTA 6 at 4.38 million pre-orders across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, representing approximately $429 million in revenue after returns.
PlayStation accounted for the majority of those estimated sales, with around 77% of pre-orders compared with 23% on Xbox. That translates to approximately 3.38 million PS5 pre-orders and around 1 million Xbox pre-orders.
That’s an extraordinary start for a game that still has months to go before release.
GTA 6 pre-orders only opened on June 25, meaning millions of players have already paid for the game well ahead of its November 19 launch.
Rockstar is currently offering two editions. The Standard Edition costs $79.99, while the Ultimate Edition costs $99.99.
And judging by Sensor Tower’s latest estimate, players appear surprisingly willing to pay the extra $20.
Nearly 90% of Buyers Are Reportedly Choosing the Ultimate Edition
The most eye-catching part of Sensor Tower’s updated data isn’t necessarily the 4.6 million pre-orders. It’s the estimated split between the two editions.
According to the company, almost 90% of GTA 6 buyers have opted for the Ultimate Edition.
That’s a remarkably high percentage for a premium edition, particularly considering it costs $20 more than the Standard Edition.
Of course, there’s an important distinction here: Rockstar and Take-Two have not officially confirmed these sales figures.
Sensor Tower’s numbers are estimates based on market data and statistical modelling. They shouldn’t be treated as an official announcement from Rockstar.
Still, the figures are worth paying attention to because Sensor Tower is an established market intelligence company rather than an anonymous social media account throwing around guesses.
How Reliable Are the GTA 6 Pre-Order Estimates?
Sensor Tower acquired Video Game Insights (VGI) in 2025, bringing VGI’s PC and console tracking technology into its wider analytics business.
VGI’s data uses aggregated information from more than four million public player profiles and covers platforms including Steam, PlayStation and Xbox.
However, estimating pre-orders for an unreleased console game is different from estimating sales for an established title.
GTA 6 hasn’t launched yet, so companies attempting to measure its pre-orders don’t have access to the same volume of publicly observable information that exists for a game that’s already available.
That’s why the 4.6 million figure should be viewed as an estimate, not a confirmed sales total.
The same applies to the reported 90% Ultimate Edition share.
Until Rockstar or Take-Two releases official numbers, there’s no way to know exactly how many copies have been pre-ordered or precisely how those purchases are divided between the two editions.
Take-Two Says GTA 6 Pre-Orders Have Had an “Exceptional Start”
While Take-Two hasn’t revealed an actual pre-order number, the publisher has confirmed that demand for GTA 6 has been extremely strong.
During its latest earnings call, Take-Two described GTA 6’s pre-orders as having an “exceptional start.”
That statement doesn’t confirm Sensor Tower’s 4.6 million estimate, but it does provide some context for why the numbers are attracting so much attention.
And there’s still plenty of time for the figure to grow.
GTA 6 isn’t scheduled to launch until November 19, 2026, giving Rockstar several more months to build anticipation and convert curious players into buyers.
The GTA 6 Hype Machine Is Only Getting Bigger
Rockstar has continued to increase the amount of GTA 6 content being shown to the public, and the latest marketing push could have an impact on pre-orders.
The company recently unveiled an extended look at the game, giving fans another glimpse at what Rockstar has been working on.
The fact that GTA 6’s extended look was also scheduled to premiere on Netflix before appearing elsewhere added another unusual twist to the game’s marketing campaign.
With every trailer, screenshot and new piece of information generating enormous attention online, Rockstar has little trouble keeping GTA 6 in the spotlight.
And that’s before the game has even reached the final stretch of its marketing campaign.
GTA 6 Could Break Entertainment Records Before It Even Launches
It’s difficult to put the scale of GTA 6’s launch into perspective.
The previous game in the series, Grand Theft Auto V, has sold more than 230 million copies worldwide, according to Take-Two.
That makes GTA 5 one of the most commercially successful entertainment products ever created, and GTA 6 is now preparing to follow it.
If Sensor Tower’s estimates are even close to accurate, GTA 6 is already generating hundreds of millions of dollars from pre-orders alone.
The bigger question is whether the final game can actually live up to the extraordinary expectations surrounding it.
Rockstar has had years to build anticipation for GTA 6, and the game has become much more than another major release. It’s arguably one of the most anticipated entertainment products of the decade.
At this point, the hype is almost impossible to avoid.
The real challenge for Rockstar will be delivering a game capable of matching it.
GTA 6 Still Has Months to Go
For now, Sensor Tower’s figures should be treated as an interesting snapshot rather than a definitive sales report.
The estimated 4.6 million pre-orders and $446 million in revenue are already impressive, while the reported 90% share for the Ultimate Edition is arguably even more surprising.
With GTA 6 still months away from launch, those numbers could climb considerably before November 19.
And if the game’s upcoming marketing pushes continue generating this level of attention, Rockstar may have only scratched the surface of GTA 6’s enormous commercial potential.
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