Fans have spent months venting about GTA 6 launching without a disc in the box, and now the man running the company behind Rockstar has weighed in directly. Strauss Zelnick isn’t backing down.
The uproar started when Rockstar confirmed that retail copies of Grand Theft Auto VI would ship as a code-in-box product rather than a physical disc, a first for the series’ retail releases. For a franchise built on decades of shelf space, midnight launches, and trade-in value, the announcement landed hard.
Add in Sony’s decision to end physical disc production for new PlayStation games starting in January 2028, and the timing made the backlash feel like part of a bigger shift the fanbase never asked for.
Take-Two CEO Explains Why GTA 6 Discs “Don’t Really Make Sense”
Speaking during Take-Two’s Q1 2027 earnings call on August 7, an investor asked Zelnick directly about Sony’s decision to phase out physical game production. Rather than defend disc ownership, he leaned into the shift.
“Our business is well over 90% digitally distributed,” Zelnick said. “It’s already a digital business. So in certain instances, especially if it’s a big game, discs just, and note I said discs, don’t really make sense for the consumer.”
He kept going, tying the point back to how games actually get played today. “Also, most instances you have to register online to play anyhow. So if you’re already connected, who cares if you download digitally? It’s all the same and it’s much more convenient.”
Zelnick was careful not to close the door completely. He said he wouldn’t rule out a physical release at some point, comparing the format to vinyl records, which still hold a niche market in the recorded music business. He also indicated that Take-Two’s decision was driven by its broader digital distribution strategy rather than Sony’s 2028 manufacturing timeline.
The code-in-box release also comes alongside a price increase that fans are still adjusting to. The standard edition of GTA 6 is priced at $80, ten dollars above the usual cost of a major console release, while a $100 Ultimate Edition adds an exclusive collection of premium vehicles, weapons, apparel, and other bonus content connected to Jason and Lucia’s story.
Zelnick defended the pricing the same way he defended the format, framing it as a value trade rather than a cash grab. “We aim always to deliver vastly more value than what we charge,” he said.
None of it appears to be scaring off buyers. Take-Two has said GTA 6 pre-orders are running well ahead of the company’s own internal forecasts, though it hasn’t disclosed exact figures. For fans who collect physical copies or rely on the resale market, the framing still won’t land as reassurance. GTA Online remains the franchise’s real cash engine, but players who stick to the campaign now have no way to trade in or resell their copy once they’re finished.
Grand Theft Auto VI is set to release on November 19, 2026.
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