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TL;DR
Sensor Tower estimates that GTA VI had 10.31 million pre-orders worth about $1 billion as of November 11, eight days before its scheduled release. Take-Two has not disclosed a count, though Sony says the game is PlayStation Store’s most pre-ordered title and Take-Two says orders exceed its expectations.
Market research firm Sensor Tower estimates that Grand Theft Auto VI had sold 10.31 million pre-order copies, worth about $1 billion, by November 11—eight days before its scheduled November 19 release. Publisher Take-Two Interactive has not published pre-order totals, so the figure is an outside estimate; Sony separately says the game is the most pre-ordered title in PlayStation Store history.
Sensor Tower’s estimate, reported by Forbes and GameSpot, covers pre-orders on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. GameSpot cited an estimated 7.73 million PlayStation copies worth $751 million and 2.58 million Xbox copies worth $250 million. Those figures put the estimated split at 75% PlayStation and 25% Xbox. Sensor Tower has projected that total pre-purchases could reach as many as 25 million by launch, but that is a forecast, not a confirmed result.
The estimate has climbed since August. Sensor Tower then reported 3.15 million PlayStation pre-orders and 930,000 Xbox pre-orders through July 20, with combined net revenue of $395 million. The firm’s November estimate is substantially higher, but the underlying methodology has not been publicly detailed. A calculation using the latest estimated revenue and copy count gives roughly $97 per copy; that does not establish which editions customers bought.
Take-Two chief executive Strauss Zelnick said pre-orders were “tracking far in excess of our initial expectations.” The company’s November 9 earnings release also said orders were reaching “unprecedented levels,” without giving a number. Sony’s November 10 PlayStation Blog post stated: “Grand Theft Auto VI is now the most pre-ordered game in the history of PlayStation Store.” Sony supplied no count.
What’s driving the estimated $1 billion?
Sensor Tower estimates a record-scale wave of pre-orders before launch. Take-Two has not confirmed the count or revenue.
Where the estimate comes from
Sensor Tower’s estimate, reported by GameSpot, covers PS5 and Xbox Series X|S pre-orders.
Signals behind the momentum
PlayStation record
Sony says GTA VI is PlayStation Store’s most pre-ordered game ever, but gave no count.
Orders exceed expectations
Take-Two says orders are tracking far above expectations and at unprecedented levels.
Why the launch matters to Take-Two
The company’s forecast reflects the launch’s importance to its near-term business outlook.
| Measure | Forecast or result | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Net bookings | $3.35B–$3.5B | Oct–Dec 2026 |
| Net bookings | $1.76B | Same quarter a year earlier |
| Operating expenses | About 21% higher | Year over year |
What players can plan for
The game is scheduled for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S.
US PlayStation Store lists Standard at $79.99 and Ultimate at $99.99.
The reported download size is up to 212 GB; no disc is included in the box.
Read the GTA V comparison carefully
- About $1 billion in estimated pre-order revenue before launch
- Based on an outside estimate
- $1 billion in worldwide retail sales in its first three days
- Reported by Take-Two after launch
Take-Two’s Launch-Period Outlook
If Sensor Tower’s estimate is close, GTA VI is generating substantial sales before players can access it. The comparison with its predecessor needs care: Take-Two said GTA V passed $1 billion in worldwide retail sales during its first three days on sale in 2013. That was a post-release retail-sales figure, while the GTA VI number is an outside estimate of pre-orders. The measures and timing are not directly equivalent.
The release is also central to Take-Two’s near-term business outlook. For October through December 2026, the launch quarter, the company forecast net bookings of $3.35 billion to $3.5 billion, compared with $1.76 billion in the same quarter a year earlier. Chief financial officer Lainie Goldstein said operating expenses were expected to rise about 21% year over year, primarily because of marketing for the game. The figures show the scale of the company’s expectations, not a guarantee that the forecast will be met.
For players, the commercial momentum does not change the announced platform and price details. The game is listed for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S; no PC release date has been announced in the source material. US PlayStation Store listings show a $79.99 Standard Edition and a $99.99 Ultimate Edition. The source also reports a download size of up to 212 GB and says a disc is not included in the box, details that may affect players’ budgets and storage planning.
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From GTA V to GTA VI
Take-Two announced in September 2013 that GTA V had passed $1 billion in worldwide retail sales in its first three days. The company said at the time it believed no entertainment property, including games and films, had reached that milestone faster. That historical statement was Take-Two’s own claim, and it described sales after launch—not advance orders.
Sensor Tower’s August comparison cited 7 million pre-orders for GTA V in 2013, 8 million for Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 and more than 6.5 million for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 in 2011. These figures come from reports and estimates made in different periods, and the methods may not match. They provide scale, but they do not establish a like-for-like ranking of all game pre-orders.
Take-Two’s latest quarterly results offer another piece of context. For the quarter it reported on November 9, net bookings fell 18% to $1.60 billion. Zelnick said NBA 2K27 was below the company’s forecast for the period, while the Grand Theft Auto series exceeded it. Take-Two kept its full-year fiscal 2027 net-bookings outlook at $8.0 billion to $8.2 billion.
“Grand Theft Auto VI is now the most pre-ordered game in the history of PlayStation Store.”
— Sony PlayStation Blog, November 10, 2026
The Pre-Order Count Is Unverified
Take-Two has not released an official pre-order total, and Sensor Tower’s figure remains an outside estimate. The source material says the firm tracks orders on PlayStation and Xbox but does not explain its calculation method. A report by tech-ish also questioned whether the tracker includes boxed copies. The estimate should not be treated as a company-reported sales result.
The $1 billion comparison with GTA V also has limits: one is estimated pre-order revenue before launch, the other was worldwide retail sales after three days. Sensor Tower’s projection of as many as 25 million pre-purchases by release is likewise not a confirmed outcome. The final number of orders, revenue recognized by Take-Two and any later platform breakdown are not yet known.
Launch Results Will Clarify the Picture
GTA VI is scheduled to launch on November 19, 2026, for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Take-Two’s October-to-December bookings forecast makes the launch quarter a key measure of whether the game’s reception and sales align with the company’s expectations. The company has not said when it will provide an official pre-order count; its post-launch financial reporting may offer a clearer view of bookings and sales.
Until then, readers should distinguish Sony’s confirmed PlayStation Store ranking and Take-Two’s comments on order momentum from Sensor Tower’s estimated copy and revenue totals. The estimates may change as launch approaches, and the source material does not provide a confirmed PC release date.
Key Questions
Has Take-Two confirmed that GTA VI has $1 billion in pre-orders?
No. The $1 billion figure is Sensor Tower’s estimate, reported by Forbes and GameSpot. Take-Two has not published a pre-order total.
What does Sony confirm about GTA VI pre-orders?
Sony says GTA VI is the most pre-ordered game in PlayStation Store history. It did not disclose the number of orders.
How many copies does Sensor Tower estimate have been pre-ordered?
Sensor Tower estimates 10.31 million copies as of November 11, 2026: 7.73 million on PlayStation and 2.58 million on Xbox, according to GameSpot’s report.
Is the GTA VI estimate directly comparable with GTA V’s $1 billion milestone?
No. Take-Two said GTA V reached $1 billion in worldwide retail sales during its first three days on sale. The GTA VI figure is an outside estimate of pre-orders before launch.
When and where is GTA VI scheduled to launch?
The game is scheduled for November 19, 2026, on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The source material gives no PC release date.
Source: ThorstenMeyerAI.com
