Amid online backlash to GTA 6’s physical version only including a digital code, some retailers have vowed not to stock copies of the game unless Rockstar changes tact.
In case you somehow missed it, GTA 6 pre-orders finally went live yesterday, confirming the base game will cost £70 and there’ll be an Ultimate Edition with extra content that costs £90.
However, some people were mortified to learn that physical copies of GTA 6 aren’t physical at all, since they only come with a digital code rather than a disc, prompting plenty of loud negative feedback.
These complaints will no doubt continue well past GTA 6’s release on November 19 and a couple of retailers have announced they won’t even bother stocking the game because of it.
In an X post, American retailer Loot Box Gaming says it will not be supporting the launch of GTA 6. While this means it’s cutting off a very lucrative stream of revenue, it staunchly believes in the preservation of physical media.
‘If a product can’t honour the people who pay their hard-earned money to purchase it, then we have no business trying to sell it to our customers whom we value above anything else,’ it adds.
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Not long afterwards, Canadian retailer VGP said it will follow suit since it has a strict policy about selling digital codes in boxes: ‘For nearly 40 years, VGP has been committed to supporting physical media and preserving the value of physical game ownership.
‘As part of that commitment, our company policy is that we do not carry physical products for video game consoles that contain only a digital download code.’
VGP did add that it’d be more than happy to stock GTA 6 should Rockstar and Take-Two decide to release a true physical version that does include the game on a disc.
Responses to both statements are unsurprisingly mixed. Many have praised the retailers for taking a stance to support both physical media and their customers.
Others, however, have made either sincere or mocking statements about how this won’t make a bit of a difference considering the massive hype around GTA 6. Although this is something Loot Box Gaming has acknowledged; this is purely a matter of principle than an attempt to damage GTA 6’s sales.
A few petitions have also since gone live to try and convince Take-Two and Rockstar to release a proper physical version of GTA 6, including one by another Canadian retailer called PNP Games, which highlights how the lack of a disc means you can’t lend or re-sell your copy of GTA 6, effectively making it impossible to get second-hand.
However, Polish website PPE.pl is claiming to have heard from a reliable source that a physical version with a disc is already planned to come out this December, about a month after GTA 6’s launch.
PPE.pl’s source had previously claimed that GTA 6 wouldn’t have a physical version at launch all the way back in January, which has now proven to be accurate
Regardless, Rockstar and Take-Two are under no pressure to release GTA 6 on a disc. Aside from the fact digital games have been outselling physical games for years, there’s too much anticipation from casual audiences for them to skip GTA 6 regardless of whether there’s a physical version or not.
Over on ResetEra, for example, you’ll find plenty of commentors admit that despite not liking Rockstar and Take-Two’s decision, and being fervent supporters of physical media, they’re going to buy GTA 6 regardless.
It’s also been questioned whether GTA 6’s physical version will uphold a Rockstar tradition and include a real map of the game’s setting of Leonida. Rockstar has done this with previous GTA games, as well as Red Dead Redemption.
Since physical copies of GTA 6 won’t even come with a disc, some ResetEra commentors are expecting no map either, with a few joking that the map will also be digital and need a separate download code.
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