In brief: IGN recently stirred controversy when it claimed PlayStation is outselling Xbox by a rate of 8 to 1 in terms of GTA VI pre-orders. The data came from the publisher's affiliate linking program which, according to Microsoft, shouldn't be relied upon as a true indicator of pre-order performance.
In a follow-up with Windows Central, an Xbox spokesperson explicitly said IGN's data doesn't represent pre-order data. The representative added that Microsoft has seen record orders, and that people should wait for "real data" instead of clicks on affiliate links.
– IGN (@IGN) June 27, 2026
Rockstar opened pre-orders for the highly anticipated game on June 25, quelling cost rumors while simultaneously creating new controversies in the process. The standard edition of the game is priced at $79.99 while the Ultimate Edition commands $99.99. It's not the $100 base price that some had feared might come to fruition, but it certainly carries a premium price tag compared to what some people are used to.
What's interesting here is that while folks are debating how much AAA games should cost in the modern era of complex games and decade-plus development timelines, console makers continue to push the cost of aging hardware to new heights. Sure, people are upset, but you wouldn't know it given the debate around game pricing.
Take Microsoft, for example. The Xbox maker recently announced its third console price hike in 15 months. Starting August 1, an Xbox Series S with 512GB of storage will retail for $499. The same system debuted in late 2020 – nearly six year ago – for just $299. The PS5, which launched in within a week of the Xbox Series, started at $399 for the digital edition. That console now sells for $599.
Again, what's wild here is that premium game prices have been "expensive" for decades. Look back at sales ads from the 90s and you'll regularly see AAA games selling for anywhere between $59.99 and $74.99. We're now 30 years removed and prices are mostly still in this same range. It's the hardware that's gone through the roof.
Grand Theft Auto VI is due out November 19.