Grand Theft Auto 6 is predicted to generate up to £3.85 billion in sales in its first week on sale, according to an analysis of pre-order spending by Newzoo. The gaming blockbuster, set for release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S on November 19, has already seen roughly $180 million in digital preorders across the US and the five largest European markets.
Record-Breaking Preorder Estimates
Newzoo analysis compared player distribution from GTA5 to estimate global first-week preorder spending for GTA6 at approximately $260 million (£200 million). Based on comparable preorder curves, GTA6 is tracking toward $3.25 billion (£2.42 billion) to $5.2 billion (£3.85 billion) in cumulative sales by the end of launch week.
Ronan Patrick, management consultant at Newzoo, said: “The first week of preorders generated an estimated $260 million in global digital spending, the largest opening Newzoo has observed. For a title launching in November 2026, the scale of demand this far ahead of release is rare, even among the industry's biggest franchises.”
Contrary to Social Media Reports
Patrick clarified that contrary to social media reports, GTA6 has not done a billion dollars in preorders 21 weeks out. “This is absurd,” he said. “Given how preorder curves look, nothing ever has and nothing ever will in the near future.”
He added: “What the data actually shows is $180 million in digital preorder spend across the US and the five largest European markets in the final week of June, translating to a global opening week of roughly $260 million, with most of the ramp still ahead. Run that figure through the plausible band of preorder curves, and GTA6 is on track to book between $3.25 billion and $5.2 billion in week-one launch revenue.”
Comparison to GTA5 and Other Entertainment
For comparison, GTA5 set records by generating $1 billion in three days after its 2013 release, making it the fastest-selling entertainment product in history, surpassing Marvel's Avengers: Endgame. GTA6 is expected to hit the $1 billion mark even faster.
The game features two playable protagonists: Lucia Caminos and Jason Duval. It may be the most expensive video game ever made, with parent company Take-Two estimated to have spent $1-1.5 billion so far. CEO Strauss Zelnick declined to confirm the exact amount but admitted “it was expensive.”
