Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has revealed that pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto 6 are skewing towards the pricier $100 Ultimate Edition rather than the $80 standard version, though he suggested this may partly reflect that the earliest buyers tend to be the most dedicated fans. The comments, made in an interview with CNBC, add further detail to the ongoing debate over GTA 6's pricing, which has drawn criticism since pre-orders opened in June for costing more than most other major game releases.

Zelnick also poured cold water on hopes of holiday discounts, noting that while retailers set their own prices, Take-Two held firm on GTA 5's pricing for years and expects a similar approach this time, even with the game launching just before Black Friday and Christmas. He reiterated his view that the price reflects the game's value, and addressed concerns over the lack of a physical disc, saying a disc release isn't ruled out for the future but shouldn't affect sales. GTA 6 will get its first "extended look" via Netflix later this month, arriving on YouTube six hours later on 27 August, ahead of its 19 November release.