GTA 6 might launch without a physical edition at release

According to the latest rumors, Rockstar may skip releasing a physical version of GTA 6 at launch. This move is likely aimed not at collectors, but at reducing the risk of leaks before the game’s official release.

Insider Graczdari, whose info was later confirmed by Insider Gaming, claims GTA 6 might not have a physical edition—at least during the initial sales period. Neither Rockstar nor Take-Two have commented yet, but this decision makes sense strategically. Rather than ignoring collectors’ interests, the company probably wants to minimize the chances of further leaks.

Rockstar has faced serious issues with leaks in the past. In 2022, a huge trove of GTA 6 gameplay footage was leaked online, and more recently, the game’s first trailer was released prematurely due to a leak. In both cases, the company lost control over key announcements and how they were unveiled. That explains its effort to prevent a repeat. Physical copies are particularly vulnerable since retailers sometimes sell games early or unintentionally disclose project details.

The absence of a physical release at launch may disappoint collectors, who might end up buying the game twice or miss playing it on day one. This also creates extra challenges for players with slow internet connections. GTA 6 is expected to be around 200 GB in size, and downloading that much data could be a real headache.

On Reddit, many fans have already expressed frustration, accusing Rockstar of a so-called “triple monetization” strategy: first a digital launch, then a physical release, followed by a later enhanced technical edition for PC. However, some in the community understand the situation, believing the move away from physical copies is driven by a desire to maintain control over what could be one of the biggest game releases in recent years.