GTA 6 is the most pre-ordered game in the history of both console stores. Sony called it “the most pre-ordered game in the history of PlayStation Store”, and Microsoft said it is “the most pre-ordered title of all time on the Microsoft Store”. confirmed (Nov 11, as reported by GamesRadar+ and PC Gamer)
Take-Two has not published a pre-order count. The numbers you see in headlines are third-party estimates, mostly from Sensor Tower. Here is which ones hold up.
How many pre-orders does GTA 6 have?
Sensor Tower’s estimates have climbed through November. Its methodology is unpublished, so all of these are reported estimates.
| As of | Estimate | Reported by |
|---|---|---|
| ~Nov 3 | ~$750M; ~7.7M copies in early November | Tech Times (Nov 9) |
| Nov 11 | ~$1.0B, ~10.31M units, net of returns | TweakTown, Forbes |
| Through Nov 13 | 12M+ pre-orders | CNBC (Nov 14) |
The Nov 11 platform split: PlayStation about 75% (7.73M units, $751M) and Xbox about 2.58M units ($250M). Sensor Tower also estimates that 89% of pre-orders are the Ultimate Edition. reported
The “$1.18B from 12M” figure
A search snippet attributed $1.18B from 12M units to Sensor Tower. We could not verify the dollar figure, and another blog cites $1.09B. CNBC, in an article we were able to read, does report Sensor Tower’s 12M+ through Nov 13. So: the 12M unit count is credible as of Nov 13; the $1.18B revenue figure is not confirmed. rumour (the $1.18B)
What has Take-Two said?
No unit numbers, but plenty of superlatives and some hard financial guidance. confirmed
- Zelnick, Nov 9: “The launch of Grand Theft Auto VI is ten days away and, with pre-orders continuing to reach unprecedented levels, we expect to deliver an historic year.”
- On the call: pre-orders are tracking “far in excess” of initial expectations, but Take-Two declined to raise guidance or give FY28 guidance before launch. Zelnick: “we still aren’t ready to declare victory.”
- CFO Lainie Goldstein: “the level of pre-orders generated is extraordinary.”
- Zelnick to CNBC, Nov 14: “our expectations were high and they are being vastly exceeded so far.”
Take-Two’s numbers
| Period | Figure |
|---|---|
| Q2 FY27 (Jul–Sep 2026) net bookings | $1.60B, down 18%, below its own $1.62–1.67B guide |
| Q2 FY27 net loss | $54.0M ($0.29/share) |
| Q3 FY27 guide (Oct–Dec, the launch quarter) | $3.35–3.5B net bookings, vs ~$1.9B a year earlier |
| FY27 net bookings guide | $8.0–8.2B, reiterated |
| Marketing spend | Up 21% year on year, mostly in the December quarter |
Shares rose about 8% after the Nov 9 report. reported More in our Q2 earnings write-up.
How many copies will GTA 6 sell?
Analyst forecasts, all reported:
| Analyst | Forecast |
|---|---|
| Wedbush | FY27 net bookings $8.605B, implying ~40M GTA VI units |
| Morgan Stanley | ~40M units by March 2027 |
| Wolfe Research | 31–35M units |
| Piper Sandler | 35M units by April 2027 |
| Bank of America | 45M in the first year |
| DFC Intelligence | 40M in year one (~$3.2B); 100M by year five |
| Morningstar | 60–70M in FY27 |
| Konvoy (outlier) | 85M units and $7.6B in 60 days |
- First week: Newzoo forecasts $3.25–5.2B in global revenue.
- Day one: projections range from 15M to 46M units. Niko Partners expects over $1.2B in first-day sell-through.
- The benchmark: GTA V sold 11.21M copies in its first 24 hours in 2013.
GTA V, still selling, passed 235M units as of Sept 30, 2026 per GamesBeat. reported
Is Take-Two stock a buy because of GTA 6?
We do not give investment advice. For balance: The Motley Fool argues the stock already prices in the launch at 5.7 times sales. reported (opinion) Forbes notes that rising console prices, driven by AI-related memory costs, may blunt any GTA hardware bump. reported
What did GTA 6 cost to make?
Rockstar has not said. Jennifer Kolbe denied that the budget exceeded $1.5B, without giving a figure; Roth’s Eric Handler estimates more than $1B. See budget rumours and the development history.
What we’re watching
- Launch-day sales. The first real numbers should come after Nov 19, likely from Rockstar or Take-Two.
- Take-Two’s next earnings report, covering the launch quarter.
Back to the release hub, or check what it costs.