Grand Theft Auto 6 ‘could generate $1 billion from pre-orders alone’

Grand Theft Auto 6 could generate more than $1 billion from pre-orders alone this year, a prominent industry research firm has predicted.

Rockstar Games‘ long-awaited sequel is officially due to release this fall, and analysts at DFC Intelligence have confidently predicted it will be by far the biggest launch of the year in all entertainment.

Speaking to the FT (paywalled), DFC predicts that GTA 6 will generate $3.2 billion during its first year on sale, which is double what its predecessor managed back in 2013, and significantly more than 2024’s biggest movies Inside Out 2 ($1.7bn), and Deadpool & Wolverine ($1.3bn).

Grand Theft Auto 6 is likely to exceed $1bn in pre-orders before it even becomes available, according to the video games research group.

Yoshio Osaki, CEO of games-focused IDG Consulting, echoed DFC’s prediction: “We think it’s going to be one of the biggest entertainment launches in history, not just in games but for all of media. The pent-up demand is greater than anything we’ve seen before.”

Commenting on the claims, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick told the Financial Times: “I never claim victory before it occurs. That said, I think [GTA’s developer] Rockstar Games will once again deliver something absolutely phenomenal . . . Certainly the anticipation is high.”

Take-Two recently reiterated that the Grand Theft Auto 6 release date remains on track for the fall of calendar 2025.

The first Grand Theft Auto 6 trailer was released in December 2023, confirming a planned 2025 release date. It racked up more than 100 million views in just two days, surpassing the lifetime views of GTA 5‘s debut trailer and making it one of the most-viewed trailers in YouTube history.