Grand Theft Auto 6 has the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded, according to games market analytics firm Newzoo, which projects the game could sell anywhere between 37 and 51 million copies in its first week on sale.
The firm analysed digital spending data across the US and the five largest European markets during the last week of June, finding around $180 million was spent on digital pre-orders in that window alone. Scaling that out using GTA 5’s known player distribution as a guide, Newzoo estimates total global pre-order spend reached roughly $260 million in the first week of the campaign – a figure it describes as kicking off the strongest pre-order campaign ever recorded.
What the numbers actually mean
Newzoo’s projection works off the idea that pre-orders for a proven sequel like GTA 6 typically account for around 5.8% of total first-week sales. Running the $260 million figure through that model puts the game on pace for $4.5 billion in week-one revenue – roughly 51 million units. Even under the most conservative scenario, where GTA 6 front-loads harder than any title in Newzoo’s dataset, the firm still lands at around $3.3 billion and 37 million units sold in week one.
The firm was also quick to knock down a figure that had been circulating on social media, saying the claim that GTA 6 had already hit $1 billion in pre-orders 21 weeks out is not supported by its analysis. The firm also said that, even when accounting for a more front-loaded release, the results amount to a tremendous number by any historical standard.
Why this matters beyond the hype
With the most anticipated game of all time still months out from release, Newzoo notes that the bulk of the pre-order ramp is still ahead – meaning these projections could shift considerably before launch day arrives.