80%
Probable
Back in January, the Polish website PPE shared a worrying rumor about GTA VI: according to their sources, Rockstar and Take-Two were planning a digital-only launch of the highly anticipated game, primarily to avoid spoilers.
This was later denied by both Rockstar and Take-Two, though when pre-orders opened earlier this week, customers learned that the physical copy they would buy at a retailer included only a download code, not an actual disc. This was inevitably a source of disappointment for many, especially those who might have been interested in seeking a second-hand copy at a lower price sometime after release.
Their hopes were quickly rekindled as PPE published a new report stating that retail copies of GTA VI with actual physical discs would be released in December. However, a reputable source has now shared an opposite report.
The Hollywood Reporter wrote:
A source with knowledge of the plans told THR [that] at this point in time, there are no plans for GTA VI discs to be printed — not at launch, and not months after.
The THR report lands at a moment when the data strongly supports the publisher's decision. According to Circana analyst Mat Piscatella, US spending on new physical games hit an all-time tracked low in 2025 at just $1.5 billion, the weakest figure recorded since Circana (formerly NPD) began monitoring the market in 1995.
That figure represents a staggering 87% collapse from the 2008 peak of $11.6 billion, and US physical game spending has been cut in more than half since 2021 alone. The UK tells a similar story: boxed games fell by 35% in 2024 and now account for just 27% of all game sales in the country, according to the Entertainment Retail Association. Even as the rate of decline slowed to 11% in 2025, Piscatella cautioned that the slowdown may simply mean "we're nearing the bottom" rather than any genuine recovery.
Still, does Rockstar's choice influence your intent to purchase GTA VI? Let us know in the comments.
About the author: With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
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