Grand Theft Auto fans want a physical copy of Grand Theft Auto VI so badly that some are buying fake ones. Sellers in China are offering unofficial, disc-style PS5 box sets for the game, in both Standard and "Ultimate Edition" versions, complete with replica cases, printed artwork and a Blu-ray disc that does not work. They are sold as display pieces and, again, they don't even work, but people are buying them anyway.
The reason? It's simple. People want physical games and the official GTA 6 copy is a download code in a box, not a disc. The $100 Ultimate Edition is digital only, too. So for the biggest launch in years, there is nothing for a collector to hold, no disc to shelve next to their old GTA cases. This is the void that these replicas are filling.
The sets themselves are convincing at a glance. The artwork approximates the expected official packaging, the cases look the part and the discs look real, right down to the printing. Some even include a content card with a code. One listing credits a design agency called Lionheart, with no official Rockstar Games connection shown anywhere.
For what it's worth, the sellers are upfront about what these are. They market them as "commemorative set models," display items with no playable game data that will not run on a console.
Official physical GTA 6 versus the bootleg set
Feature | Official physical edition | Bootleg "commemorative" set |
|---|---|---|
Disc | None, a download code in the box | A real-looking Blu-ray that does not work |
Plays the game | Yes, through the code | No, display only |
Case and artwork | Standard retail packaging | Replica case and printed art |
Source | Rockstar and licensed retailers | Chinese sellers, unofficial |
Main risk | None beyond needing a download | Quality, shipping and IP questions |
The irony is the bootleg looks more like a real game than the official release does.
Ironically, the fake set looks more like a traditional game than the real one does. The bootleg has a disc, the official release does not. For a certain kind of collector, that is the whole appeal, even knowing it is a prop. Some buyers are not waiting. Across social media, fans have posted that they have already ordered theirs, fully aware the discs do not work. The demand is real, even if the product is not.
None of this is new for GTA 6. We reported when the first GTA 6 cases appeared in China. This is the next step up, full box sets for both editions rather than loose cases. It keeps happening for one reason. There is no official collector's edition and thousands keep searching for one anyway. When the official store offers a code in a box and nothing to display, someone will always sell the thing fans really want.
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GTA has always been one of the most bootlegged series in gaming, so a thriving counterfeit market around its biggest game is no surprise. Buying one still carries the usual risks, the quality can vary and shipping from overseas is never guaranteed. The listings themselves sit in a legal gray area that storefronts can pull at any time because, well, you know how Take-Two Interactive gets with these types of things, as they should, by the way.
With that said, until Rockstar offers a real disc-based collector's edition, the bootleggers will keep making the version fans ask for.
If you insist on official GTA 6 memorabilia, there is a legitimate option. Rockstar sells the official "Goodtime State Vice City Collection" box set, built for super-fans. It runs around $399 and, in true 2026 fashion, does not even include the game. It is the closest thing to the shelf piece these bootlegs are imitating, only real and licensed. Know that the bill climbs fast, though. We added up everything Rockstar is selling for GTA 6 and it came to about $1,700, so one box set is only the beginning if you want the lot.