Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has shut down rumors claiming Grand Theft Auto 6 would launch as a digital-only release, confirming the game will be available on disc from day one. The rumor originated last month when a Polish gaming site reported that Rockstar Games planned to delay physical copies to prevent early leaks. The claim suggested physical versions might arrive weeks after the digital launch, or possibly not until early 2027.
The reasoning seemed plausible enough: physical discs have a history of ending up in the wild before official release dates, giving people early access to game files and potentially spoiling major story beats or mechanics. However, speaking to Variety during Take-Two's Q3 earnings call yesterday, Zelnick was direct when asked about the alleged delay plan. "That's not the plan," he said, denying any intention to stagger the release between digital and physical formats.
The rumor had spread quickly across gaming communities after the initial report, with several outlets picking up the story. However, the claim never had solid verification behind it, and the logic didn't entirely hold up under scrutiny. Digital games have leaked through pre-loads before, including GTA V itself over a decade ago, so going digital-only wouldn't actually eliminate leak risks.
Take-Two later clarified to IGN that Zelnick's statement wasn't just ruling out a delay into 2027 specifically, but denying any difference in release for different formats altogether. Players will be able to walk into stores and buy GTA 6 on disc when it launches on November 19, 2026, for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
The confirmation comes as Take-Two ramps up for the game's marketing campaign, which is set to begin this summer. Zelnick pointed to these upcoming marketing beats as evidence of the company's confidence in hitting the November date, noting that getting closer to promotional milestones means internal certainty is at its highest.
GTA 6 has already weathered multiple delays, originally slated for Fall 2025 before moving to May 2026 and then to its current November 2026 window. The game has also dealt with its share of leaks already, from development footage to its first trailer being released early, not to mention countless AI-generated fakes circulating online.
Meanwhile, the game's predecessor continues its commercial dominance. Take-Two announced that GTA V has now sold over 225 million copies, cementing its position as one of the best-selling games in history nearly 13 years after its original release.
