Grand Theft Auto 6 makes GTA VI Xbox Series X a current-gen requirement, not a bonus. Anyone still holding a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One X will need to move up to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, or Xbox Series S before the game arrives.
The timing matters because Grand Theft Auto 6 is only a few months away, and the standard edition costs $80. Pre-ordering also brings one month of GTA+, which includes GTA Online benefits and access to other Rockstar titles like Red Dead Redemption and older Grand Theft Auto games.
PS5 and Xbox Series X
Grand Theft Auto 6 will release exclusively on current generation hardware, which makes this more than a routine upgrade decision. The PS5 hit shelves at the tail end of 2020, and it already saw a price increase earlier this year, so the wait-and-see approach carries a higher entry cost than it did at launch.
Some retailers are worried that there will not be a big enough supply of PS5 consoles to meet demand for Grand Theft Auto 6. That concern is not abstract: PS5 Pro consoles sold out after the GTA 6 gameplay reveal, showing how quickly console stock can tighten when the game moves from anticipation to purchase planning.
GTA+ and $80
The $80 standard edition raises the real cost of getting in early, but the game’s lock to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S also makes the console choice part of the purchase. For buyers who are already on the fence, the practical decision is whether to secure a PS5 now or risk a tighter market later.
The Xbox Series X may still carry a technical edge, since Rockstar’s previous title, Red Dead Redemption 2, had an Xbox One X version with a crisp 4K resolution until the PC port arrived. If that pattern holds, some buyers could treat Xbox Series X as the safer bet for performance, while others may prefer to wait and hope a Grand Theft Auto 6 console bundle appears for the holiday season.
Holiday bundle pressure
Buying a PlayStation 5 now reduces the chance of getting squeezed by supply if Grand Theft Auto 6 pushes demand higher. Waiting could save money only if a bundle materializes, but that comes with the risk of fighting for consoles after the game’s release window gets closer.
For anyone deciding today, the cleaner move is simple: buy the hardware first if you want certainty, and wait only if you are willing to gamble on a bundle and on how the Xbox Series X version compares with PlayStation 5.
