Rockstar said GTA 6 costs $79.99 across PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S, confirming a $10 jump from the standard $70 we’ve seen this generation. The Ultimate Edition, meanwhile, is $20 more, priced $99.99.
GTA 6 physical copies do not include a disc, Rockstar has confirmed. They’re just a code in a box
I’m not entirely sure, but the game disc can still be sold. Isn’t it? If it is just a code you enter and then don’t need the disc anymore, then you cannot sell it. Its basically a digital code only, like on Steam / PC. But if the game disc acts as a license, then it will download the rest of the game and you still need the disc to play. In that case you can sell the disc and no longer play the game. Similar to how game key cards work on Switch 2.
Another reason why big publishers want to have a physical release is, that they have a presence everywhere where “normal” games are also sold. Maybe your mom buys it for you, or a friend gives a gift.
But what’s the use of the box in “code-in-a-box”? It’s so fucking useless is insulting.
I just told you a few reasons from both sides. Another reason I can think of is, game cannot leak before official download day. The biggest reason probably is, because its cheaper to produce.
It’s extraordinarily cheaper to produce, and it kills the second hand game market. Both of which have been thorns in the side of AAA gaming companies for decades. Nobody else had the balls to force online only games (partially due to EU laws). A few tried (I forget the specifics), but they got smacked down and reconsidered. Everyone’s watching to see if this works, and if it does, brick and mortar game stores will go the way of the DVD rental.