'Everyone is still on physical what is this the 20th century?'

Physical Editions of Grand Theft Auto 6 won't come with a disc

Many fans are disappointed, and it's stirred conversation about the value of physical and digital games

Fans in 2013 had similar conversations with the launch of GTA 5

Now that Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders are live, it feels like the countdown to the game's launch later this year can truly begin in earnest. And yet, despite the hype around the most anticipated game of all time, some fans are disappointed by the announcement that physical editions won't come with a disc, but rather a digital download code in the box.

It has stirred up conversation around whether physically owning the game even matters in the grand scheme of things; dedicated fans who have waited a long time for GTA 6 will buy the game either way, right?

"Obviously I’m going to get this game but 13 years of waiting & this is all physical editions are getting? A f****** code in a box? For the biggest game to ever launch & that’s all the effort you’re putting in for physical? So damn disappointed man," one said.

But it seems that even during the launch period of GTA 5 all the way in 2013, fans were debating the value of physical and digital games, though it seems that many leaned on the side of being able to physically own their copy.

"I have been playing the game since launch, because my brother bought it and never played it. He recently moved and took the game with him, so I need to buy it myself. I have an external hard drive which I can store the game on so I don't have to worry if the Xbox breaks. Now what would you recommend?" asked a fan on a 12-year-old Reddit post.

One fan jumped to say that "Physical is seemingly better in every way aside from you have to remove the disk [from the console]."

Others agreed, with one saying, "Plus, if you ever want to get rid of it, you can always trade it in for another game or sell it."

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However, it's a different conversation today as GTA 6 physical editions will have a download code instead, unlike GTA 5 over a decade ago, meaning players won't be able to resell their copy later on.

One fan disagreed, saying, "Wow. Really everyone is still on physical what is this the 20th century?" But another argued that physical is better because they could display their collection proudly.

"Physical, as the price is usually the same as digital," a user replied, but nowadays, that's not typically the case, while another said "Physical, cause you get the map. Not cause its useful just cause its cool!"

Sadly, unlike GTA 5 and even Red Dead Redemption 2, neither the Standard nor the Ultimate Edition of GTA 6 will include a map.

Before GTA 5 was released, hours of gameplay footage leaked online after early copies were illegally uploaded to torrent sites. One explanation for GTA 6 physical editions not including a disc could be that Rockstar is trying to minimize the potential for leaks this time around.

Some fans also considering skipping the day one purchase in hopes of a disc being produced later down the line. However, for now, it looks like all players will own a digital license for the game instead.

GTA 6 launches on November 19 and will cost $79.99 / AU$129.95 / £69.99 for the Standard Edition and $99.99 / AU$159.95 / £89.99 for the Ultimate Edition. Pre-loads begin on November 12.

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Demi is a freelance games journalist who helps cover gaming news at TechRadar. She's been a games writer for five years and has written for outlets such as GameSpot, NME, and GamesRadar, covering news, features, and reviews. Outside of writing, she plays a lot of RPGs and talks far too much about Star Wars on X.