Back in January, the Polish website PPE shared a worrying rumor about GTA VI: according to their sources, Rockstar and Take-Two were planning a digital-only launch of the highly anticipated game, primarily to avoid spoilers. This was later denied by both Rockstar and Take-Two, though when pre-orders opened earlier this week, customers learned that the physical copy they would buy at a retailer included only a download code, not an actual disc. This was inevitably a source of disappointment for many, especially those who might have been interested in seeking a second-hand copy at a lower price sometime after release. […]

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A new report has clarified yesterday’s retailer claims that Grand Theft Auto 6 would eventually receive physical disc copies. According to a source speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, emails and support team messages are being misinterpreted and there are actually “no plans” to ever put GTA 6 on a disc. 

While physical discs are still around, nowadays the vast majority of game sales on both PC and console are digital. There is still a small group that prefers physical, but they are being supported by new releases less and less. Chances are, even if Rockstar did put GTA 6 on a disc, it wouldn't be the complete game and it likely wouldn't include the day-one patch. This has been a growing issue for physical games, as users still need to sit through lengthy downloads even when buying a disc most of the time.

With this new clarification, yesterday’s retailer listing appears increasingly unreliable. The source speaking to THR claims the December production date is incorrect and that no disc manufacturing plans exist at all.

Grand Theft Auto 6 is launching on November 19th for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. So far, Rockstar has only talked about the single-player side of the game, so GTA Online announcements are expected later in the year.

KitGuru Says: Rockstar isn't alone in its abandonment of physical disc production, but GTA 6 is arguably the biggest game to skip physical media in quite some time.