When can GTA 6 pre-orders start? Possibilities explored

Modified Mar 19, 2025 18:57 GMT

Here's a rough speculation of when GTA 6 pre-orders might start (Image via Rockstar Games)

One of the things the Grand Theft Auto fanbase is eagerly looking forward to is the beginning of GTA 6 pre-orders. Rockstar Games plans to release the title later this year (2025) during the Fall, and so fans have been expecting the pre-ordering phase to kick off in the near future. However, details as such on the much-anticipated Grand Theft Auto sequel are still a secret.

In short, Rockstar hasn't yet provided a date for when GTA 6 pre-orders will start. However, we can take a look at the pre-ordering trends for some of the developer's last few big releases and speculate when that might begin for its next major release.

Note: Some parts of this article are purely speculative and only reflect the writer's opinions and analysis.

When might Rockstar Games possibly start GTA 6 pre-orders?

GTA 5 pre-order Newswire post (Image via Rockstar Games)

Grand Theft Auto 5, the last fresh installment in the Grand Theft Auto franchise released on September 17, 2013. Rockstar Games made the title available for pre-order on November 5, 2012, just a few days before its second trailer came out.

However, it is worth noting that GTA 5 was still scheduled to release during Spring 2013 at that point, and not in September.

Rockstar's next major release was Red Dead Redemption 2 in October 2018, and its pre-orders started in June 2018, which was around a month after its third trailer had dropped.

However, in this case, we must note that when Red Dead Redemption 2's second trailer dropped (September 2017), the title was scheduled for Spring 2018, and then got delayed to October 2018 in February that year. So, it seems that Rockstar Games might have waited for a fully finalized release date to start its pre-orders, unlike with GTA 5.

At the moment, Grand Theft Auto 6 is scheduled to release during Fall 2025. GTA 6 trailer 2 is being speculated to drop next month, that is April 2025, and if that turns out to be true, with a release date being revealed alongside the trailer, we can expect GTA 6 pre-orders to begin soon afterwards.

Check out: GTA 6 trailer 2's April 1 release date theory explored

This would also be also leave a similar gap between GTA 6 pre-orders and its release window, as was with that of Red Dead Redemption 2, and as was seemingly planned for Grand Theft Auto 5.

Another reason why April seems like a possible month to start GTA 6 pre-orders is Mafia: The Old Country is launching this summer, and Borderlands 4 is releasing on September 23, 2025. Both come under Take-Two Interactive, just like Grand Theft Auto 6, and GTA 6 pre-orders going live close to either could potentially have an effect on their sales, which the company would very likely want to avoid.

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Edited by Aatreyee Aich