Gamers gear up for GTA VI despite disappointment over digital-only edition

It’s only been on presale for a day and Grand Theft Auto VI is already predicted to be the highest-selling cultural product of all time.

Fans were united in relief that the video game’s latest edition has seen a minimal price hike. But here in Cairo, gamers aren’t happy that it doesn’t come with a disc .

"The excitement started with the very first trailer, and I've been starving for new footage and information ever since. So, when I heard that pre-orders were finally opening, it was incredible news," says Egyptian gamer Mahmoud Yasser.

"While I'm annoyed that the game is just a [digital] code instead of a physical disc, I’m trying to look at the glass half-full. At the very least, the game is finally releasing and won't be delayed again.”

The GTA series dates back to 1997 when the first 2D game was released. Fans have been waiting 13 years for a new installment. Anticipation was only stoked by successive delays - from autumn 2025 to May this year, and then to November.

Felopateer Yasser, who manages a video game store in Cairo, says the news that it won't come with a disc came as a shock:

"As a collector who loves putting physical discs on display, finding out the 'physical' edition is just a code in a box felt strange and completely illogical to me.”

Disappointed fans aren't alone. Two independent North American retailers, Video Games Plus and Loot Box Gaming, have said they won’t not sell the game unless a physical disc becomes available.

But the decision to go disc-free shouldn’t come as a surprise. These days, the vast majority of game sales are digital versions delivered over the internet.

And Rockstar - the company behind GTA - is betting its army of fans will buy it anyway.

"To me, GTA isn't just a game, it's a hype, an entire world," says Yasser.

"During Covid, GTA Online was my escape; it lifted my spirits and got me through depressive times. My friends and I would stay up all night playing together. Because of this, GTA VI is an anticipation I’ve carried since I was a child.”

The GTA saga's action-adventure titles have immersed players in high-definition imaginary worlds heavily inspired by American cities. This installment's Bonnie and Clyde-style protagonists will roam Vice City, a fictional version of Miami.