GTA 6 pre-orders went live on 25th June, and according to Eurogamer the game is already topping the PlayStation Store charts across nearly every regional version of the store. That is unusual for a title without a firm release date on shelves. The buying decision is now live, months before the disc is.
Two things make this worth thinking through. First, the discounting has started: Frandroid reports that during its sales period, E.Leclerc is offering GTA VI on PS5 at 60 € ahead of release, before the usual launch-day premium sets in. Second, Sony has begun publicly discussing its next console, which raises the obvious question for anyone without a PS5: buy current-gen now, or wait for the PS6?
Locking in the game cheaply is the easy call
Pre-ordering a game and buying the hardware are separate decisions. If you already own a PS5, a 60 € pre-order on a game this size is straightforward value. Rockstar's flagship releases hold their price for a long time after launch, and discounts before release are rarer than discounts after.
The caveat is practical. Pre-order terms vary by retailer, and a game without a locked release date can slip. Check the cancellation and refund policy before you commit, and don't pre-order on a platform you're not certain you'll still own by launch.
The PS5 is mature, not obsolete
Les Numériques notes the PS5 has been on the market for more than five years and remains heavily present in homes even as its successor is hinted at. That maturity cuts both ways.
On the positive side, a five-year-old platform is a known quantity: the library is deep, hardware revisions have ironed out early problems, and prices on the console and its games are as settled as they will get. On the negative side, buying at the tail end of a generation means paying near the top of the cycle for hardware that will soon be the older option. Our console comparisons cover where the PS5 stands today.
What "Sony is teasing a PS6" means for buyers
Les Numériques reports Sony has begun laying the groundwork for a next console. That is a signal, not a launch. A public discussion sits years away from a product you can buy, and console makers routinely talk about the future long before anything ships.
The mistake is treating a tease as a reason to wait indefinitely. A PS6 announced today would still need a release window, a launch price, a launch library, and a first-generation hardware shakedown period that early PS5 owners will remember. The smart moment to buy a new console is rarely its first year.
There is also the cross-generation reality. Rockstar builds for the installed base, and the installed base is PS5. A PS6, when it arrives, will almost certainly run the game, but you will not need one to play it well.
The recommendation
- Already own a PS5: Pre-order at the discounted price if you find it, after checking the refund terms. There is little downside and the price is unlikely to improve.
- Don't own a PS5 and want GTA 6 at launch: Buy the PS5. Waiting for a PS6 means waiting past the game's release, then paying launch-console prices for unproven first-run hardware.
- Don't own a PS5 and aren't in a hurry: Waiting is defensible, but wait for concrete PS6 details — a date and a price — not for a tease. Until then you're deferring a purchase against an unknown.
The wider release calendar
GTA 6 is the headline, but it is not the only reason a console earns its keep over the next year. Eurogamer reports Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 arrives on 23rd October and will not be on Xbox Game Pass — a detail that matters if you were counting on subscription access to skip the purchase. Separately, The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered has a confirmed Switch 2 date, with the physical version shipping the full game on a cartridge rather than a download key, which is worth noting given how often "physical" editions no longer contain the game.
None of that changes the core advice; it frames it. Judge a console on what it will run over the months you own it, not on a single blockbuster. For ongoing coverage, see our gaming news, and if terms like cross-gen or upgrade path are unclear, the glossary spells them out.
Bottom line: the discounted GTA 6 pre-order is a good deal if the terms are safe. The PS5 is a sound buy for anyone who wants to play at launch. A PS6 tease is not a reason to wait — a date and a price would be.