Xbox Urges Patience for Actual Data Amid GTA 6 Pre-Order Speculation Favoring PS5

Pre-orders for Grand Theft Auto VI have officially launched, and while pre-ordering games—especially digital ones—often comes with risks, many players have jumped in anyway. Although there’s no concrete sales data available yet, some anecdotal evidence has emerged, including a claim that the PlayStation 5 version of GTA VI is significantly outselling its Xbox Series X/S counterpart.

According to findings shared on social media, the PlayStation version is reportedly outperforming Xbox by an impressive 8-to-1 ratio. This information appears to stem from tracking pre-orders made through affiliate links, allowing for insights into which console players are choosing. As the console rivalry heats up online, this data has sparked discussions, especially after reports of PS5 copies briefly selling out on major retail sites, much to Microsoft’s chagrin.

An Xbox representative later commented that this information doesn’t reflect actual pre-order statistics, emphasizing that they’ve seen record orders and suggesting that players should wait for verified data rather than relying on affiliate link clicks. With GTA VI poised to be one of the most significant game launches in history, it’s plausible that pre-orders on Xbox have also reached impressive numbers, even if the PS5 has a lead.

Interestingly, some have pointed out the irony in Microsoft’s call for “real data,” given that the company has not reported sales figures for its consoles since the Xbox One era. In the current Game Pass landscape, detailed sales data for first-party titles is also scarce. Occasionally, studios might share player counts during launch windows, but this information isn’t always made public.

Industry estimates suggest that the PS5 could be on track to outsell the Xbox Series X/S by at least a 2-to-1 margin this generation. Given that most PS5 and Xbox Series X/S owners are likely to purchase GTA VI in the coming years, one would expect the sales distribution to reflect a similar ratio. If PS5 sales of GTA VI significantly exceed this 2-to-1 expectation, it could indicate other influencing factors. However, without more comprehensive data, the true picture remains unclear.